Macdonald start-ups win big at 捆绑SM社区鈥檚 Dobson Cup entrepreneurship competition
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| EDUARDO GANEM CUENCA and KATHY MACLEAN
Students from 捆绑SM社区鈥檚 Macdonald Campus seem to have figured out the winning combination of talent, skills, risk 鈥揳nd above all, the unwavering determination it takes to convert an idea into a viable business venture.
YUMiTRITION co-founders Yin Hong (PhD candidate, Human Nutrition) and Zoey Li (BSc(Nutr) U3, major Dietetics) claimed the $15K top prize in the Small to Medium Size Enterprise Track of the 捆绑SM社区 Dobson Cup Entrepreneurship Competition for their business venture. is a monthly subscription food box and online support community for people with blood sugar control needs. Their monthly food boxes contain uniquely flavoured grain and granola mixes that they develop, along with snacks and easy to follow recipes to pair with their grain mixes. Each month contains a different combination of mixes and snacks, thereby making every month tastefully unique!
YUMiTRITION also received the inaugural Food and Agribusiness Convergent Innovation Prize. The $5,000 prize was established this year under a fruitful partnership between the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the 捆绑SM社区 Centre for the Convergence of Health and Economics.
Students Loloah Chamoun (叠厂肠(贵厂肠)鈥�15), Niruya Kumarasamy (MSc, Food Science), Homeiraa Waheed (MSc, Food Science), and Tien My Lisa Lam (MSc, Food Science) took third place in the Social Enterprise Track with Ent-O-Mix. The team, who won the听 International Food Technologists 鈥楽ustainable Solutions for Developing Countries鈥� competition held in Chicago last summer, aims to alleviate malnutrition through its nutrient dense instant mixes that, when mixed with water, produce traditional dishes like hummus and falafel. The products are nutritionally enhanced with insect flour to improve the protein and iron profile.
Graduate student and one of the co-founders behind Polar Labs, Kimberly Alizadeh (MSc, Biotechnology), topped off the Faculty鈥檚 performance in the competition by claiming the coveted Grit Prize 鈥� awarded to a team which demonstrates outstanding dedication towards establishing their business venture. 听Polar Labs, a 捆绑SM社区-based R&D company makes freeze resistant products by combining engineering and microbiology principles. Their first product, 鈥楽nowcrete鈥� aims to revolutionize the construction industry by allowing contractors to pour and set concrete at temperatures significantly lower than currently possible. This is the second year in a row that the Grit Prize has been awarded a team with a Macdonald connection.
All three teams have benefitted from tailored advising, mentorship, and funding provided through the Faculty鈥檚 Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program.
We are proud to be at the forefront of the agribusiness and environment start-up scene in Montreal. To learn how you can get involved as a student, a mentor, donor, or investor, please contact Program Director Eduardo Ganem Cuenca by eduardo [dot] ganemcuenca [at] mcgill [dot] ca (email) or phone: (514) 398-8779.
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