Entrepreneurship prizes awarded
By Alex Wright
A total of 75 up-and-coming entrepreneurs, students and members of the community were on show at the final presentations of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).
The three-and-a-half hour event, which was held at XL Corporation on Tuesday with title sponsorship from HSBC; the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative of Bermuda (YBI), the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation (BSBDC) and the Ministry of Energy, Telecommunications & E-Commerce, started at 5 p.m. with a welcome by YBI director, Joe Mahoney, who explained that the evening would include three groups of presentations that would highlight Bermuda's contribution to GEW, including the Rocket Pitch Competition, Creative Innovation Tournament and the Sustainable Energy Challenge.
The Belco Sustainable Energy Challenge was an opportunity for senior school students to win a $1,000 educational grant by submitting the best solution for new ways of harnessing or using sustainable energy.
The five finalists that presented their solutions for Bermuda included Alex Thompson, 'Energy from Trash'; Erin Gillespie, 'The Electric Water Heater Timer'; Peter Cooper, 'Sustainable Energy Device'; Tyler Balcome, 'Nuclear Power' and Thomas Stevenson, Charles Field, and Kevin Minors, 'Mach 6 Tank & Roof Systems'.
The panel of judges which included, Christian Blais of Belco, John Narraway representing YBI, and Allan Bean of the Department of Energy, awarded the top prize to Mr. Cooper for his original concept of generating electrical current using solar heat to warm a beaker of furan, which then drives a mini-steam engine piston to produce energy which can theoretically recharge a battery pack.
Mr. Thompson, whose idea to generate ethanol from seaweed, algae or organic waste, and Mr. Gillespie's plan to mandate electric timers on residential hot water heaters were considered viable solutions to the Island's energy equation and garnered them second and third place awards respectively.
In the Greenrock Innovation Tournament, judges Jeane Butterfield, director of the Department of Energy, Alan Burland of BCM McAlpine, and Julia Van Beelen of Cooper and Gardner Architects, had a task of selecting which of the five finalists presented would win top prize for 'Changing the Mindset' for construction and sustainable building processes in Bermuda. The top five finalists included Duncan Simons of SHY Architecture, Eimier Johnston of OBMI Ltd., Michael Burke of thegreenhousebermuda, Richard Oldham of Bienevides and Associates, and Jaqui Riordan of Transition Bermuda.
Mrs. Riordan's presentation of an innovative passive-solar water heating system using recycled materials took the $1,500 first place prize.
Mr. Simons came second with a modular apartment complex utilising recycled shipping containers, and Mr. Oldham's proposed idea of timber-frame housing as a low energy alternative to current building practices was awarded third place.
The Minister of Energy Telecommunications and E-Commerce, Michael Scott, who was also present to award the prizes in the Belco challenge, congratulated each of the participants and remarked that all of their ideas allowed for Bermuda to "diversify and broaden the economic empowerment of its people in the future".
The BSBDC coordinated Rocket Pitch Competition showcased the final presentations of the evening. The five finalists that 'pitched' their creative business ideas included Patricia Jeffers who presented 'Wee Care Hair', a salon exclusively for children; DeShion DeShields discussed 'Youbrella', a company that provides miscellaneous concierge services; Denaye Hinds explained how her company 'Ecosante Consulting' will help companies save money by reducing their energy expenses and becoming 'greener'; Cymone Hollis, a certified dietitian, explained how her business 'Adult Weight Educations & Support' will provide support services to the overweight insured community in Bermuda, and John Singleton and Alex Hammond of 4th Sector, presented their idea for the future of charitable donations.
The judges for the competition, Trina Roberts, head of small business banking at HSBC; Michelle Khaldun, general manager of the BSBDC and Nancy Volesky, director of the Department of E-Commerce awarded the $3,500 grand prize to Ms Hollis, who said the competition has encouraged her to start her business by next year.
Ms Hinds received the second place $2,500 prize, while Mrs. Jeffers collected the third place prize of $1,500.
Ms. Khaldun said: "The various competitions and challenges that ran leading up to GEW gave participants the opportunity to gain experience in pitching their business ideas and solutions to local challenges."
Ms Roberts congratulated all of the participants, adding that HSBC views GEW as a unique opportunity to support a community initiative which encourages young Bermudians to reach their full potential through innovation and entrepreneurship.
