ChangeLog is a summary of the latest news from the Ottawa startup community.
HEADLINE: Gymtrack powers up testing
Gymtrack has officially begun trials of its personal fitness tracking product at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre, where the startup has outfitted all weight stack machines with its “smart pin” technology. The company will be upgrading its software soon so that users can see their tempo, range of motion, force and power on the machines. Gymtrack was also recently selected to participate in 500 Startups, an early-stage seed fund and incubator program based in Silicon Valley. Co-founder Pablo Srugo says the company also has some bigger news soon to come.
OBJ360 (Sponsored)
How the uOttawa faculty of engineering instills an ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ in students
A decade ago, Terrafixing chief operating officer Vida Gabriel was a chemistry-loving student in high school with little to no interest in business or entrepreneurship. “I didn’t like the sales
The value of an Algonquin College degree: Experiential learning, taught by industry experts
Zaahra Mehsen was three years into a biology degree at a local university when she realized she wanted to take a different path. “I realized that it’s not my thing,”
HEADLINE: Treasure chest of new funding
Treasure Chest Marketplace, a new online classifieds competitor to Kijiji and Craigslist, recently secured an additional $50,000 in funding from two investors that has allowed the fledgling company to begin developing its mobile app. Thanks to the funding, Treasure Chest has also brought on board three new team members to help with user acquisition, marketing and community growth across Canada. George Borovec, the startup’s CEO and co-founder, says the company has been seeing more interest from investors and venture capitalists, and he hopes that will translate to more funding in the near future.
HEADLINE: Uncanny success for Glitchsoft
Ottawa-based video game developer Glitchsoft has received seven nominations in the Canadian Videogame Awards. The firm’s mobile game Uncanny X-Men: Days of Future Past is nominated for the top prize, Game of the Year, along with the Fans’ Choice Award, Best iOS Game and Best Indie Game, among others. The app is available on Apple devices, the Amazon Fire Phone and most third-generation Kindle devices.
HEADLINE: 3D filament firm on the move
Printearth has moved into a new office at Maker Space North and has begun manufacturing its biodegradable filaments for use in 3D printing. Company founder Phil Chiasson says his current focus is on producing a more tolerant filament that won’t jam or clog.
HEADLINE: TiECon earns pitching win
Last month’s PitchFest winner at the TiECon Canada 2014 conference was Koneka, giving the software company a $50,000 boost in cash and entrepreneurial services. The company specializes in document automation, with a focus on enterprise-grade software-as-a-service applications. Koneka’s pitch was for a $1-million strategic investment.
HEADLINE: Tattoo Hero making its mark
Founded in 2012, Tattoo Hero graduated from Invest Ottawa last quarter. Born out of Startup Weekend, the company develops software designed to connect tattoo artists and shops with customers online.
