The annual Bootstrap Awards recognize entrepreneurs in the National Capital Region who have “bootstrapped” the growth of their company with limited investment funding to achieve commercial success.
This year’s awards ceremony was held April 2 as part of Tech Tuesday at The Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata.
The winners are founders and entrepreneurial businesses who have demonstrated innovation and creativity in growing their self-funded startups and early-stage companies in a wide variety of industries and across a range of categories. Each winner is an entrepreneur or company from the National Capital Region that has been in business for less than seven years without having received more than $500,000 in outside funding.
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The awards are presented by The Ottawa Network with support from Wesley Clover.
Meet the 2024 Bootstrap Award winners:
Green Award: The Aggressive Good
Founded by Geoffrey MacKay and Jennifer Look-Hong, The Aggressive Good has developed a dry food and snack delivery system that offers an end-to-end waste-free solution. The approach has garnered international recognition, particularly with a successful pilot at Google, highlighting the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovative solutions for reducing waste.
Innovation Award: Novacene AI
Novacene AI is an innovative AI-focused software engineering company that provides AI-based solutions to private-sector and government clients. The flagship product, The Novacene AI Platform, uses AI and machine learning to transform large amounts of unstructured data into business-critical insights, addressing challenges in scalability, consistency and operational efficiency faced by organizations. Clients include business services companies and the Canadian government.
SAAS Award: Rain Technologies
Rain Technologies’ new app Pluvo helps businesses gain visibility on key metrics and drivers while planning and executing for growth. Users enjoy peace of mind with advanced forecasting and accounting integrations that keep all their numbers up to date so they can focus on being strategic business leaders.
Marketing Award: Vykon Inc.
Founded by Lisa Pitel-Killah, Vykon offers custom mineral supplementation based on hair tissue mineral analysis, providing clients with tailored supplements. Through strategic marketing and a unique approach to custom supplements, Vykon has experienced exponential growth, expanding from custom supplementation to retail supplements, wholesale supply, and hair tissue mineral analysis education for health practitioners.
Bootstrap Capital Award: Constant Health
Constant Health, founded by Jonathan Freedhoff and Lorne Segal, is a healthtech company focused on personalized, evidence-based care that combines behavioural and dietetic support, specifically designed for chronic disease management. Its approach integrates proprietary behavioural intervention technology with human-centred care, offering clients feedback and support. By leveraging the reputation of its sister company, the Bariatric Medical Institute, partnering with NRC-IRAP, and cultivating strong relationships with physicians, Constant Health has self-funded its growth, helping more than 2,200 Canadians to improve their health.
Disruptor Award: Impactor App
Impactor App, founded by Urooj Qureshi, bridges the gap between innovative digital solutions and impactful social change, particularly for non-profits, NGOs and socially-conscious businesses. The collaborative planning platform empowers diverse voices by democratizing the decision-making process, ensuring that every team member has a voice regardless of role or background, fostering a culture of inclusivity and innovation.
Community Impact Award: Quick Market
Quick Market, founded by Kokouvi Assigno, connects local ethnic food stores with their communities, offering delivery services and sharing cultural stories behind each meal. Its partnerships with local farms and distribution chain management for businesses have a significant community impact by promoting local farming of ethnic produce, supporting small businesses, and fostering cultural connections through food.
Founder of the Year Award: Emma Brown, Whimble
Whimble, founded by Emma Brown, is a community-based solution in the home-care industry that connects individuals with disabilities and seniors requiring last-minute personal care assistance with nearby experienced caregivers. Whimble’s on-demand platform fills gaps around individuals’ routine support systems and provides services to event organizers to ensure guests, volunteers and staff with disabilities can enjoy events knowing their personal care needs can be met.
The Bootstrap Awards are supported by Algonquin College, SAASCan, Paterson & Company, PureColo, Capital Angel Network, Northern Forge Studios, Smart and Biggar, and Sleep Efficiency, with support from community partner Invest Ottawa and media sponsor the Ottawa Business Journal.
