April 3, 2023

$15K in Seed Funding Awarded to OCAD U Students and Alumni to launch and grow their creative businesses

FinalistsAndJury_2023

Now in its third year, the RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2023 Seed Fund for Creative Entrepreneurs:

  • $5,000 First Place Dobson Entrepreneurial Excellence Prize: Fraymer (Demilade Olaleye) is a simple web app that helps creators make animated content easily without the need for any motion design experience. 

     
  • $4,000 Second Place: NimiMinds Mindfulness Kit (Liza Levitin and Ilan Levitin) is a child-focused, fun, customizable set of mindful books and cards. 

     
  • $3,000 Third Place: The Creative Kids (Ajay Woolery) is a platform, community, and source for creative youth. 

     
  • $2,000 Honorable Mention: Chlos (Chloe Lorenzo) is a styling + creative direction consulting agency and garment rental shop, specifically for creative productions. 

     
  • $1,000 Ample Labs Prize for a business tackling a social problem:  Vulnerably Speaking (Lotus Tsang) is a set of prompt cards that have been designed to facilitate self-exploration, deepen relationships, or spark engaging conversations.

These individuals were selected by our jury of experts: Dr. Alia Weston, Associate Professor of Creative and Business Enterprise at OCAD University; Daniel Francavilla, Marketing Advisor, Brand Strategist, & founder of Now Impact Studio and ACCESS; Jaymin Luces-Mendes, founder of Toni Marlow Clothing, and Noire Now; Shilbee Dhalla-Kim, coach for changemakers, entrepreneurs and community builders; and Steven Lui, Investment Associate at Front Row Ventures.

We would also like to shout out the other finalists for this year’s seed fund:

  • ARCH ACCESSORIES (Lily Li and Hussain Butt) specializes in prototyping and manufacturing custom hardware and trims.
  • Birthed by Bracy (Bracy Appeikumoh) is an alternative lifestyle brand that mixes the sweet and the vicious. After all, you can't spell cute without C-U-T.
  • Em Moor Documentation (Em Moor) captures professional images of gallery exhibitions and artworks.
  • LeapoN (Niranjan Kaur and Nikhil Pawar) is the one-stop solution for salon and spa businesses to enhance customer experience and flourish.
  • Luce Tooth Tattoos (Luce Ruttan) is a tattooer committed to offering an inclusive studio and empowering experience.

Thank you to our supporters for making this opportunity possible: 

  • RBC Emerging Artist Project
  • The John Dobson Foundation
  • OCAD U alumni and Ample Labs co-founders, CG Chen and Geordie Graham

Learn more about the CEAD at: www.ocadu.ca/cead 

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