CANADA, January 13 - Thanks to the Ignition Fund an Island-owned company, Irrigation Management Pro, will be able to serve clients across North America.

"This grant gives us the ability to engage with growers so we can better support their needs, expand our capacity to serve them, and bring new customers onboard,” said company co-owner, Stephanie Arnold. “We are excited to deliver our Island-made solution to growers not only in PEI but across Canada and the United States as well."

Arnold is one of seven recipients who received a $25,000 grant in this year’s round of funding. This year’s Ignition Fund recipients are:

• Irrigation Management Pro
• LĒNA
• Sofistofish Technologies Ltd. 
• Three Hippies Inc. 
• Tidal Event Management Systems Inc.
• Tracktile
• Weebee Condiment Company Inc.

“I always look forward to awarding these grants because as a former entrepreneur myself, I know a little support can go a very long way. The fund helps new and expanding companies when that help is needed most and is crucial to the development and success of our hard-working entrepreneurs. Congratulations to all recipients!”

- Economic Growth, Tourism and Culture Minister Matthew MacKay

In addition to receiving the funding, recipients will also be accepted into the Startup Zone's Resident Company Program. As a resident company, they can access a number of services, including 24-hour access to the SUZ space, mentoring support, opportunities to interact with SUZ community partners, such as lawyers, accountants, and business development officers, as well as networking and free in-person and online events hosted by Startup Zone. 

Media contact: Hillary MacDonald Department of Economic Growth, Tourism and Culture  902-394-6368 hpsmacdonald@gov.pe.ca

Backgrounder 

Irrigation Management Pro (Stephanie Arnold and Andrew Clark) Create prescription maps for crop fields determining areas requiring inputs and the quantity needed to improve environmental and farm sustainability.

LĒNA (Beth Wigmore and Tian Wigmore) Develop a real estate appraisal software streamlining the end-to-end operations and process.

Sofistofish Technologies Ltd. (Kirk Arsenault and Ken Driscoll) Develop and manufacture "Lobtrak", a cloud-based records and efficiency management suite for the commercial lobster fishing industry housed in a rugged ip67 tablet. 

Three Hippies (Ian Morse, Cleve Myers, Gordie Noye, and Terry Smith)  Create a digital platform for ticketed events which guarantees the authenticity of every ticket.

Tidal Event Management Systems Inc. (Matthew Jelley and Adam Hickey) Develop and create integrated software and hardware solutions for the management of festivals and events including online ticketing and onsite revenue management systems.

Tracktile (Jordan Rose, Jarred Kenny, and Shawn Bowman) Develop a software solution for manufacturers to design and operate their production process while ensuring verifiable traceability and gaining visibility and insights into their business.

Weebee Condiment Company Inc. (Dean Constable, Jennifer Cullen, Laura Weatherbie, and Rod Weatherbie) Producer of Soybru, a premium soy sauce using traditional fermentation with an emphasis on local ingredients.