BC Innovation Challenge Winners
Backgrounder
Four B.C. companies have each won $20,000 for developing B.C. technology to help solve a problem identified as part of the BC Ministry of Agriculture and the BC Innovation Council’s Innovation Challenge:
- Fraser Valley-based gUAVas developed software that turns unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) into berry and fruit guards by patrolling the farm. In addition to motion, the drones use noise and light to scare birds away. The locally developed technology can help reduce the estimated $59 million worth of crops B.C. farmers lose to bird pests each year, and replace other techniques, such as netting, cannons and manual labour.
- For greenhouse growers of high value crops, Ecoation Innovation Solutions (EIS) of North Vancouver provides the earliest possible detection of pests, diseases and deficiencies that affect crop value. EIS collects data directly on plant state and uses proprietary software to predict crop health. EIS Crop Sense system brings growers' crop status to their desktop or smart phone daily. With the EIS system, growers can take immediate actions that increase crop value, reduce operating costs and reduce pesticide use. The made-in-B.C. technology is available now with paid field trials underway in B.C. greenhouses.
- Vancouver’s Boost Environmental Systems developed an easy-to-set-up and easy-to-integrate anaerobic digestion pre-treatment technology that results in increased production of biogas which is used for energy, and recovery of a high quality fertilizer product that the farm can use on the land or sell.
- Gordon Shank Consulting of Burnaby designed an industrial-strength, fully-compostable yarn made from cellulose that can be used for plants in greenhouses. The company’s BioMid yarn is made from BC forest product waste and replaces the synthetic, polypropylene yarns currently used. Unlike the polypropylene yarn, it can be composted directly and does not need to be manually separated from organic wastes for proper disposal.
The #BCTECH Strategy is a key component of the BC Jobs Plan to support the growth of British Columbia’s vibrant technology sector and strengthen B.C.’s diverse innovation economy. The multi-year strategy includes a $100 million BC Tech Fund and initiatives to increase talent development and market access for tech companies that will drive innovation and productivity throughout the province.
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