{"id":6142,"date":"2013-05-29T12:59:48","date_gmt":"2013-05-29T16:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/press_release\/spin-master-ltd-and-canadian-youth-business-foundation-celebrate-innovation-fund-recipient-achievements\/"},"modified":"2024-03-04T10:17:57","modified_gmt":"2024-03-04T15:17:57","slug":"spin-master-ltd-and-canadian-youth-business-foundation-celebrate-innovation-fund-recipient-achievements","status":"publish","type":"press_release","link":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/press_release\/spin-master-ltd-and-canadian-youth-business-foundation-celebrate-innovation-fund-recipient-achievements\/","title":{"rendered":"Spin Master Ltd. and Canadian Youth Business Foundation celebrate Innovation Fund recipient achievements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fund established to support and champion innovative Canadian-made businesses<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TORONTO, May 29, 2013<\/strong> – Spin Master Ltd. and The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) honoured Canada\u2019s leading young entrepreneurs last night as recipients of the Spin Master Innovation Fund to celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship and the guidance and support they received on their path to business success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the third consecutive year, CYBF and Spin Master Ltd., Canada\u2019s most innovative children\u2019s toy and entertainment company, teamed up for the Spin Master Innovation Fund, which provides young entrepreneurs with $50,000 in start-up financing, a hand-matched mentor from CYBF\u2019s industry-leading mentorship program and a trip to Toronto to attend a two-day Innovation Workshop, with exclusive access to industry experts and senior Spin Master executives. Last year\u2019s Fund culminated with last night\u2019s networking celebration, held at Toronto\u2019s The Spoke Club, honouring their tremendous achievements as innovative young entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event featured keynote speakers Ron Tite, award-winning advertising writer, executive creative director and creativity and innovation expert; Ronnen Harary, Co-CEO of Spin Master Ltd.; John Risley, CYBF Board Chair; and Julia Deans, CEO, CYBF. The speakers were joined by Canada\u2019s top innovators, in celebrating Canadian innovation and showcasing the many accomplishments of past Spin Master Fund recipients, many of whom were recently featured in CYBF\u2019s \u201cWhere Are They Now?\u201d<\/em> campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere Are They Now?\u201d<\/em> followed the path of several young entrepreneurs who have demonstrated the impact of having a network of people who believed in their potential from the beginning: all received financing, mentoring and expert resources from Spin Master Ltd. and CYBF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Spin Master Innovation Fund provided us with the opportunity to access advice and support from senior executives at Spin Master Ltd. As well as from a CYBF mentor in our community,\u201d sad Ryan MacGregor, CEO of SweetSeat. \u201cSome of the most valuable advice was from Spin Master\u2019s marketing and public relations team. The attention we\u2019ve since received has helped us grow our business significantly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MacGregor developed a smartphone application that provides in-seat merchandise and concession orders to venues. After attending the Spin Master Innovation Launch Pad Workshop in 2012, Ryan\u2019s company expanded to five venues in five months, was accepted into Ottawa\u2019s Grindspace Accelerator Program, was a finalist for the Best Customer Service Bootstrap Award and then, in 2013, completed a second season with Ontario Hockey League teams and is poised for major expansion in year three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Spin Master Innovation Fund recipients who were featured in the campaign include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n