DiscoveryLab@AgSmart
The inaugural DiscoveryLab@AgSmart pitch event was held on Monday July 29, 2024 from 9am-5pm at the Werklund Lecture Theatre.
Seventeen pitches were evaluated based on 10 criteria using 5 rankings.
The presentations were judged to be excellent based on feedback from an audience of 111 people.
The most investable were AGvisorPro, City Scan, Flokk Systems, Nu Terra Labs, Optiweigh, PanAccess Innovations, PathoScan, Rainforest Algae and Smart Paddock.
DiscoveryLab@AgSmart Program, Report, Attendees
9:00 am Virtual meeting opens with introductions and sharing of news
Agtech Session 1 chaired by Max Olson, Student, Digital Agtech
9:10 Douglas Kirillo, CEO AltaGreen Products Inc.: infrastructure to support growing, processing, and sales for the hemp market
Biotech Session chaired by Tomisin Omotoso, BSc Student, UofA
9:20 Mardin (Asghar) Fallah, CEO & Founder, RNARevive Therapeutics: revolutionizing the treatment of bone diseases including osteoporosis
Engineering Session chaired by Emily Robinson, BSc Student, UofA
9:35 Sara Saeedi, Assistant Professor, University of Calgary: Towards the Agriculture Digital Twining: Interoperable online 3D platform for developing Agriculture 4.0
9:45 Mustafa Gül, CEO, City Scan Technologies, providing AI-powered cost-effective and scalable infrastructure assessment solutions
Opening of the In-person Discovery@AgSmart Meeting
10:30 Todd Ormann, VP Development and Joy Agnew, VP, Research, Olds College of Agriculture and Technology, open the in-person event.
In-person Agtech Pitch Session 2 Chair: Brianna Elliot, Olds College
10:45 Mark Olson, President, Flokk Systems providing systems for herd management and traceability reporting.
11:00 Darren Wolchyn, Founder & CEO, Smart Paddock: location tracking & status monitoring system for livestock animals and farms
11:15 Coffee Break served in the atrium
In-person Agtech Pitch Session 3 Chair: Lorna Baird, Olds College
11:30 Jumai Abioye, CEO & Founder, PanAccess Innovations Inc. on portable tools and devices and smart platforms for comprehensive, data-driven insights for use in farms, fields, and homes
11:45 Styn Nieuwenhuis, Founder, FeedXchange, transforming the livestock industry through a platform to source feed ingredients
12:00 Lunch served in the atrium
In-person Agtech Pitch Session 4 Chair: Keith Frielander, Olds College
13:00 Robert Saik, CEO, AGvisorPRO, mobile platform for connecting experts and companies and those seeking agriculture advice.
13:15 David Leroux, CEO, Circulus Agtech: nutrient recycling by turning organic waste into biofertilizers, minimizing methane, purifying water, and replacing synthetic nitrogen
13:30 Break
In-person Agtech Pitch Session 5: Herman Simons, Olds College (tbc)
13:40 Rebecca Ung, Founder, Kumu Corporation, developing plastic alternatives from food, plant materials, and minerals
13:55 Nafaa Haddou,co-Founder and CEO, Nu Terra Labs, on control systems to meet the needs of farmers as well as FireSafe detection
14: 10 Coffee Break served in the atrium
In-person Agtech Pitch Session 6 Chair: Alicia Cafferata, CARIN (tbc)
14:25 Bill Mitchell, Founder, Optiweigh: automated in-paddock livestock weighing that delivers benefits to any size cattle operation
14:40 Pankaj Purwar, Co-Founder, Farmer's Legacy Biotech, creating healthy and sustainable oil for Canadian consumers
14:55 Break
In-person Agtech Pitch Session Chair: Sean Thompson, Olds College (tbc)
15:05 Tayab Soomro, co-Founder and CEO, PathoScan developing in-field pathogen and disease testing devices for a variety of crop diseases
15:20 Hamid Abdelrhman, CEO, Canvita, providing access to get vitamins regardless of dietary restrictions, or religious/personal beliefs.
15:35 Stanley Pankratz, President and CEO, Rainforest Algae Corp, developing photobioreactor systems for the cultivation of microalgae
15:50 Closing Discussions
16:00 - 17:00 Networking Reception sponsored by Blindman Brewing and JoyHall
The panel of investors includes representatives from AltaML, ATB, Carrot Ventures, Cultivator powered by Conexus, FCC, Foresight Canada, SVG Ventures, The51 Food & AgTech Fund, THRIVE, Tallgrass Ventures, and the University of Alberta Innovation Fund, and will be evaulating the pitches.
Event Feedback:
“This is by far the best run pitch event I’ve ever been to!” - Presenter
“Cool pitches, great people. Great start to AgSmart.”
“Loved the ag focused presentations”
“Love the feedback and analytical breakdown”
“Excellent time management and ability to make adjustments on the fly. Well done!”
See the world differently. Tell your story.
DiscoveryLab offers events where teams pitch plans to a panel of investors and advisors, and keynote talks are offered on a theme. Scalable innovations in any sector, location or stage of development are presented as are transformative technologies for diagnostics, medical devices, therapeutics, biotech, agtech, AI, cleantech, edtech, food/drinks, materials, energy, environment and resources.
We welcome new members including investors, industry experts and business advisors to join in to advise the diversity of teams presenting.
Presenters receive constructive feedback on the business plan summary and slidedeck they submit beforehand, a video recording of their pitch, an evaluation and scores, new connections and leads for funding.
Note: Teams that are pitching are invited to submit their business plan summary at least two weeks before the event to qualify for a slot and gain feedback to strengthen their pitch.
Presenters can also check out our Presenter Guide.
Events & Opportunities
AdvaMed MEDTECH Conference, Toronto Oct 15-17: contact raja.mita at albertainnovates.ca to join the delegation
envisAGE Annual Forum dedicated to AgeTech solutions on Oct 23 in Edmonton
Banff Venture Forum from Oct 23-24
Building for Sustainability Symposium in Canmore from Oct 27 -28
TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco from Oct 28-30
ASTech Awards Gala in Edmonton on Nov 1
Innovation Week YYC from Nov 13-21
Solar Business Expo in Calgary on Nov 17
Indigitech Destiny Summit in Calgary on Nov 18
Pathway to Silicon Valley in San Francisco from Nov 19-21
Our aims are to play a positive role by:
1. provide an open forum for entrepreneurs and innovators to pitch for free and connect with investors, business advisors and industry experts,
2. building trust and mutual understanding to ensure sustainable and rewarding multi-party relationships,
3. identifying major challenges that require innovative thinking,
4. mapping out precompetitive spaces for open-source collaboration,
5. developing fair and reasonable intellectual property strategies for progression and scalable funding,
6. structuring and optimizing core activities and facilities for supporting innovation, and
7. increasing data quality, reproducibility and decisiveness while eliminating unnecessary duplication and costs.
We welcome collaborators and partners who are interested in working together to support the innovation ecosystem.
For clarity, DiscoveryLab does not recommend advisors or investors, make investments or provide funding, but can make introductions. Each person and company has the responsibility of obtaining legal advice and performing due diligence before signing contracts or taking investments.
Funding Programs
Edmonton Edge Fund with $5 million for local tech and innovation is launching this year.
Post-Secondary Institution Business Development Support for students, faculty and staff at Edmonton’s post-secondary institutions: Executives in Residence access and up to 150 hours of free advice.
Alberta Export Expansion Program is resuming funding for the development of export markets for Alberta’s SMEs through the reimbursement of international business travel costs.
Alberta’s Hydrogen Centre of Excellence is making $20 million available over 24 months to support hydrogen production, storage, transmission, end-use projects under its Advancing Hydrogen - Competition 1 program.
Business Development Support (BDS) program open call for students, staff and alumni of Edmonton-based postsecondaries wanting to connect to industry specific expertise they need. Apply here.
BDC has launched of Thrive Venture Fund and Lab for Women, a $500-million investment platform to support the growth and economic impact of Canadian women-led businesses.
Canadian Digital Adoption Program from the Government of Canada is offering startups and SMEs grants to grow their online presence and upgrade and adopt digital technologies.
Capital City Pilots for Edmonton-based startups to test pilot-ready IP. using $10,000 in expert support, exclusive access to municipal clients, and resources.
Experiential Learning in Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (ELITE) Program for Black Youth age 15-22.
SRIA Innovation Fund to accelerate the adoption of innovative low-carbon solutions for buildings of all types
Local accelerators include:
- Alberta Accelerator by 500
- Alberta Catalyzer (Pre-Accelerator)
- Alberta Innovates Revenue Accelerator
- Growth Catalyst
- Innovation Catalyst Grant Entrepreneurial Fellowship
- Plug and Play Alberta
- Propel, Startup Edmonton pre-accelerator
- TELUS Community Safety and Wellness Accelerato
- THRIVE Canada Accelerator for food/ag
- Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) Alberta