Fusion energy company wins gold at first annual showcase of technology companies
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – (May 21, 2014) – General Fusion was the toast of British Columbia’s high-tech sector last week, when it came out on top of the province’s most innovative 25 companies at the DigiBC NextBC awards.
Perhaps surprisingly, this fusion energy research and development company was chosen as gold medalist over a number of high profile software companies such as HootSuite, Plenty of Fish, the dating web site, cloud computing company Fusion Pipe, and identity verification firm Trulioo.
In fact, it was a good evening all around for hardware high tech as D-Wave’s Quantum Leap computer won the silver award and high-definition security camera manufacturer Avigilon won the bronze.
The top five finalists were subject to a question and answer session from the judging panel, focusing on business model, strategies, and philosophies, and then the judges conferred to determine the winner.
Founder and Chief Scientist Michel Laberge answered questions for General Fusion, explaining his vision as “a singular focus to develop economically viable fusion energy.”
Dr. Laberge said his key insight when starting General Fusion in 2002 was realizing that Magnetized Target Fusion, with the aid of modern electronics, materials, and advances in plasma physics, could provide a faster, lower cost, and more practical path to fusion power.
These were the first annual NextBC Awards, staged by DigiBC, the Digital Media and Wireless Association of BC, to showcase the most innovative, game-changing technology produced by BC companies. It was held at Telus World of Science in Vancouver.
This is the second major recognition of General Fusion’s innovative work in the first half of 2014. In March, TED, the world’s foremost learning conference was held in Vancouver for the first time, and Dr. Laberge presented to the main stage, the only Vancouver innovator invited to do so.
