Personal injury claim app PainWorth and aeroponic vertical farming company Advance Harvest receive $25,000 grants for innovative business models
Alberta Central, the central banking facility, service bureau and trade association for Alberta’s credit unions, is pleased to announce that PainWorth and Advance Harvest have been selected to receive $25,000 each as winners of the second annual Big Future Innovation Grant.
The Big Future Innovation Grant is awarded annually to Alberta small businesses to support growth and encourage innovation. This year, each winner will also receive a four-hour business planning workshop from Stack’d Consulting.
PainWorth and Advance Harvest received the top distinction among five finalists from applicants across the province. Each small business presented to a judging panel showcasing how their business demonstrates innovation, the impact they have on the community and how the grant funds will aid in continuing innovation and achieving their long-term vision.
“PainWorth and Advance Harvest both gave passionate pitches that demonstrated thoughtful business models with great potential to continue innovation and positively impact their communities,” said Loree Gray, Chief Strategy, People and Credit Union Relations Officer at Alberta Central and Big Future Innovation Grant judge. “It is wonderful to see the entrepreneurial talent we have in Alberta and we hope the Big Future Innovation Grant will assist both winners as they continue their great work.”
PainWorth is a personal injury claim app that began as a passion project after co-founder Mike Zouhri was injured by a drunk driver. After navigating through the legal services industry as a claimant, Zouhri and his co-founders started the project to help other people pursuing their own personal injury claims—and to fix the fundamental problems they saw with how the insurance industry, personal injury lawyers, and personal injury victims interacted. Using data science and an easy-to-use app, PainWorth has helped bring clarity, accessibility, and affordability to the legal system.
Advance Harvest has an exclusive license to implement AerOrganic systems, the most advanced indoor vertical farming technology on the market. Advance Harvest’s AerOrganic system grows plants on an engineered vertical wall using a patented low-pressure emitter that creates a nano-cloud (very fine mist) of water and nutrients that is applied automatically to the root and leaf zones at specified intervals. The nano-cloud penetrates the roots and leaves, providing unparalleled nutrition to the plant.
The two winning small businesses will have the grant deposited into a business account with their local credit union.
For more information about the Alberta Central Big Future Innovation Grant, please visit: www.albertacentral.com/bigfuture.