A video game development group, a web-based used book marketer and a biology researcher who hopes to make algae more useful were the regional winners of the SouthVenture Business Plan Competition.

The three teams shared $10,000 in prize money and now move into a province-wide competition where they will represent the innovative spirit of U of L students to the entire province.

As well, the teams receive more training opportunities with the other six regional finalists from Calgary and Edmonton – and an opportunity to compete for another $10,000 in cash awards.

The grand prize of $6,000 went to Tyrel Schick, a New Media major and founder of Nougat Software, a game developing company made up of more than 30 U of L students from many different disciplines.

The runner-up prizes of $2,000 each went to Gezim Hoxha, a management/computer science double major and founder of GizmoBooks.com, a unique used book exchange portal; and Trevor McMillan, a PhD candidate in biology and co-founder of ALGENs, a biotech start-up which improves strains of algae for biofuel production, agricultural food production and therapeutic drug manufacturing.

The award program was organized and administered by the Research Services office at the University of Lethbridge, with financial support from TechEdmonton.

For a look at the March issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.