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The RHTYM of Life...

Participant: Chris Johnson and Mike Davey, University of Manitoba
Business name: RHYTHMworks Industries
Concept: developing easy-to-use software-based tools for the in-home monitoring of patients afflicted by chronic illnesses. Branded under the RHYTHM moniker these state-of-the-art tools will enable monitoring personnel to instantly obtain and analyze key patient information and be alerted to change’s in their condition. The launch product will be an in-home asthma monitoring system called ASTHMARHYTH. More Finalists >

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Acadia University to honour innovation and entrepreneurialism amongst students and community leaders

(Wolfville, NS) - On March 17, Acadia University will acknowledge students and community members for entrepreneurial contributions and innovative ideas. At the ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurialism’ banquet, Acadia will announce winners of three unique student competitions as well as present the Acadia University President’s Entrepreneurial Award to local business owners.

Leading up to the banquet, close to 100 Acadia University students from several fields of study will demonstrate their abilities in competitions designed to generate interest and skills in entrepreneurship and sustainability. The Acadia Real Time Case Competition (ARTCC), organized by the Fred C. Manning School of Business, presents real life case situations to students who use the Internet to solve business problems or take advantage of business opportunities. The theme of the ARTCC is ‘Self Sufficiency and Sustainability: a Regional Perspective.’

‘The Entrepreneurial Challenge: Developing an Entrepreneurial Culture’ will also take place on March 17. This competition, organized by the Acadia Centre for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ACSBE), provides an opportunity for students to explore entrepreneurship from a multidisciplinary perspective. It provides a platform for students to share ideas, form new relationships, and develop attitudes and business skills needed to identify business opportunities.

On the evening of March 17, participants of the competitions will gather with staff and faculty of Acadia, and members of the business community to recognize the importance of entrepreneurship. At that time, winners of both the ARTCC and the Entrepreneurial Challenge will be announced.

The winners of the Wes Nicol Business Plan Competition, held at Acadia on March 4, will also be acknowledged during the banquet. Sophie Decker and Ben Agbonkhese each received $3,000 for winning the competition and will travel to Ottawa at the end of March to participate in the national Nicol competition.

During the banquet, the Acadia University President’s Entrepreneurial Award will be presented to Jeff and Debra Moore, owners of Just Us Coffee Roasters, for their exemplary entrepreneurial leadership. The Moores are to be the second recipients of the President’s Entrepreneurial Award with the first recipient being Kenneth Irving, CEO of Irving Oil Ltd. in 2004.

“Jeff and Debra Moore are recognized entrepreneurial leaders in this community,” said Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb, President and Vice-Chancellor of Acadia University. “They run a successful business, are international leaders in social justice causes and make a significant contribution to Wolfville’s cultural and social atmosphere.”

In 1995, the Moores established Just Us Coffee Roasters and Cooperative as Canada’s first Fair Trade coffee roaster. Since that time, it has grown to become the premier Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate merchant in Atlantic Canada.

Before establishing Just Us Coffee, the Moores founded the L’Arche community in Nova Scotia and built a vibrant program encompassing four residential homes in Wolfville as well as the Homefires activity centre and retail outlet. Jeff is also a founding director of the Acadia Cinema Cooperative.

The Moores will receive the President’s Entrepreneurial Award at the Innovation and Entrepreneurialism banquet at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 17 in the McKeen Room of the Acadia Students’ Union Building.

A highlight of the banquet will be guest speaker Ben Barry, a 22-year-old who pioneered new ground in fashion in 1995 by establishing a modeling agency that represents models of all ages, sizes, races and abilities. Ben Barry has been recognized as “one of twenty teens who will change the world” by Teen People Magazine and “one of 25 leaders of tomorrow” by Maclean’s Magazine.

Acadia University has a unique entrepreneurial skills development program that defines entrepreneurship in a manner that ensures applicability within the context of a Liberal Arts university. This approach recognizes that the development and application of entrepreneurial skills, attitude and aptitude exceeds the traditional narrow connotation of business development to include, education, community service, and society generally.

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Sheri Woodland
Senior Manager, Communications & Public Affairs
Office of Public Affairs
Acadia University
902.585.1362