James Smith of Courtenay won one of six awards at the seventh annual Mid-Island Science Technology & Innovation Council Innovation Awards gala dinner Friday.
Smith topped the technology leadership category at MISTIC's retro tech-themed gala dinner at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo.
Other Comox Valley finalists were Island Labs and Tickit, both in Courtenay, in the Excellence in Innovation category and Intigi of Comox in the Innovative Startup of the Year category.
This year’s winners are making strides in technology and innovation across Vancouver Island (Malahat North to the tip of the Island), the Sunshine Coast and Gulf Islands.
MISTIC announced at the gala that this will be the final year for the MISTIC Awards. The Innovation Awards were created in 2006 to highlight and recognize the emergence of many knowledge-based businesses on the Island.
“We have had an amazing run with the awards for the last seven years, but it now time to move on to focusing on developing the local talent through different services that will help bring ideas and technology to life,” said executive director Paris Gaudet. “The winners this year just reinforce that the Island is a technology hub that continues to produces world-class ideas and products. We are excited to be a part of that growth and development.”
The winners of this year’s MISTIC Awards were made by a selection committee that scored finalists based on value, exclusivity/market share, impact on the community/region, sustainability and environmental consciousness.
MISTIC supports technology companies to accelerate their growth by helping to develop and support a vibrant entrepreneurial, creative and innovative technology community. MISTIC provides programs that support entrepreneurs and technology companies looking to start, accelerate and grow.
— Mid-Island Science Technology & Innovation Council