Empowering entrepreneurs and changemakers: Social impact, innovation, and leadership at the BEST Bridge to Startup finale

On August 13, the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (BEST) program at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering successfully concluded its summer entrepreneurship initiative, BEST Bridge to Startup (BB2S).

During the four months, five entrepreneurial teams diligently worked on their business startups, navigating the journey from initial concept to market readiness. Through the BB2S program, these teams made substantial progress, benefiting from professional and educational resources, insights from experienced business owners and personalized mentorship from founding partner and venture capitalist, Rehber Lookman.

“The BB2S program challenged me to balance multiple responsibilities, build resilience and sharpen my problem-solving skills,” says Dinuja Wattage, an undergraduate student in computer engineering at Lassonde and software developer at ROUT3. His startup simplifies the use of large language models by minimizing costs, optimizing outputs and providing a seamless interface for developers to integrate and scale various models without technical complexities. “It became a journey of self-discovery; revealing my strengths, weaknesses and what truly motivates me. This personal growth is something I’m incredibly proud of and it has laid a strong foundation for my future endeavours.”

The program concluded with a business pitch event, providing participants the opportunity to present their innovative entrepreneurial ideas to an esteemed panel of judges, including Moren Lévesque, professor and Co-Director of Entrepreneurial Studies at Schulich School of Business; Bryan Trudel, CFO and Co-Founder of Avatar Innovations; Keith Loo, Co-Founder and CEO of Skinopathy; and John Edgar, Co-Founder and Managing Director at ASCENT. This group of industry experts, seasoned entrepreneurs and investors provided students with valuable feedback and insights, assessing the potential success of each business venture.

Through showcasing their creative ideas and entrepreneurial skills, participants demonstrated remarkable growth fueled by the BB2S program. This unique initiative provided a nurturing environment that fostered both their personal and professional development, empowering them to achieve significant milestones and advance their businesses. As they move forward, the skills, insights, and connections gained through BB2S will serve as a strong foundation for their continued entrepreneurial journeys.

Learn more about BB2S program participants and awards presented at the concluding event. 

BEST Pitch and Outstanding Overall Progress: NOBLKids

This award was presented to NOBLKids for delivering the most compelling pitch and demonstrating remarkable progress throughout the program, highlighting their innovative SaaS marketplace for children’s extracurricular activities. The team consistently excelled in refining their business model, making significant strides in product development and advancing their startup goals. NOBLKids offers a robust, low-cost class management suite that connects activity providers with parents and children to scale businesses and foster industry growth. 

Most Active Market Presence: Sellstatic

Sellstatic was honoured with this award for establishing and maintaining a strong presence in the real estate market. The team effectively engaged with customers, expanded their reach and demonstrated an impressive ability to adapt and grow within their industry. Sellstatic revolutionizes real estate sales with AI-driven solutions that streamline marketing and sales processes, allowing realtors to launch targeted ad campaigns and manage leads efficiently with real-time market insights and CRM integration. 

Most Individual Growth: Ahmad Pasha, product development lead at Sellstatic

Ahmad Pasha was recognized for his exceptional personal and professional growth over the course of the program. This award celebrates his dedication to embracing challenges, learning from experiences and evolving as an entrepreneur.

Other startups include optimaTRAX, which uses AI and real-time data to reduce urban congestion and emissions by dynamically adapting traffic routes, aiming for a 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 30 per cent increase in fuel efficiency. 

Additionally, NeuroG uses AI to analyze ocular biomarkers and brain signals for early Alzheimer’s disease detection and monitoring, aiming to enhance diagnostics, facilitate early interventions and improve patient quality of life. 

Discover more about this year’s BB2S projects.