Media Release
EDW Inc. Proud to Support High School Entrepreneurship Initiative
December 17, 2010: Winnipeg, MB – Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. congratulates the sixty high school students from Louis Riel School Division who participated in Tiger’s Den, an entrepreneurship competition put on by the Windsor Park Collegiate Career Internship Program and held at the Louis Riel School Division Board Office on Friday, December 10th.
Loosely based on CBC’s Dragon’s Den concept, a television show where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to five multi-millionaires, the Tiger’s Den competition tasks teams of students with creating an innovative business idea and developing a high level plan within a couple of hours. Students then present their case to representatives from the local business community who offer feedback and select the winning ideas.
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. President & CEO, Marina R. James and Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Tannis Hogue were honoured to particiate in the judging process this year.
"I personally congratulate each one of these budding entrepreneurs for their courage, innovation and creativity,” says Marina R. James, President and CEO, Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. “It is very rewarding to see the next generation of business leaders exploring new concepts and stimulating their imaginations. I also applaud Adriano Magnifico and others in the Louis Riel School Division for engaging the business community in youth mentorship opportunities such as this one. Investing and developing in the youth of today will serve our city well in the future.”
This year’s top three ideas included:
- FastFare – a smart phone app that offers transit users a convenient alternative to bus tickets and change. FastFare allows you to pay for your bus fare on-line, and scan a barcode on your smart phone to access the credit.
- I C You – transitional contact lenses that turn contacts into sunglasses. UV rays trigger chemicals in the lenses which activate the colour pigmentation causing the contact lens to darken.
- QuickScan – a smart phone app that eliminates the need to carry a wallet full of cards. Loyalty cards, gift cards, debit and credit cards are all uploaded onto your smart phone and converted into a bar code that is scanned when making a purchase. A thumb scanner replaces the PIN for added security.
“High school doesn’t generally demand this much from students in a single day,” says Adriano Magnifico, Program Head for the Career Internship Program at Windsor Park Collegiate. “I’m sure they will remember the event as one in which they learned the strength and necessity of working as a team, the importance of creating ideas and presenting them in direct and persuasive way, and that finishing any job is much more important that starting it.”
The Career Internship Program (CIP) at Windsor Park Collegiate is an innovative partnership program designed to build transferable skills in youth that will meet the needs of Canada’s diverse labour force. The CIP strives to offer innovative career curriculum that integrates university entrance academic courses with dynamic business partner–student experiences while remaining responsive to the needs of the world beyond high school and preparing students for successful high school transitions.
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About Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.
Led by a private sector board, Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. is an arm’s-length organization focused on economic development and tourism development. Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. is strategically focused on being a leader in stimulating economic growth for the city of Winnipeg.
www.economicdevelopmentwinnipeg.com
For further information contact:
Julia Adams
Manager, Communications and Media Relations
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.
Phone: 204.954.1977
Cell: 204.294.1752
julia@economicdevelopmentwinnipeg.com
Adriano Magnifico
Program Head, Career Internship Program
Windsor Park Collegiate
Phone: 204.256.7316 ext 205
Cell: 204.995.6117
adriano.magnifico@lrsd.net
