Three McRock portfolio companies made the cut for this inaugural startup pitch competition
Getting to travel after almost two years of working from home was a treat in itself. Getting to attend the G20 Innovation League in Italy was the icing on the cake. It was the inaugural year of the startup competition to solve some of the biggest challenges facing humankind. Navigating the mobile rapid COVID screening in an ambulance in the centre piazza of Sorrento was the price of admission. Totally worth it.
Three McRock portfolio companies participated in the startup pitch competition challenges. Two Canadian companies, Poka and Miovision, were nominated by a selection committee of five participating Canadian VCs. Amsterdam-based Dott was also nominated by another country’s VC selection committee.
The event had more than 250 VCs, corporate organizations and startups attend in person and many more attended virtually. It was the first time the G20 Innovation League was hosted as part of the broader G20.
Quebec City-based Poka won the entire IoT and Wearables category following an impressive pitch by Co-founder and CEO Alex Leclerc. Poka is a leading connected-worker platform driving manufacturing excellence. What an achievement!
Miovision’s CEO, Kurtis McBride, presented a compelling case about how managing traffic using AI and IoT makes cities more enjoyable and less congested with reduced emissions. Miovision is experiencing tremendous growth as its products have now processed more than 23 million hours of video and 9 billion vehicles. Miovision serves more than 17,000 municipalities worldwide. The company is proudly headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario and has 300+ employees.
Henri Moissinac, Dott’s CEO, also delivered a convincing virtual pitch that earned the innovator second place in the Smart Cities challenge. The company is helping to create cleaner and greener cities by offering eco-friendly micro-mobility with e-scooters and e-bikes. We are thrilled for them to get this recognition.
The G20 Innovation League also provides a huge opportunity for us at McRock. It reminds us of the importance of our investment thesis and the role that all of our portfolio companies are playing to solve some significant global challenges with digital technologies and AI. What a tremendous validation of our vision.
The next few years are going to be an exciting ride as we all find our way through the pandemic. I just warn you that while swab tests and a sore nose will remain a constant in the short term, it’s a small price to pay to get back in circulation again.