Once again, Nova Scotians have proven there is no shortage of innovation and entrepreneurship happening across the province; Innovacorp received 142 submissions to this year's I-3 Technology Start-Up Competition.
The submission breakdown is as follows:
| Zone | Submissions in 2007 | Submissions in 2009 | Submissions in 2011 |
| Zone 1: Cumberland, Colchester, Pictou, Antigonish, and Guysborough counties | 15 | 20 | 16 |
| Zone 2: Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne, and Yarmouth counties | 17 | 17 | 6 |
| Zone 3: Digby, Annapolis, Kings, and Hants counties | 18 | 21 | 24 |
| Zone 4: Halifax Regional Municipality | 55 | 54 | 69 |
| Zone 5: Victoria, Cape Breton, Inverness and Richmond counties | 17 | 21 | 27 |
| Total | 121 | 133 | 142 |
A six-person judging panel in each zone will include representatives with relevant private-sector start-up business expertise. The judges will evaluate each entry based on the quality and significance of the business idea, the addressable market and strategy, the strength of the management team, and financial viability. The judges will deliberate and select a short list of five submissions from each zone to move forward to round two. The short list will be announced November 8. Shortlisted businesses will have until December 15 to submit a full business plan.
Innovacorp is Nova Scotia’s venture capital company, investing in entrepreneurs with high growth potential opportunities. Target industries include clean technology, information technology, and life sciences.
For more information, contact:
Dawn House, Innovacorp
902.424.8670 ext. 1189
DHOUSE@INNOVACORP.CA
Shelley Hessian, Innovacorp
902.424.8670 ext. 1123
SHESSIAN@INNOVACORP.CA
October 21, 2011, Halifax, Nova Scotia