Press release

13 Jul. 2022 Vancouver, CA

Seven Pacific entrepreneurs receive top EY award

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 Pacific winners are promoting health and building communities.

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Victoria McQueen

EY Canada Team Lead, Public Relations

Leading the development and distribution of external communications across Canada. Can be found by the lake in the summer and on the slopes in the winter.

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 Pacific winners are promoting health and building communities

Seven Pacific businesses that are leading our economic vitality and finding new solutions to the world’s growing challenges have been recognized as EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 Pacific winners.

“This year’s winners are challenging existing business models, markets and processes – proving the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well here in the Pacific region,” says Lui Petrollini, Entrepreneur Of The Year Pacific Program Co-Director. “These entrepreneurs are unstoppable in their pursuit of building a better future for us all.”

The seven Pacific winners are:

  • Tom Madden of Acuitas Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company working to develop new therapies and address unmet clinical needs through delivery technology.
  • Curtis Braber of BE Power Equipment Inc., one of North America’s largest industrial power equipment manufacturers.
  • Anna Sainsbury of GeoComply, a leader providing fraud prevention and cybersecurity solutions in geolocation security.
  • John Nicola of Nicola Wealth, a company providing comprehensive investment advice to families, foundations and institutions across Canada.
  • Phoebe Jiang and Simon Wong of Pixieset, a company providing a better way for photographers to share, deliver, proof and sell online.
  • Euan Ramsay and James Taylor of Precision NanoSystems, a global leader in technology solutions and services for the development and delivery of genomic medicines, including mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.
  • Hamed Shahbazi of WELL Health Technologies Corp. [TSX: WELL], a company leveraging technology to empower and support both patients and doctors. 

“Coming from a variety of industries, this year’s winners represent the full breadth and depth of Pacific innovation,” says Anita Chang, Entrepreneur Of The Year Pacific Program Co-Director. “Each is deeply invested in developing sustainable solutions to help shape our future in Canada and around the world.”

The Pacific winners will move forward to compete against peers from the Prairies, Ontario, Québec and Atlantic regions at the national awards celebration in November 2022, where 10 national winners will be named, including Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022. The overall Canadian winner will then go on to compete with national winners from across the globe for the title of EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year in June 2023. 

In addition to the seven regional winners, the Pacific region also recognizes a special citation: 

  • Social Sustainability: Marcia Nozick of EMBERS, a social enterprise and registered community economic development charity helping people facing barriers to work lead productive, fulfilling lives by offering economic and employment opportunities.

More information 

Follow @EYCanada, #EOYCanada and #EOYPacific on Twitter for the latest program updates. Visit ey.com/ca/eoy for more program details.

The 2022 Pacific independent judging panel comprises Geoff Chutter, CEO, WhiteWater West Industries Ltd.; Jill Earthy, CEO, InBC Investment Corporation; Kristi Miller, Managing Partner, Natural Products Canada (NPC) Ventures; Maria Pacella, Managing Partner, Pender Ventures, PenderFund Capital Management; Keith Spencer, Counsel, Fasken Martineau; and Bill Tam, Co-Founder and COO, Digital Technology Supercluster.

This year's national sponsor is TSX Inc. The Pacific regional sponsors are CWB Financial Group and Hunt Personnel.

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