Carleton
Entrepreneurs
26th April 2012
Welcome to Carleton Entrepreneurs
Tony Bailetti,
Director,
Institute of Technology
Entrepreneurship
and Commercialization
Carleton University is the most entrepreneurial university in Canada
because we actively do entrepreneurship, and don’t just talk about it.
A Carleton Entrepreneur graduates with a degree of his or her choice
in one hand and a new company designed to create 6 plus jobs within
Canada’s Capital Region on the other.
This booklet introduces 17 of the 75 students and recent graduates in
the Carleton Entrepreneurs program as of April 2012. Their new
companies are expected to generate sales in excess of $1 million this
year and to raise another $1 million from private and public sources.
These students and recent graduates have earned the right to be
called entrepreneurs.
Carleton Entrepreneurs benefit greatly from the many, diverse and
cross-disciplinary initiatives, academic programs and student
associations that support entrepreneurship. These include Lead to
Win, Ottawa Young Entrepreneurs, the Bachelor of Commerce and
Minor in Entrepreneurship offered by the Sprott School of Business,
the Technology Innovation Management program offered by the
Institute of Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization, the
Nicol Internship Program, the TIM Review, Lead to Win for Women,
the TIM Lecture Series, SIFE, and others.
If you are serious about concurrently securing a fabulous university
education and launching a company designed to grow, please contact
us by sending an email to: [email protected].
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Index
Welcome to Carleton Entrepreneurs .............................................. 1
Index ........................................................................................ 3
Key Facts .................................................................................. 4
ClearVoix................................................................................... 5
Cornerportal .............................................................................. 6
GaitTronics ................................................................................ 7
Health Overhauls ........................................................................ 8
Virtual EyeSee............................................................................ 9
Niteroll .....................................................................................10
SIS Corporation.........................................................................11
Mod Menu.................................................................................12
RealWat Inc. .............................................................................13
Smart Rotor Systems .................................................................14
Crack Semiconductor .................................................................15
Ottercall ...................................................................................16
HiveDirect ................................................................................17
REMAY .....................................................................................18
Freebird Connect .......................................................................19
neurOQOre inc. .........................................................................20
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Key Facts
In the Carleton Entrepreneurs program

75 Carleton students and recent graduates

51 opportunities
Featured in this booklet

16 opportunities rated GREEN by Review Boards

17 entrepreneurs
Proof points for 16 opportunities

$1.8 M total revenue expected in 2012

$1.6 M raised from private/public sources
 $465,000 of direct investor participation
 $487,000 from government grants
 $505,000 R&D grants/development contracts
 $147,000 internships and competition awards

8 patents filed
Opportunity breakdown

By discipline:
 12 Engineering and Design
 3 Public Affairs
 1 Science

By level:
 2 Ph.D.
 8 Master
 3 Undergraduate
 3 recent graduates

By gender:
 3 women
 13 men
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ClearVoix
Ronald Amelunge
Voice mail as a text message
ClearVoix specializes in Voice to Text conversion solutions. The
company’s goal is to provide 100% reliable voice to text conversion
results and to create simple, easy to use customer-driven solutions.
ClearVoix is currently working with its partners on the development of
an English VoiceMail to Text translation and a Voice to Post solution
for Social Networks.
Using the office voicemail system while travelling can be problematic,
for example when the user is in a noisy or public environment, in a
meeting or quiet space, or in a situation where note taking is not
possible. The ClearVoix VoiceMail to Text product overcomes these
difficulties by seamlessly and accurately translating the user's
voicemail messages into plain text and delivering them, within one
minute, into the user’s cell phone message system. The Social Media
by Voice product simply, seamlessly, and reliably, posts what you are
saying directly to your favourite social networks through the push of
a button.
About the founder
Ronald Amelunge is currently completing the Technology Innovation
Management program.
He has four years experience in the
telecommunications industry working for companies such as Nortel,
Ciena and Research in Motion. Ronald has also worked with BDT
Internacional, helping to secure two large contracts in Bolivia. Ronald
has secured the contract to promote BDT Internacional Voice to Text
services throughout Canada.
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Cornerportal
www.cornerportal.com
Mike Ayukawa
Scanzai – putting real
world objects in context
Stories help us make meaning of life in an increasingly complex and
noisy world. Cornerportal connects user generated digital storylines
to physical objects. The connection makes the physical object more
valuable to the owner and makes the digital storyline content more
tradable.
To enable the capture and connection of digital storylines to objects,
Cornerportal has released Scanzai, a content management system
with a mobile app frontend that enables users to establish an object
centric webpage in less than two minutes. First stage revenues are
being led by enterprise clients for asset management (oil field
services and residential construction). Second stage revenues are
being led by micro-producers of artisanal and crafted goods, where
Scanzai can make their products more valuable and saleable by
connecting an experiential story of “why” and “how” to the “what” of
the artefact itself.
About the founder
Mike Ayukawa is completing an M.A.Sc in Technology Innovation
Management.
He has considerable experience in a variety of
technology startups such as Innovative Silicon, Chip Express, and
Spectrum Semiconductor. He has substantial experience in technical
product management with larger companies such as Agere, Lucent,
Nortel and Mitel.
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GaitTronics
www.gaittronics.com
Richard Beranek & Ali Morbi
Changing how hospitals mobilize patients
GaitTronics Inc. is an innovative rehabilitation robotics company. A
spin-off from Carleton University’s Advanced Biomechatronics and
Locomotion Laboratory (ABL), GaitTronics is dedicated to becoming a
world leader in the design of robotic rehabilitation technologies for
the physical rehabilitation market.
The company has designed a unique robotic patient handling device,
GaitEnable, which helps patients leave hospital two to five days
earlier than otherwise possible, and which may reduce treatment
costs by up to $3,000 per patient. GaitEnable automates the process
of lifting patients out of a bed and supporting them while they walk;
the patient's safety is guaranteed by a proprietary intelligent control
system that automatically prevents falls, and which transfers the
responsibility for supporting patients to the GaitEnable robotic device.
Hospitals that purchase GaitEnable will simultaneously improve
patient outcomes and reduce patient care costs.
About the founders
Richard Beranek expects to complete his Ph.D. in Mechanical
Engineering in 2013. He is committed to develop cutting edge
products that can help patients in rehabilitation. He has over five
years experience designing and building complex robotic systems.
Ali Morbi expects to complete his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in
2012. He has over seven years experience designing sophisticated
mechatronic systems for rehabilitation, and is the key innovator
behind GaitTronics’ patent-pending patient assist technology.
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Health Overhauls
www.youtube.com/healthoverhauls
Aula Beseiso
Fat Buster Dough – delicious
dieting
Obesity is on the rise in Canada. Busy people would like to maintain
their weight but do not want to compromise on giving up tasty and
convenient carb-laden treats that promote fat storage due to
significant blood sugar responses.
Fat Buster Dough will soon be showcased in the form of the Ola
Loaf/Roll during a weight-loss human trial on the Health Overhauls
YouTube show.
The company is now working with Carleton
Entrepreneurs to explore trademarking/patenting options, and is
acquiring the necessary permits to produce and sell the Ola Loaf/Roll
at local whole food stores, and to individual consumers. In the longrun, Health Overhauls will license the rights for the use of Fat Buster
Dough technology to bakeries and food manufacturers for mass
production, and will introduce other weight-maintenance solutions to
the Health Overhauls product menu.
About the founder
Aula Beseiso is 4th year student in the Honours in Applied Economics
Major focusing on the interdisciplinary study of health and how to
improve it using the power of markets. Aula is a recipient of a 2012
Nicol Internship. Aula's undergraduate thesis presented a definition
for health/fitness and its link to chronic disease, productivity, and
economic growth, in what she refers to as Human Inclusive Economic
Development. Aula holds a B.A. in General Economics with a minor in
French Interdisciplinary Studies.
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Virtual EyeSee
www.virtualeyesee.com
Natasha D’Souza
Specialized care products for
young people with special needs
Virtual EyeSee is currently developing a virtual therapy system for
children with autism.
Virtual EyeSee specializes in developing products for use in the care
of young people with special needs. Specifically, research shows that
children with autism have difficulty interpreting facial and tonal
emotion, thus they react differently from others when in certain social
situations. Such behaviour has a huge impact in the classroom and
at home. The Virtual EyeSee therapy system will not only help these
children but will create efficiencies in the healthcare and educational
system. By changing the ratio of carers from one child to one
therapist to many children to one therapist, significant cost savings
will accrue. The therapeutic application runs on a tablet computer
with a web-based back end.
About the founder
Natasha D’Souza is completing an M.Eng. in Technology Innovation
Management. Natasha is a recipient of a 2012 Nicol Internship. She
has over 15 years experience working in Fortune 500 companies,
non-profits and startups.
Natasha is developing technology for
Virtual Therapy for Children with Autism. In the past she has
developed ground breaking social media solutions for her clients.
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Niteroll
Boris Fishman
Nightclub information sharing
Niteroll targets nightlife! The company is developing a portfolio of
products based on smartphone platforms that will bring together
nightlife industry and nightlife clients in a way that that will benefit
both parties. Product specifications include systems for clubs to offer
a real time point of sale to the nightclub goer via mobile technology,
a new direct channel for marketing for promotional agencies, and a
comprehensive package to provide nightclubs, promotional agencies
and vendors with much needed business intelligence in order to
better target potential clientele. Nightclub users will benefit from
having a improved information available at the touch of a button,
including advance notification of events, promotional codes, and
realtime information about which clubs are trending and popular.
Niteroll is a mobile application which will initially be presented on
three mobile platforms. The first stage of development is to create a
real-time, one-click method of payment for entry to a club using any
smartphone. Club goers collect loyalty points that they use later to
return to the issuing club or to visit an affiliate club at reduced cost.
About the founder
Boris Fishman is a first year economics student, and is a recipient of a
2012 Nicol Internship. He began his connection with the nightlife
industry through dj-ing three years ago. He has made a substantial
number of contacts and acquired a deep knowledge of the nightlife
industry. Boris has already developed the underlying relationships
needed for his company’s success.
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SIS Corporation
Raied Ibrahim
Satellite technology for the
diplomatic community
Satellite Integration System Corp. is a company that develops
software for use in satellite technology applications.
Currently the company is working to develop and deploy software
that will be able to combine a number of related functions into a
single motorized integrated self-positioning satellite receiver. SIS is
also building a hardware unit incorporating micro strip patch
antennas to be used with the satellite signal decoding application. To
date the concept of these antennas has been proved through
advanced modelling techniques using HFSS simulation.
Early adopter customers are already being sought in the defined
niche market of the diplomatic community. So far, the company
offers complete satellite services to embassies using the TVRO, IPTV
FTA and dish network technologies. SMS also provides SMATV for
hotels and VSAT solutions for oil and gas companies.
About the founder
Raied Ibrahim holds an M.Eng. in Electrical and Computer
Engineering. He has 20 years of experience in telecommunication
engineering, satellite communication, radio frequency microwave and
antenna design, and is credited with several patents.
In addition to his technical skills, Raied also has a track record in
successful business with embassies and diplomatic missions in many
countries.
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Mod Menu
www.modmenu.com
Lauren Ierullo
Electronic gift cards for
the restaurant sector
ModMenu gift cards are the universal gift of dining out. The gift cards
will be accepted at a large number of locally owned restaurants
across Canada and the U.S., and can be purchased online and sent
instantly by email. Recipients print their gift card, or use it from the
ModMenu mobile app, which customers can download to find
participating restaurants near them, check their balance, and display
their gift card (QR code) when it's time to pay. When a gift card is
used at a restaurant, ModMenu reserves 10% of the gift card value as
commission.
ModMenu solves the problem of a customer that has little time to
shop for a gift, but still wants to give something that is of high quality
and personal. The differentiator for ModMenu is the special selection
of local restaurants that will participate in the plan. ModMenu offers
a unique variety of cuisines and atmospheres that other gift cards
cannot match.
About the founder
Lauren holds a B.A. Honours in Communication Studies. ModMenu
revolves around bringing customers into local businesses, and
through her activities as Special Events Coordinator for CCUSS,
Lauren has experience of this process. She also has experience in
marketing and social media management, working on a national
multi-million dollar government anti-drug campaign. Innovative use
of social media channels is a key element in marketing the ModMenu
concept.
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RealWat Inc.
www.realwat.com
David Ker
Lassoo The Web
novel surfing technology
RealWat Inc. is a custom software development and testing services
firm, that specializes in developing and deploying mobile and web
solutions.
In April 2012, LassooTheWeb Inc. was created as a subsidiary within
RealWat in order to develop the LassooTheWeb product portfolio.
LassooTheWeb is a fun and powerful way to surf, organize and tag
web pages. Scroll through your favourite web pages with a simple
swipe. Clip part or all of a page with a simple “Lassoo” circle motion
to clip and store as a visual bookmark. LassooTheWeb is designed to
complement RealWat’s companion product Evernote during phase I,
and to provide its own cloud solution in phase III, with a planned
migration of Lassoo capabilities from the iPad to the Desktop.
About the founder
David Ker is completing an M.A.Sc. in Technology Innovation
Management. He obtained his B.Eng. from the École Polytechnique de
Montréal. He is now the President and Founder of RealWat Inc.
David has worked in the telecommunications and software industries
for over 15 years, and was instrumental in acquiring various patents
within Alcatel and RealWat.
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Smart Rotor Systems
www.smartrotorsystems.ca
Kostyantyn Khomutov
Advances in
helicopter rotor technology
Smart Rotor Systems Inc. (SRS) is an innovative technology company
created as a “spin-off” from the Rotorcraft Research Group at
Carleton. SRS intends to lead a market transformation towards new
control solutions in the helicopter industry.
SRS’s patented technology is the first hybrid control concept in the
world that offers a unique solution: reduction of both vibration and
noise simultaneously. The primary product – the Active Pitch Link
(APL) – is the first novel, patented, and only piezoactuator-based, allelectric active pitch link in the world. The APL offers a reduction of
vibration by as much as 75% in a fail-safe manner, and it can be
easily scaled to fit any rotor size. The technology will enable a “jetsmooth ride” for helicopter passengers and crew, decreasing
associated health risks and increasing pilots’ flying careers. The APL
will decrease the direct operational costs of a helicopter by up to
$50,000~$100,000/year.
SRS technology will decrease noise
pollution and improve helicopters’ top speed in level flight.
About the founder
Kostyantyn Khomutov holds an M.A.Sc. in Mechanical and Aerospace
Engineering, and is spearheading the commercialization of SRS’s
innovative technology. Kostyantyn has already demonstrated
entrepreneurial and leadership skills by successfully developing and
operating his own small export-trade business while in his second
year of university.
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Crack Semiconductor
www.cracksemi.com
Arthur Low
Enhanced cyber security
intellectual property
Today, total security online is a must-have, not just a nice-to-have.
Crack Semiconductor's mission is to develop innovative silicon based
intellectual property (IP) and embedded security applications
software to engineer a 'total security solution' to serve the business’
target markets. To achieve this, Crack Semiconductor develops and
licenses intellectual property for use in all manner of security
applications and appliances. The company’s products are capable of
addressing several sectors of the multi-billion dollar global
information technology security market.
The breakthrough RSA security acceleration technology that Crack
Semiconductor has developed has been deployed to paying
customer’s in the European bank industry. This technology is being
combined with embedded Linux and open-source security applications
to offer the world highest performing data and communications
security appliance as licensed IP.
About the founder
Arthur Low is completing an M.A.Sc. in Technology Innovation
Management program. He has a Bachelor's degree in Electrical
Engineering and 20 years or experience in the design of integrated
circuits. He is a well-known expert in the design of Public Key
security acceleration processors, and holds several US patents.
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Ottercall
www.ottercall.com
Elias Majic
Mobile language learning
Ottercall is a mobile language learning company established in 2010.
The Ottercall software helps people learn languages by leveraging
advanced speech recognition expertise and working closely with
partners to create a system that allows people to learn while on the
go. Ottercall aspires to be the Rosetta Stone of mobile.
The company sells English, Spanish and French versions of freemium
apps on the Apple App Store. The web version allows anyone with a
browser to practice his or her pronunciation online.
Ottercall also
sells custom installations to private organizations. Early customers
include the Royal Saudi Air Force. More powerful and tightly targeted
apps will be released in May.
About the founder
Elias Majic is completing an M.Eng. in Technology Innovation
Management. He holds a B.Eng in Software Engineering. Elias is
interested in speech recognition and how it can improve people’s
lives. He left his job at a good company to launch his speech startup.
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HiveDirect
James Makienko
Video captioning in near real
time
HiveDirect develops and deploys closed captioning solutions for
videos of all types. The company provides a complete video
captioning service that allows customers to get their video content
captioned at a large scale and at a low cost. HiveDirect focuses on a
market that includes public universities, enabling these institutions to
make their video content accessible to students with hearing
disabilities. Using the technology developed by HiveDirect may save
video producers up to 70% compared to traditional captioning costs.
An excellent time sensitive opportunity exists for a significant
expansion, as new legislation is introduced that requires all
provincially funded post secondary institutions to offer all course
material with accurate sub-titling in a reasonable timeframe.
HiveDirect has access to the talented developers needed to expand.
The HiveDirect product works through the use of speech to text
technology and the use of microtasking service such as Amazon
Mechanical Turk for scalability. It also includes support services in
order to provide a turnkey captioning solution.
About the founder
James Makienko is completing an M.Eng. in Technology Innovation
Management, and is a recipient of a 2012 Nicol Internship. He has
worked with a number of startups in the software and information
technology industries. James is the founder CEO of HiveDirect.
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REMAY
www.remay.com
Nick May
Water activated shaving product
REMAY offers a unique woman's shaving product. Within two months
of launching his pilot product run through his new business, Nick May
has enjoyed sales for his product in 13 retail stores. This innovative
product has generated considerable public interest, including two
recent CBC radio broadcasts and a front page article in the Ottawa
Citizen.
REMAY’s secret Natraglide™ formula is considered to be “a shaving
formulation designed for the shower”. The water activated shaving
formula develops into a clear ultra lubricating and moisturizing
shaving barrier. The idea of a shaving cream transformed into a solid
helps ease and speed the shaving process while in the shower. The
packaging also eliminates many common problems associated with
traditional shaving cream cans. The formula was in research for two
years and the branding was assisted by focus groups. This product
makes shaving clean, quick, and easy, in contrast to its competitors.
About the founder
Nick May is a twenty four year old Chemistry student, as well as CEO
of his federally incorporated company.
Nick single-handedly
invented, developed, branded and brought to market the REMAY
product.
Nick is a recipient of a 2012 Nicol Internship. Nick won the 2012
Nicol Award at Carleton University and represented Carleton at the
Nicol National Competition.
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Freebird Connect
www.freebirdconnect.com
Robert Poole
Data visualization made simple
“Engaged Information Creators” is the mantra of Freebird Connect.
Freebird products turn users and stakeholders from being passive
data consumers to engaged information creators. Integrating data
visualization, collaboration and social networking, Freebird works in a
way that overcomes the information barriers (access, time, skills and
cost) associated with conventional alternatives and which gives
decision-makers the power of influence. Freebird Connect represents
a game-changer for the 3 under-served global markets that the
company is targeting: governments (all levels), data vendors
(including consultancies and think tanks), and new kinds of datadriven businesses who are looking to commercialize data in new
ways.
As a Freebird customer, decision-makers and data owners can easily
publish their own data to the web, create their own charts, and add
their own complex content without involving consultants or IT
departments. Working together, Freebird and stakeholders create a
single version of the truth.
About the founders
Rob Poole is completing his M.Eng. in Technology Innovation
Management. He is Freebird Connect’s CEO and a serial entrepreneur.
He was responsible for creating partnerships with organizations such
as the Nasdaq, Fortune Magazine, R.L. Polk & Co. and Primark (part
of Thomson Reuters). The Freebird founders have over 40 years of
experience working in the technology sector.
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neurOQOre inc.
www.neurOQOre.com
Dr. Mehran Talebinejad
Next generation of transcranial
magnetic stimulation
technology
neurOQOre is a medical device company that offers the next
generation of transcranial magnetic stimulation technology for noninvasive brain stimulation. The technology reduces the cost per
patient by more than 75%, as compared to existing products on the
market, used for the treatment of major depressive disorder.
neurOQOre also has a unique and competitive intellectual property
portfolio which has been generated at Carleton University by Dr.
Talebinejad and his colleagues.
neurOQOre’s offering includes hardware and software which can be
bought, leased or rented. Each option may suit different users such
as clinics/research centres, private offices and research labs.
About the founder
Mehran recently completed his postdoctoral studies in Biomedical
Engineering and Neuroscience, and is currently a Research Associate
with the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering at
Carleton University.
He has 17 refereed publications and two
critically acclaimed patent pending inventions.
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Carleton University
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6
Phone: 613-520-3570