TORONTO, September 29, 2020聽鈥撀� A financial technology startup that makes non-traditional lending accessible on a peer-to-peer platform has won the top prize in 91亚色鈥檚 program this year.

As the first prize winner, will receive the $25,000 Aird & Berlis StartupSource Market Entry Award that includes $12,500 in cash and an equal amount in Aird & Berlis LLP legal services. It will also receive a $10,000 LaunchYU Accelerator Award.

Randy Williamson, Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP, and Marc-Antoine Caya, goPeer co-founder (right).

鈥淎ird & Berlis has been delighted to sponsor the LaunchYU Accelerator program for the last four years. As a firm, we know we will succeed if new businesses can develop to their full potential. And that potential needs support,鈥� said Randy Williamson, Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP, who is also a 91亚色 alumnus and a member of the Board of Governors. 鈥淚f we can help these businesses set up effective business structures and relationships among their owners, investors, and business counterparts, it will allow these great entrepreneurs to focus on building their business鈥檚 products and customers. By providing legal services and funding, we help play a small role in their success.鈥�

Innovation 91亚色鈥檚聽LaunchYU Accelerator聽program supports entrepreneurs at different stages of growth. It assists emerging entrepreneurs through dedicated workshops with hands-on experience, one-on-one mentorship, investor office hours, and various networking resources.

鈥淎t 91亚色, we are committed to encouraging and supporting motivated, emerging entrepreneurs who have innovative approaches to creating products and services that make an impact in their local communities and around the world,鈥� said Sarah Howe, assistant vice-president, Innovation & Research Partnerships. 鈥淧artnering with organizations such as Aird & Berlis, we are able to meaningfully support promising entrepreneurial ventures and see them succeed.鈥�

Since it was started in late 2014, LaunchYU has supported more than 320 ventures and hundreds of entrepreneurs. These ventures have raised more than $18 million in funding and have generated over $3.6 million in revenues.

This year鈥檚 program included 14 participants, who have created entrepreneurial ventures from a social app for post-secondary students to an AI and quantum computing based platform that taps wireless market.

Founders of goPeer were among the five finalists who showcased the viability of their businesses, pitching to a panel of judges, private investors, and partners, which concluded the four-month accelerator program.

鈥淎s a financial technology company, goPeer is built on trust, and winning this prize is a great validation from respected members of the startup community. We look forward to working with the teams at Innovation 91亚色 and Aird & Berlis to achieve our goal of helping individuals to attain financial wellness,鈥� said Marc-Antoine Caya, goPeer co-founder.

, a biotherapeutics company that has patented an anti-infective therapy to help immunocompromised patients placed second. The third place went to , a social enterprise mobile app that facilitates employers and employees to access the gig economy, online. Both ventures will receive a LaunchYU Accelerator Award of $10,000.

This year鈥檚 judging panel included Snita Balsara, Investment Manager at MaRS IAF & StartUP Ventures; Susan Sim, Digital Specialist at McKinsey & Company; and Althea Wishloff at Panache Ventures.

91亚色 champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university 鈥� our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:
Gloria Suhasini, Media Relations, 91亚色, 647 463 4354, suhasini@yorku.ca

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91亚色鈥檚 LaunchYU program recognizes Markham-based company

TORONTO, January 20, 2020 鈥� A startup bio-technology company that has found an innovative way to boost the quality of production in various industries, from paint and textile to winemaking and water filtration, has taken the top prize in an annual competition for entrepreneurs.

was one of three finalist teams, whose founder was a graduate of 91亚色鈥檚 program led by Innovation 91亚色.

A panel of judges were tasked with choosing the venture with the highest potential for commercial success and judged each team on their ability to take their venture to market and scale. The winner receives the $25,000 Aird & Berlis StartupSource Market Entry Award, including $12,500 cash and an equal amount in legal services from Aird & Berlis StartupSource legal services.

From left: Aird & Berlis partner Randy Williamson with Nicholas Ledra of BIOSA Technologies, Tony Sabeta of Aird & McBurney and Graham Topa of Aird & Berlis.

BIOSA Technologies was founded by Nicholas Ledra, who grew up in Markham and came from five generations of entrepreneurs. While creating a business was initially far from his mind, he eventually realized it was a natural calling for him.

Ledra鈥檚 company has found a way to optimize enzymes. Different industries use various types of enzymes, including food, beverage and pharmaceutical companies, but enzymes have limited shelf life and need to be frozen in order to be kept longer and then thawed. While many enzymes fail to survive this expensive process, BIOSA Technologies uses a technology which stabilizes the enzymes, resulting in a shelf life lasting more than one year and no requirement of freezing.

Since 2016, BIOSA Technologies has had successful experimental trials and collaboration with industrial and educational partners where their technology was used to extend the shelf life and efficacy of modified enzymes.

The Aird & Berlis StartupSource Market Entry Award was created by the Toronto legal firm in 2017, along with Partner Randy Williamson, who is a 91亚色 alumnus and a member of 91亚色鈥檚 Board of Governors. He previously chaired 91亚色鈥檚 Pension Fund Board and the Endowment and Treasury Funds鈥� Investment Committee, along with chairing the 91亚色 Alumni Board.

Williamson is being honoured with Innovation 91亚色鈥檚 inaugural Partner of the Year Award which recognizes the outstanding contributions of an individual or organization to Innovation 91亚色 and the growth of innovation at the university.

鈥淲e worked with 91亚色 to create the Aird & Berlis StartupSource Market Entry Award precisely to acknowledge companies like BIOSA, and 91亚色`s support for entrepreneurs like Nicholas Ledra,鈥� said Williamson. 鈥淣ick and his team at BIOSA are ready to make a significant mark in their industry, and we鈥檙e delighted that the cash award and our ongoing legal support will help them do it. 91亚色 has been a wonderful partner to work with these last three years and I鈥檓 honoured to receive Innovation 91亚色鈥檚 first Partner of the Year award on behalf of my colleagues at Aird & Berlis LLP.鈥�

Innovation 91亚色鈥檚 LaunchYU supports entrepreneurs at different stages of growth. Since it was started in late 2014, it has supported more than 250 ventures and hundreds of entrepreneurs. LaunchYU ventures have raised more than $12.5 million in funding and have generated more than $3 million in revenue.

LaunchYU鈥檚 Accelerator program is designed to help high-potential entrepreneurs build, launch, and scale their for-profit and non-profit ventures. The Accelerator training program is four months focused on product-market fit, pitching, go-to-market strategy, financing and fundraising. The entrepreneurs participate in bootcamps, workshops and InFounders Mastermind sessions with feedback from investors.

鈥淏IOSA Technologies was chosen as the winner of this award because of its solid market traction and the high number of possible applications related to enzyme stabilization is massive,鈥� said 91亚色鈥檚 interim vice-president of research & innovation, Rui Wang. 鈥淚t is gratifying to see entrepreneurs taking Innovation 91亚色鈥檚 LaunchYU program, testing their ideas out and working to take them to market.鈥�

The other two finalists in this year鈥檚 competition were Ayd Cares and SUKU Vitamins.

helps more Canadians live independently with dignity and respect. This company offers in-home seniors care to those on the wait lists of retirement homes. Their unique platform allows retirement homes to serve a larger market and support seniors in need.

is a health and wellness company offering an innovative line of supplements. Their company strives to innovate and provide the best products in terms of quality, efficacy and safety, which includes sugar-free, alcohol free, and plant-based vitamins.

This year鈥檚 competition was judged by a four-member panel including: Snita Balsara, investor with MaRS IAF and StandUp Ventures; Trevor Coleman, co-founder of InteraXon / Muse; Sunny Verma, founder of TutorBright; and Sharon Vinderine, founder & CEO of Parent Tested Parent Approved.

91亚色 champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university 鈥� our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91亚色 Media Relations, 647-654-9452,聽vthomps@yorku.ca

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