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OPIC ANNOUNCES WINNER OF SECOND BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION

June 10, 2009, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Ontario Partnership for Innovation and Commercialization (OPIC) is pleased to announce the winner of the second OPIC Business Plan Competition. Ryan Dear, a student from Brock University won the prize in a field of eighteen entrants with his plan entitled "NEW - Niagara E-Waste". Judges from BDC Venture Capital and Birch Hill Equity Partners selected the winner from 4 finalists chosen by judges from Q1 Capital and ACE- Advance Consulting for Education.

Open to students, alumni and faculty from OPIC’s seven member universities*, the competition attracted plans from business sectors ranging from internet-based businesses, to fashion, to environment.

The four finalists were (listed alphabetically by university):

• "NEW - Niagara E-Waste", Ryan Dear, Student, Brock University
• "Liquid Tech",Vikas Poni, Student, and Ken Waller, Professor, Nipissing University
• "Amanda Ayres Personal Training", Amanda Willox, Alumnus, Ryerson University
• "Identity Apparel", Dylan Ferguson, Aram Melkoumov, Students, Ryerson University

OPIC's first business plan competition was held on Nov. 21, 2008. The next competition deadline for students, alumni and faculty of OPIC's seven member universities is Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009.

OPIC congratulates our winner, Ryan Dear, NEW - Niagara E-Waste, and thanks the judges, participants and Ryerson’s SIFE student entrepreneur club for making OPIC’s business plan competition a continuing success.

*OPIC is a network of 7 Ontario universities: Brock, Lakehead, Laurentian, Nipissing, Ryerson, Trent and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, working together to increase technology transfer, commercialization and entrepreneurial culture.

For more information please contact: Karen Zavitz, Managing Director,OPIC

Presented by Ontario Partnership for Innovation and Commercialization
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