We've been busy...

How time flies! We've been busy behind the scenes over here at PolyGone, trying to make the best solution possible to microfibre contamination. We've been raising funds, 3D printing new designs, testing new options, pitching to anyone who'll listen, and making some incredible connections. Lauren has been speaking at a number of different entrepreneurship events and Nicole's been seeking out a new hire. Yes! We have even been able to hire on some extra help. This is so exciting and will let us speed up our processes!

A "brief" summary of what we've accomplished over the last few months...

• ​1st place at the Venture Out conference pitch competition in Toronto

Venture Out Logo

• Joined Communitech, an accelerator in Kitchener
• Pitched at the Velocity Fund Finals for $25,000 in March - while we didn't place, we made a LOT of great contacts and got to meet some supporters. Including an inspiring young girl who started her own STEM club for girls at her middle school! Talk about #girlpower!
• Created, printed, and began testing new designs for our filters in a few different materials
• Won the Big Ideas Challenge through St. Paul's GreenHouse, a social innovation hub at the University of Waterloo

St. Paul's GreenHouse logo: Be purposeful.

Big Ideas Challenge logo: light bulb made up of puzzle pieces

• Received materials from our apparel company friends to test their microfibre release
• Network, network, network! Including: volunteering at True North, Kitchener's first "tech for good" conference, speaking on a female founder panel on the final night, and starting Lesbians Who Tech and Allies: Kitchener-Waterloo chapter, where we hope to collaborate with Making Space in Tech to promote and support LGBTQ folks in tech in the region

True North logo

MakingSpace.tech logo, rainbow power button

Panelists speaking to the female founder experience following screening of Dream Girl at Apollo Theatre. Top image, panelists seated L-R: Martha van Berkel of Schema App, Jacqueline Leung of Pressed News, Lauren Smith of PolyGone Technologies Courtesy: Kelly McGregor

• Awarded JumpStart funding through the Accelerator Centre - which is BIG news, providing us access to incredibly experience mentors and allows us to hire some much needed help! (stay tuned for an intro after they start and get settled, in only a month!)​​​

AC JumpStart logo

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• Announced as the Canadian winners of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation  - Youth Innovation Challenge! This North America-wide competition took Lauren to Oklahoma City to present our solution to governmental delegates from Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America, as well as to the University of Oklahoma's Innovation Hub, where we got some great feedback and advice. (AND - a personalized shout-out and congratulations from Catherine McKenna, Canada's Minister of the Environment and Climate Change!)

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CEC logo

Tom Love Innovation Hub logo

CEO Lauren Smith pitching PolyGone to delegates from Mexico, Canada, and USA at the Tom Love Innovation Hub. Image courtesy of CEC.

Wow, that's a lot all put together! But we have one more piece of exciting news to share before we get back to work. We JUST found out we have been accepted to the Fierce Founders Bootcamp program at Communitech! We are so excited for this, and can't wait to meet, learn from, and work with other female founders of the region!

Fierce Founders Bootcamp image from Communitech

Unsurprisingly, we've got a lot more in the works as well, so be sure to follow along for updates. Sign-up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get as-it-happens news about our progress - and tips for keeping plastic our of your life!
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Thanks for all of your support so far. We can't wait to have our tech in action, and all of these accomplishments bring us that much closer!