Could he be Canada’s next successful entrepreneur? Congratulations to Nicholas Schiefer, 17, of Pickering, Ont., who a received $50,000 for winning the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award.
Search engines
Schiefer and other youths from around the world took part at the recently concluded Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, in Pittsburg. The grand prize was won by Jack Andraka, 15 of Crowsville, Md.
Nicholas studied what he calls “microsearch,” or the ability to search the fastest-growing information medium: small amounts of content, such as tweets and Facebook status updates. Through his research, Nicholas hopes to improve search engines’ capabilities, which will in turn improve access to information.
For a complete list of winners, click here.
From Canada News Wire
Talent outsourcing
Having trouble find the right tech talent for your startup?
Toronto-based Outsource Factor can help. The company enables online entrepreneurs to hire offshore talent who are based mostly in the Philippines, Pakistan and India.
Co-founder Chris Umiastowski came up with the idea for his business during a free one-hour Webinar he watched about outsourcing work in the Philippines. In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Umiastowski said, what resonated with him was how small businesses could hire a virtual staff who were technically contractors but could be brought to act like full-time employees.
“The problem we solve is teaching people, who are small business owners and mostly have online businesses, how to hire people who work for you offshore – how to manage them, pay them, train them,” Umiastowski said. “It is jobs such as administrative assistants, consulting, affiliate marketing, building your own online service, content creation, video editing and podcast transcription.”
Mark Evans – The Globe and Mail
Online retail
With summer looming ahead of us, not a few Canadians are looking to enjoy the great outdoors. Calgary-based startup LiveOutThere.com, hopes that before people do step out, they take the time to go online and shop for the perfect outdoor gear.
The company founded in 2009 by George Achilleos (COO), Jamie Clarke (President), and Darrell Jones (Board Member) is fast becoming a leading online retailer of clothes, footwear and equipment for people living an active outdoor lifestyle, according to Startup Calgary.
Eight years ago, the partners decided to expand their market from the bricks and mortar store they had in downtown Calgary. But rather than open more stores across Canada, they took the opportunity to dive into e-commerce.
“We thought last year was good, but this year we are growing in some segments by 100o per cent. And better yet, we’re soon launching Patagonia and a contest to send 4 people to Alaska on a heli-ski adventure,” Clarke told Startup Calgary.
