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Sail Away…to Success

Participant: Mike Simon and Jeff Aitken, Brock University
Business name: ShipLink Co.
Concept: end-to-end services for major freight companies in Canada that are under increasing pressure to reliably provide on-time delivery. Services will target the B2B, B2C, and Next Day Morning Delivery segments of the freight industry with the distinct “ShipLink” brand of on-time delivery. More Finalists >

Overview
Local Competition
National Competition
Judging
2008 Judges
Award Ceremony

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There can be only one…

Every competition ultimately culminates with the selection a single winner. In the eyes of the Award organizers, all participants are winners because of the grit and determination they show in going through a challenging and confidence-boosting process. In the end, the National Award is given to that one individual or team that best embodies entrepreneurial spirit and skills.

The “Nicol”

The winner(s) get to take home one of the most coveted and respected trophies awarded today: the “Nicol.” Many past award winners include this accomplishment prominently and proudly on their CVs. And so they should because being awarded the Nicol is no easy feat.

Real-life pressure

The national program ratchets up the stakes and the pressure for each finalist who must pitch his or her plan under conditions that closely match what a speculative entrepreneur will experience when seeking VC support. Great ideas won’t carry the day. A host of real-life criteria will be considered:

• Is your team aligned around a common vision?
• Have you surrounded yourself with a support network and advisors?
• Have you got the confidence to make it happen?
• Are you demonstrating entrepreneurial thinking and capabilities?

These and many other factors will be looked at when assessing the merits of the top six finalists (click here for a detailed list of judging criteria).