TELUS has announced the five grand prize winners of this year’s #StandWithOwners program.
From thousands of applications, the #StandWithOwners program officially announced 20 finalists on September 27th, of which five were selected by a panel of judges to receive the grand prize valued at over $125,000.
Among the five winners was Vancouver’s VodaSafe and founder Carlyn Loncaric.
Vodasafe makes a hand-held sonar device called AquaEye that uses AI to quickly locate people underwater, revolutionizing the way rescuers do their job.
AquaEye is very simple to use and looks like a radar gun. It can scan and pinpoint the location of a swimmer in a body of water the size of a football field in less than two minutes. Currently the AquaEye is being sold to lifeguards, fire fighters, law enforcement and search and rescue teams across North America.
AquaEye is revolutionizing the way rescuers do their job, turning hours or days of search into minutes. In most cases, AquaEye reduces search time by a minimum of 85 per cent.
#StandWithOwners is designed to champion groundbreaking, growth-minded, game-changing business owners who are driving innovation in their field, serving their customers and communities in meaningful ways, and using technology to grow and differentiate their business.
The five winners received $50,000 in cash, $50,000 in advertising, over $25,000 in technology and business services from TELUS and their partners, as well as access to customized mentorship through the TELUS Advisory Council.
The winners also recently celebrated their win with a VIP experience to Vancouver to celebrate their achievement as grand prize winners while enjoying a Vancouver Whitecaps FC game.
“With so many amazing entries who entered the fourth #StandWithOwners program, the entrepreneurial spirit across the country deserves the spotlight. Congratulations to all our finalists, and especially our grand prize winners,” said Roi Ross, SVP & President, Small and Medium Business (SMB), TELUS Business.
“These Canadian businesses are an inspiration for their vision, accomplishments and dedication to creating positive and sustainable change in their local communities. We look forward to celebrating their continued success and seeing how they continue to grow, break new ground and change the game across Canada, and the world.”
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