Trent University student Maysie Roberts has won the 2023 Pitch It! entrepreneurial competition, hosted by the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
Six student finalists from Fleming College and Trent University pitched their business ideas to a panel of three judges on Thursday (October 19) at Trent Student Centre.
Roberts won first place and $1,000 for her concept for a women’s health app called Uniquely Blossom, which would specialize in reproductive anomalies and provide tailored guidance and doctor bookings.
Fleming College student Adithya Bala came in second place and won a $500 prize for his venture called EcoBites, and innovative product line offering edible flavoured straws and lids as eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics.
The other finalists were Fleming College’s Whitney Stoner-Paget (First Five Club, focusing on innovative early childhood development), Fleming College’s Christina Bourgeois-Davis (Hand-In-Hand Childcare Solutions, aimed at streamlining child care services), Trent University’s Aruja Kulkarni (Atomation.AI, a platform for automating routine tasks), and Trent University’s John Samuel Joseph Premanand (FarmersCart, revolutionizing the way Toronto residents access farm-fresh produce through an online marketplace and pop-up stores).
The three judges for the competitions were Mega Experience Inc. CEO Catia Skinner, Adirondack Technologies Furniture Inc. founder Barry Payne, and Futurpreneur Canada business development manager Andrew Ko.
The Innovation Cluster also announced that its annual Cubs’ Lair entrepreneurship competition, taking place on November 30, will be expanded to include not just students but also regional entrepreneurs from the Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes area. Top prizes include $3,000, $1,500, and $500 for the top three winners. Applications are open until November 3 at innovationcluster.ca/cubs-lair/.
