2009 TecEdmonton / Venture Prize Award Winners

Ken Bautista from Red the Agency of Edmonton was awarded the Venture Prize for 2009 in the Jump Start/Fast-Growth category for individuals, teams, new companies, inventors, students or any other type of entrepreneur with high-growth, technology concepts or businesses.

PHOTO CAPTION: Jason Suriano President and Executive Producer at Central Insitute for Exploration. left, with Ken Bautista CEO & Creative Director with Central Insitute for Exploration as they show off their TEC Edmonton Venture prize for Fast Growth Grand Prize Winner for 2008-2009 at the TEC Edmonton Venture Prize awards at the Westin Hotel.  Photographer: Walter Tychnowicz, Edmonton Journal.

Bautista's project CIE: Seek Your Own Proof, uses websites, mobile phones and real-world locations to engage kids in the Central Institute for Exploration and explore the past, present and future. See the CIE: Seek Your Own Proof Website.

The other Jump Start finalists were Cristian Scurtescu, whose company, SmileSonica, uses ultrasound to prevent dental root problems; and Trevor MacDonald of SwiftClips, which is developing interactive touch-screen software for big box stores.

The student entrepreneur winner was Gordon McKinlay of Kennelseek, which helps pet owners find boarding space anywhere in Canada and the U.S.

The six finalists in both categories share $150,000 in cash and in-kind services.

See the rest of David Finlayson's May 1, 2009 Edmonton Journal article 

[Webmaster's note: I am particularly proud of Ken & Jason for winning this prestigious award. I had the pleasure of working with Kendal and the 2009 Venture Prize finalists Ken, Jason, Cristian and Trevor, during a Media Training Workshop I conducted for TecEdmonton on April 3, 2009. See photos from the training session on the left.]