Yukon Innovation Prize finalists have been chosen

Whitehorse – Four Yukon innovators have been short-listed for the 2015 Yukon Innovation Prize. These finalists will each receive $10,000 to further develop their idea and compete for the grand prize of $60,000.

Cold Climate Innovation at the Yukon Research Centre (YRC) and Government of Yukon’s Economic Development created this prize to support Yukon innovators whose ideas have an environmental or economic benefit to the Yukon.

The selection committee reviewed 27 proposals and chose four finalists whose ideas have high market and commercialization potential in the building technology, construction, and manufacturing industries.

“This contest discovered Yukon innovators whose ideas could improve the effectiveness and the efficiency within the construction industry not only here in the north but globally”, said Stephen Mooney, Director, Cold Climate Innovation, Yukon Research Centre. “We have chosen four excellent ideas that have great market potential and the hardest task will be choosing the winner”, said Mooney.

The four finalists include:

• Kirk Potter: (Insulated Header)
Proposed an engineered insulated header for windows and doors that will minimize heat loss. Window and door headers are a weak link in energy efficiency for buildings, and this product aims to address this. Additionally, this project will also develop framing material for all aspects of the building sector for both new and retrofitting construction.

• Adam Greetham: (Efficient Radon Mitigation)
Proposed a radon mitigation system that may increase the safety and efficiency of the radon mitigation industry. This system can be used in new and existing buildings and is based upon a pressurization sensor system.

• Terry Rufiange-Holway: (Retro Door)
Proposed an insulated door panel intended to increase the energy rating of a typical exterior door and add to the overall building performance. The Retro Door consists of a very high insulating material encased in a thin structural panel which is fastened to an existing entry door.

• Chris Bartsch: (Polished Concrete Floor Cutter)
Proposed a tool for cutting decorative lines in concrete floors that will give consumers another option in floor coverings. The line cutting tool is extremely accurate, creates no dust, and is easy to operate.

In order to win, the finalists will spend the next two months further developing their idea and provide evidence of its technical and economic viability. These four finalists will then submit their refined plans to compete for the grand prize of $60,000, to be used to bring their innovative idea towards commercialization.

The Yukon Innovation Prize winner will be announced the end of June. View contest details here.