Vision to Reality Awards Program

Celebrating outstanding technology companies

The Vision to Reality Awards program celebrates dynamic companies in the technology sector that have demonstrated successful growth, and whose outstanding achievements have made them some of Canada’s most successful technology companies. These companies have made a difference in Canada by having the courage to expose their visions, and then turn them into the reality of revenues, profit and benefits to the industry.

Innovator of the Year Award
The Innovator of the Year Award acknowledges the company that has best demonstrated the commercialization of an innovative technology solution. The innovation must be new, unique and a ‘game changer’ – and customer acceptance must be demonstrated.

Exit of the Year Award
The Exit of the Year Award will be awarded to the Canadian technology company with the largest exit in 2011. The recipient of this award will be determined based on publicly available information and data.

Who is eligible?

• Private or public technology company
• Canadian-controlled or headquartered in Canada companies. (Management team and research and development activities must also be located in Canada)
• Company must own a proprietary technology or have intellectual property that contributes to a significant portion of operating revenue
• Company operates within one of the following sub-sectors: 
  • Clean technology
  • Emerging technologies
  • Hardware/Semiconductor
  • Software
  • Telecommunications/Wireless

What is the judging process?

Once the nomination phase is closed, a shortlist of companies will be selected by an independent panel of judges, and from this stage a group of finalists will emerge. Finalists are evaluated by an independent panel of judges based on innovation, financial performance and strategic direction. 

Key dates

Nominations open: May 15, 2012
Nominations closed: July 13, 2012
Finalists announced: July 27, 2012
Interview period: Aug. 6, 2012 - Aug. 24, 2012
Judging process: Aug. 27 - Sep. 14, 2012
Winner announced: Sept. 27, 2012
Winners event: Oct. 5, 2012

How to nominate

Anyone associated with a successful technology company can nominate, including employees, corporate advisors and financiers. You can nominate more than one company. Simply fill out the nomination form on this page. (Please fill out a new form for each nominee.)

The 2011 Award Winners

Innovator of the Year: Burlington-based EcoSynthetix was selected as the 2011 Innovator of the Year Award winner by a group of industry panellists based on its innovation, financial performance and strategic direction.

Exit of the Year: Ottawa-based Protus won the Exit of the Year Award for striking the most lucrative deal in 2010 with US-based j2 Global Communications’ $213 million acquisition of the company in December 2010.

Both companies  were honoured at PwC’s 2011 Connecting Vision to Reality Conference in Toronto. Read more about the winners.

The Top 4 Runners Up

• Cavet Technologies Inc. 
• Calgary Scientific Inc. 
• IntelliView Technologies Inc. 
• Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc.