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Innovators from across the city descended on Kanata North on March 3 for the annual Bootstrap Awards, an evening celebrating entrepreneurship in Ottawa. The event, sponsored by Smart & Biggar and The Ottawa Network, recognized thriving start-ups who have been in business for less than seven years and have received less than $500,000 in outside funding.

“We actively encourage the development of new ideas and innovation in the local Ottawa business community and celebrate the tenacity required to bring those ideas to life as a successful commercial enterprise,” says Jamie-Lynn Kraft, senior associate in the firm’s Ottawa office and co-host and co-organizer of the annual Bootstrap Awards.

The annual awards ceremony coincided with the ever popular Tech Tuesday, held monthly at the Marshes Golf Club. Among the winners this year is Kanata-based Space Strategies Consulting, which is receiving the Bootstrap Capital Award. The company offers consultancy services relating to civil, commercial and national security challenges in the air and space sectors.

Here are the full list of winners: 

Green Award: Backcountry Wok
Founder: Melanie Ang 

Innovation Award: Tungsten Collaborative
Co-founders: Mike Brown, William Dicke, Dave McMullin

SAAS Award: Rillea Technologies
CEO/CTO: Lisa Hallsworth, Rob Hallsworth 

Marketing Award: Hit Point Press
Founder: Ricardo Evangelho

Bootstrap Capital Award: Space Strategies Consulting
Co-founders: Andre Dupuis, Maria Rey, Anne-Marie Dupuis

Disruptor Award: Lightship Security, Inc.
Directors: Jason Lawlor, Brad Proffitt, Greg McLearn, Lachlan Turner

Community Impact Award: Sprig Learning
CEO/CTO: Jarrett Laughlin, Faud Khan

Founder of the Year: Dr. Ellie Ardakani
Company: Meta Innovation Technologies 

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