LiONS LAIR Pitch Competition by Innovation Factory brought together a remarkable number of startups. The gala drew over 400 tech leaders and innovators, creating a truly inspiring evening. The LiONS LAIR Pitch Competition is open to early-stage startups that participate in the Founders Fast Track program, which is designed to help founders scale their businesses through funding, resources, and mentorship. This year’s event marked the 14th anniversary of LiONS LAIR as the region’s leading pitch competition and gala event, celebrating innovation and entrepreneurship.
Since 2010, Innovation Factory has been building the startup community in Hamilton, transforming startups into successful businesses. With the recent merger of Haltech, Innovation Factory now also supports companies in Burlington, Oakville, and Milton. Last year, Innovation Factory was ranked one of the Top Startup Programs in Canada. At this year’s event, FedDev Ontario announced $5.2 million funding for Innovation Factory to continue supporting entrepreneurs in the region.
“This year’s LiONS LAIR competition showcased an incredible array of talent and groundbreaking ideas,” said David Carter, CEO of Innovation Factory.
“The dedication and innovation displayed by each of the finalists is truly inspiring, and we’re proud to support their journey. LiONS LAIR continues to be a platform where emerging start-ups can gain invaluable insights and mentorship, helping to propel their businesses to the next level.”
Infinite Harvest Technologies Inc. took first place, winning $30,000. Infinite Harvest offers a CleanTech solution for the AgriFoods industry, using insects for the bio-digestion of organic waste, which is then processed into ingredients for pet food and animal feed.
Second place went to Yellowbird Diagnostics, which won $15,000. The company specializes in biomedical imaging solutions across commonly used clinical imaging techniques. Third place was awarded to Maman Biomedical, which won $7,500. Maman Biomedical is addressing the invasiveness of fertility treatments, starting with innovative solutions to eliminate the burden of injections during treatment.
The People’s Choice Award was won by DOUBL, receiving $2,500. DOUBL is a retail startup created by women for women, reimagining the way women wear and shop for wardrobe essentials. Other finalists in the competition included Deaf AI, ConSoul, HARvEST Systems Inc., Healthyher.Life, Leynek Medical, and Neuropeutics.
Innovation Factory’s next pitch competition is the Synapse Life Science Pitch Competition. Applications open annually in early October. For more information on Innovation Factory’s programs, check here.
