Team Rhizofeed from the University of Pikeville won CAD$ 20,000 and first place at the 2016 IBK Capital - Ivey Business Plan Competition held on January 22-23, 2016. The 18th edition of Canada's premiere business plan competition was sponsored by IBK Capital Corp. and the Pierre L. Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship.
Rhizofeed has developed a poultry feed additive with whole Rhizome extract that improves the immune system, regulates digestion, promotes weight gain, and acts as an anti-inflammatory. The team included Justin Prater, Matthew Thacker, Wesley Barnett, Molly Frank, Erica Newsome and Faculty Advisor David Snow.
Team Rhizofeed was joined in the finals by Team Arovia from Rice University, who is developing a portable viewing screen and team Richlii, a financial literacy mobile app from the Ivey Business School. The competition included nine teams representing the University of Arkansas, University of Louisville, University of Pikeville, University of Manitoba, Rice University, Thammasat University (Thailand) and the Ivey Business School.
The competition included workshops by Albert Behr from Behr & Associates and Ryan Poissant, HBA '98, and Nathan Monk, HBA '03 from MaRS Discovery District. Bas Van Berkel, MBA ’06, of BerQ Capital Inc. also shared his entrepreneurial story with David Simpson, MBA ’89, at the competition's fireside chat.
The IBK Capital - Ivey Business Plan Competition was comprised of an esteemed panel of judges:
- Albert Behr - Behr & Associates Inc.
- Bas Van Berkel, MBA ’06 - BerQ Capital Inc.
- Mike Boyd, MBA ’76
- Kathy Burns, MBA ’93 - Burns Strategic Consulting
- Deniz Temelli, MBA ’12 - Tech Alliance
- Blake Farquharson HBA ’12 - Tech Alliance
- Ian Haase, MBA '10 - Entrepreneurship (Propel) at Western University
- Jenny Hui, MBA ’07 - Clausehound Inc.
- Michael Keenan - Trylon
- Rajah Lehal, MBA ’06 - Cobalt Business Counsel
- Justin Leushner, MBA ’03 - Tech Alliance
- Dominic Lim, PhD ’09 - Ivey Business School
- Jacoline Loewen - UBS Wealth Management
- Jacyln Longo, HBA ’14 - Entrepreneurship (Propel) at Western University
- Darren Meister - Ivey Business School
- Larry Plummer - Ivey Business School
- John Pollock, MBA ’84 - Southwestern Ontario Angel Group
- Colleen Sharen, HBA ’93 - Brescia University College
- David Simpson, MBA ’89 - Ivey Business School
- Steve Suske, MBA ’77 - Suske Capital Inc.
- Miranda Werstiuk - IBK Capital Corp.
- Michael White, MBA ’00 - IBK Capital Corp.