Ontario companies dominate PwC tech awards
by Canadian Manufacturing Daily Staff
Awards recognize top Canadian tech innovators
TORONTO—Two Ontario-based high tech companies are the top winners of PwC’s inaugural Vision to Reality Awards program, which recognize growth and innovation in Canada’s technology sector.
Burlington-based EcoSynthetix was named as 2011 Innovator of the Year Award winner based on its innovation in bio-based technologies, financial performance and strategic direction.
The company supplies biolatex emulsions which are alternatives to petroleum-based latex that can be used in the production of coated paper and cardboard.
Ottawa-based Protus won the Exit of the Year Award for striking the most lucrative deal for a private Canadian technology company in 2010 with j2 Global Communications’ US$213 million acquisition of the company in December 2010.
Protus provides high quality software-as-a-service (SaaS) communications tools for small to enterprise-sized businesses.
Both companies will be honoured at PwC’s 2011 Connecting Vision to Reality Conference on May 11 in Toronto.
More than 70 Canadian companies applied between February 10, 2011 and March 31, 2011 for the Innovator of the Year Award.
Other finalists included: Cavet Technologies Inc., Calgary Scientific Inc., IntelliView Technologies Inc. and Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc.
The Exit of the Year Award was selected based on the highest-valued deal in 2010, determined by industry data.
This year’s selection committee included the following members of Canada’s technology and financial communities:
- Derek Peper, Global vice-president of Alliances, RIM
- Rick Moscone, Partner, Securities Law Group, Fogler, Rubinoff LLP
- Mark Usher, Partner, Wellington Financial LP
- Howard Gwin, Partner, Bridgescale Partners
- Mark Stirling, vice-president of Investments at Growthworks Capital
