Future visionaries in Alberta's tech industry -- and current Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) students -- stepped into the spotlight to pitch their plans for real-world ventures developed from promising class projects.
Left to right: Sparshan Koirala, BAETT Co-Founder and SAIT student; Ethan Bayarsaikhan, BAETT Co-Founder and SAIT student
Following months of business development guidance, mentorship and assessment, eight student projects from SAIT's School for Advanced Digital Technology (SADT) moved to the final stage of the judged competition on June 4.
The FutureTech showcase event brought together founders, investors, industry leaders and entrepreneurs to evaluate the emerging ventures. Those with the greatest potential for growth and impact had the chance to receive funding through the Bissett Seed Fund.
Established through a generous $1-million gift from Calgary philanthropist and long-time SADT supporter David Bissett, the fund was created to provide aspiring student entrepreneurs with access to early-stage capital and industry connections to help transform innovative ideas into viable ventures.
The BAETT team was awarded $100,000, while Relay Ops received $50,000 and a scheduling management contract with Zeno Renewables. Team Kavyo also received $10,000 and a residency with Calgary's J5 Design.
BAETT, the $100,000-winning project, is an infrastructure software that automates traffic accommodation planning. The platform uses an AI-assisted, map-based system to generate field-ready traffic plans in minutes.
"It's hard to describe what winning $100,000 feels like. For so long, we've been working through challenges and believing in our idea without knowing exactly where it would lead," says Ethan Bayarsaikhan, BAETT Co-Founder and second-year Software Development student. "Hearing our names announced was surreal. This win is a huge validation of our work and gives us an incredible opportunity to grow."
Relay Ops, the $50,000-winning project, is a restaurant operations platform designed to separate sensitive financial data from operational insights. It enables managers to make better staffing, scheduling and performance decisions while maintaining confidentiality.
"I wasn't expecting to win, so hearing my name announced was amazing," says Edwin Olaez, Relay Ops Founder and second-year Software Development student. "One of my instructors told me you can either look for a job or create jobs. That has always stayed with me and this funding will help me turn that goal into reality."
Along with capital funding, the BAETT and Relay Ops teams will receive further industry mentorship, as well as access to resources and entrepreneurial education through direct engagement with startups, investors and key ecosystem partners.
Each year, the Bissett Seed Fund will create opportunities for students to experience real-world entrepreneurship through mentorship, venture development, investor engagement and access to early-stage funding.
"With this funding, SAIT is launching a future pipeline of student-led tech startups that will not only drive economic value but will also solve meaningful challenges while contributing to Canada's growing innovation ecosystem," says Cherie Bowker, Dean, SADT. "Our goal is to embed student innovation early in the academic journey through mentorship, projects and access to a network of entrepreneurial resources at SAIT."
By combining education, industry support and investment capital, seed funding ultimately supports emerging entrepreneurs to move innovative technologies from concept to commercialization.
