First-place winners Oleg Berman and Herman Starikov created Rentify, an app which enables rental transactions for various goods. By promoting renting, the app provides economical and environmentally-friendly alternatives to purchasing big-ticket items. However, the fully-developed quality of the app was the factor which most impressed the judges. Second-place winners created a safety app with an alarm linked to emergency services and third-place winners developed a platform for linking youth with mentors. Other groups designed a safe travel app using GPS tracking as well as an app for mapping disease outbreaks.

The event was organized by Sheridan's Faculty of Applied Science and Technology (FAST) in collaboration with the Sheridan Library. HalTech's Kat Austin had the pleasure of connecting with student participants, some of whom have already become HalTech clients. "It's great to see fresh minds using their coding skills for the forces of good," she remarks. "I'm hoping that these experiences will encourage more young people to engage in entrepreneurial activities and promote more innovation in our region."

This time of year, families and friends barrel down highways away from the city's hustle and bustle in favour of a quiet getaway. Campers choosing to vacation in an RV have one thing in common: they want to be close to the beauty of nature while preserving the environment and minimizing their carbon footprint.

With an eye to social and economic benefits, Salman Bawa and Balakumar Bhaskaran set out to create a green tech solar skylight that is sustainable, saves power, and contributes to a net zero energy environment... all without compromising aesthetic appeal! They originally intended to create their electricity-generating window for the residential market, but didn't succeed because the construction industry wasn't ready to adopt such a revolutionary product. Embracing their failure and determined to come out stronger for it, the two entrepreneurs explored their options and soon discovered a niche within the RV industry.

But, as Salman pointed out, "You have to crawl before you can walk" and Advanced Solar Technology Solutions (ASTS) has faced some challenges on their entrepreneurial journey. Engineers at heart, Balakumar and Salman lacked sales skills which would play an integral role in getting their products off the shelves and into RV ceilings. ASTS approached HalTech, who quickly began to connect them with a vast network equipped with knowledge. Along with receiving invaluable insight provided by Entrepreneur-in-Residence Steve Barrett, HalTech paved the way for ASTS by facilitating connections with technical, R&D, marketing, and sales specialists.

"The ways in which HalTech provides services to start-up companies can be closely related to the guiding principles of Kaizen (Japanese for 'improvement' or 'change for the best')," said Balakumar. "HalTech works hard to model and encourage continuous improvement for growing start-ups."

With Salman and Balakumar at the wheel, Advanced Solar Technology Solutions (ASTS) satisfied the RV niche market and began manufacturing sustainable lighting solutions. They developed multiple LED lighting fixtures that seamlessly integrate into RV ceiling structures, enhancing their aesthetics while maintaining functionality. Not only does using the sun's energy provide power (ideal for off-the-grid campers) but the unit also blocks excessive light in hot and sunny locations. Their two products (the RV Chandelier and the Trailer Vent Lights) are low power, long lasting, high luminance solutions that considerably reduce drain on the battery resulting in approximately 60 per cent power savings.

Balakumar and Salman continue to maintain a relationship with HalTech while they continue onwards with the process of getting more RV dealers on board, negotiating partnerships with RV manufacturers, and forging relationships with contacts in the United States. They also recently welcomed a new VP of Sales, Bruno Stieg (also a HalTech client), to their team, who brings vast experience in business-to-business sales. 

For aspiring entrepreneurs, the two men have similar outlooks on the key to success: learning. "Be open minded. We have never stopped learning," advises Balakumar. Salman adds, "Learning has to be a part of it. Many get discouraged with failure, but failure is a turning point. Keep on learning, stay encouraged, and keep moving forward."

Congratulations, Advanced Solar Technology Solutions! We can't wait to see where the open road will take you next.