Ingenuity pitch competition crowns a winner at Inventures 2024

The TC Energy Ingenuity Pitch Competition, delivered in partnership with the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, declared its winner during this year’s Inventures, awarding Munitora Livestock Management with $50,000 in funding.

Inventures 2024 landed in Calgary May 29 to 31 this year. Powered by Alberta Innovates, Inventures is a yearly innovation conference attended by entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and industry leaders from across the globe. The Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking served as an official sponsor for the event.

Ascent concludes, spotlights 5 pitch teams

The pitch competition saw the culmination of the Hunter Hub’s Ascent program, a month-long pitching boot camp designed to equip participants with the skills and confidence they need to succeed. The program includes a series of workshops and personal coaching sessions, all tailored to the individual needs of each participant.

Five teams participated in the pitch competition: Munitora Livestock Management, FetchFinder, Sustainable Laundry Solutions, MHCombiotic, and RespiraLink. Of the five participating teams, three also participated in Launchpad earlier this year, another notable program powered by the Hunter Hub.

The pitch competition was judged by Mike Procee, project enablement manager, TC Energy; Ines Bartilotti, director, new ventures, Innovate Calgary; and Colin Dalton, assistant professor in Electrical and Software Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering.

Munitora Livestock Management takes the prize

During Friday’s inventures luncheon, TC Energy awarded the $50,000 cash prize to Munitora Livestock Management, featuring Ana Perrone, David Kim, Diogo Guaitolini, and Luiz Di Grado. 

Munitora Livestock Management Solutions equips farmers with advanced Internet of Things hardware and comprehensive software services to optimize livestock operations. The platform delivers precise, actionable data to reduce inefficiencies and boost productivity, focusing on key performance indicators and sustainable farming practices. The company is striving to transform agriculture through technology, enhancing both yield and profitability for farmers.

“We’re really happy to receive this prize,” says Diogo Guaitolini. “Munitora was born out of a few friends talking about entrepreneurship.”

Further, the team credits the Hunter Hub for equipping them with the tools they needed to grow and succeed. 

“The Hunter Hub was so important for our journey, from Launchpad to this program, Ascent. It gave us the foundation we needed, from how to properly pitch our company and how to structure our startup,” Guaitolini says.

Hunter Hub skills clinic launches

The Hunter Hub is hosting weekly skills clinics, diving into various topics with a rotating cast of speakers. Skills clinics are open to the UCalgary community — during each skills clinic, lunch will be served for those who attend. The skills clinics are open to the UCalgary community. Sign up for future sessions

TC Energy continues to power innovation

Through their partnership with the University of Calgary, TC Energy continues to be an example of an organization that is empowering the next generation of innovators and problem solvers through support of innovative programming. Their support of the pitch competition further demonstrates a commitment to inspiring the bright minds of today, to help develop tomorrow’s energy solutions.

At TC Energy this is more than just a commitment, it is seen as an obligation and with a team of more than 7,000, TC Energy is working every day to build the energy problem-solvers of the future.