The top six businesses were selected from a group of 21 Bears’ Lair semi-finalists on Tuesday by local business community judges. Chair Diane Richard announced the finalists on stage at the Showcase event at The Venue, where contestants had that opportunity to display the best of their businesses. Three of the finalists are innovation based businesses, and the other three finalists have a focus on Goods and Services. The 2017 Innovation Stream finalists are: Dock HitchHinge, Lab Improvements, and Mont Pellier for the Innovation Stream. The finalists for the Goods & Services Stream include That Dam Tea (TreeWell Limited), Loch, and Ship Shape Service.
Since the inception of the Bears’ Lair Entrepreneurial Competition $120,000 in cash and business support services has been made available to contestants. This year finalists are competing for over $45,000 in cash and business support services, kindly donated by our 2017 sponsors:
PRESENTING SPONSORS: Peterborough Economic Development, Community Futures Peterborough, Peterborough Region Angel Network, Innovation Cluster, Mega Brand Experience, Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce
PLATINUM SPONSORS: Savino Human Resource Partners, Workforce Development Board, Impact Communications
GOLD SPONSORS: Part Time CFO, Red X Technology, Fox Law, Kawartha Now, Prima IP
SILVER SPONSORS: Marketing Ink, Best Write Communications, Diatom, Sofie Andreou Associates, Cody & James
BRONZE SPONSORS: The Protectors Group, Shaw Computer Systems, TCB Office Furniture, Moss Works Photography, Women’s Business Network, Fast Start
MEDIA SPONSORS: 101.5 The Wolf, Chex Television Peterborough, 100.5 Fresh Radio, Ptbo Canada
“We had such a strong and talented group of entrepreneurs this year. Regardless of tonight’s outcome, everyone here is a winner,” says Chair Diane Richard. “Every Bears’ Lair contestant has used the entrepreneurial competition to take their business to the next level. This initiative wouldn’t exist without the overwhelming support of our sponsors who have offered so much for our top businesses this year.”
Bears’ Lair invites everyone to come to the finale event on April 25th at The Venue. The finale event will expose the finalists to a cross-examination, challenging questions and feedback by the judges before a live audience at The Venue. The selected finalists’ presentations will be scored based on innovation, commercialization, diversification, business plan quality and the benefit to the local economy, and two final 2017 winners will be selected.
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