Our Kick-Off Celebration brought out the best of our community as we celebrated our first year in NorthLight and introduced the entrepreneurs who will be taking part in our first ever Yukonstruct Startup Bootcamp! The overwhelming enthusiasm brought in from the community made for a warm and welcoming evening, and the entrepreneurs’ passion added an element of excitement that mirrors the energy fueling Yukonstruct.
Catering by The Wandering Bison and cocktails shaken by Yukon Brewing created a perfect backdrop to an evening that saw many connections and shared passions permeate the party.
M.P. Larry Bagnell opened the event with a speech that was both warm and encouraging, and Minister of Economic Development, Hon. Ranj Pallai, followed up by expressing support and admiration to the entrepreneurs who are taking the leap into entrepreneurialism and diversifying our economy.
The participants in the Startup Bootcamp are a group of passionate entrepreneurs who are working to make positive change in the clean tech, software, hardware, tourism, and non-profit industries. We are delighted to join them on this part of their journey and can’t wait to see them grow!
Without further ado, here are the entrepreneurs bravely going where their passion is taking them:
Wildflight.io – Eirik Sharp
Mapping software to mitigate animal disturbances. Primarily targeted towards the heli-skiing industry. Wildflight.io services will help minimize the impact of helicopter operations on wildlife and reduce the cost of mitigations.
Pelly River Wilderness Lodge – Taylor Bradley
Taylor is transforming cabins and a lodge on the Pelly River into a tourist attraction.
Smart Solar Ventilation – Shane Wolffe
Black mould is a persistent issue within the North, Shane has created a prototype that can be integrated into commercial and residential buildings to utilize solar energy as a cooling and heating system to provide proper ventilation within the units.
YZED Projects – Wendy Morrison
YZED projects is helping to grow organizational effectiveness and capacity within Yukon’s non-profit sector by creating a system that will streamline the processes between NGO, government, and stakeholders.
Joel Brennan Inc. – Joel Brennan
Joel has designed a prototype of a standup paddle that emulates the feel of using a paddle in the water, allowing for dryland training in all seasons.
SpinReg Technologies – Scott Keesey, Melissa Crosker, John Carson
SpinReg Technologies is focused on the development of software designed to accompany stationary bicycles. The software will promote self-regulation, creativity, learning and healing for a wide end-user cross-section.
Northern Winds Innovation – Conrad Kirkwood
Conrad has created a prototype that allows travellers for easier sleeping accommodations specifically targeted to travellers on planes.
Yukon Belt Company – John Glynn Morris
Using raw Yukon materials to make leather belts.
Duteau Bioresource Contracting – Michel Duteau
DBC is developing a new and innovative service (pyrolysis) and product (biochar) for the Yukon farming community, and beyond.
ColdAcre Food Systems – Carl Burgess, Tarek Bos- Jabar
Developing systems that will help create sustainable food growth in the North.
The Launchspace Startup Bootcamp’s official start was Tuesday, September 3 and will finish up with a Demo Day in November.
If you are interested in taking part in our spring cohort, watch out for our next intake in Feb. 2020.
All photos by Mark Rutledge.