TC Energy pitch competition crowns four winners at Inventures

Last month, Inventures returned to Calgary, for world-class insights, meaningful conversations and more. 

Inventures is the place to connect with visionary leaders, innovative thinkers, and industry pioneers. This year, the University of Calgary served as a key sponsor of the event. During the event, which ran from May 21-23, the university hosted the TC Energy Ingenuity Pitch Competition, now in its third year. 

The TC Energy Ingenuity Pitch Competition showcases the top entrepreneurial teams from the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary. 

This year, competition finalists were selected from three Hunter Hub core programs: Launchpad, Evolve to Innovate (e2i) and Business Playbook.

“Every year, the event gets bigger and better and that’s a huge testament to the Hunter Hub,” says Mike Procee, Project Enablement Manager at TC Energy, who also served as a judge during the event. “We believe that investing in students today helps build the energy of tomorrow.”

The pitch competition is the perfect environment for budding entrepreneurs to grow. Read more about UCalgary’s presence at Inventures in the event-recap article.

“For many of the teams here, this was their first time pitching at a competition of this scale. Getting that experience and getting that exposure is so valuable. They get to pitch in front of a diverse panel of judges, which brings so many different insights they might otherwise not get access to,” says Alessa Amato, venture programs specialist and lead for Launchpad and Business Playbook at the Hunter Hub. 

Amato says many of the teams started with just an idea. “It’s testament to these programs and how they help to full shape these ideas and lay the groundwork needed for these businesses to develop,” she says. 

“I’m so excited for all the teams that participated in the event. Each team deserves a huge shoutout for the fantastic presentations they delivered.”

The three winning teams each received $16,500 from a prize pool generously provided by TC Energy, and $500 went to the team awarded most impactful pitch.

Launchpad category winner: NeuraSense

Team: Shekinah (Yna) Arpon, Fionna Dela Cruz, Christine Dowling, Lily Gentile, Tania Rizwan

NeuraSense is transforming pediatric critical care by developing a bedside monitoring system that continuously detects signs of stroke in children on life support. Their multi-modal technology provides real-time risk assessments, enabling timely and informed decision-making by healthcare providers.

Evolve to Innovate category winner: Chromasense

Team: Parker Mikkelsen

Chromasense is developing food freshness sensors that provide a smart alternative to traditional best-before and expiry dates. Technology developed by the team helps reduce food waste and minimize the risk of foodborne illness.

Business Playbook category winner: Colosseum

Team: Daniel Flanagan, Tyson Rowe, Roan Reid

Founded by three former UCalgary Dinos Football players, Colosseum is a Canadian sports marketing agency introducing the U.S.-based NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) model to Canada. The team connects Canadian athletes with local brands to unlock new sponsorship opportunities.

Most impactful pitch: Wavefinder Imaging

Team: Nathan Meulenbroek

Nathan and his team are developing cutting-edge ultrasound sensor technology to enable portable, high-resolution diagnostic imaging that is safe and accessible for all patients.