Zennea Technologies takes top prize at SFU’s largest entrepreneurship competition

l-r: Janice OBriain, Coast Capital Savings Venture Connection associate director; students Ryan Threlfall and Rachel Chase, co-CEOs; and Wayne Berg, chief commercial officer for Coast Capital Savings

Zennea Technologies, a Simon Fraser University student venture aiming to improve sleep quality for those with sleep apnea, has taken the best overall venture prize valued at $35,000 at the annual Coast Capital Savings Venture Prize competition. Co-CEO of the company, Rachel Chase, is student at the Beedie School of Business and is completing the Charles Change Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the mentorship, support, and resources that we’ve received from Coast Capital Savings Venture Connection and SFU,” says Ryan Threlfall, co-CEO of Zennea Technologies and an SFU Mechatronic Systems Engineering (MSE) student. The team receives $10,000 cash and $25,000 in ‘in-kind’ prizes.

“We value the mentorship, friendship and support we’ve received as a part of Venture Connection. It’s an amazing community that deserves much of the credit for our victory.”

The team of MSE and business students, part of the Technology Entrepreneurship at SFU program, is working to create ‘sleep wearables,’ including a smaller, portable battery-operated alternative to the large CPAP machines for those who have sleep apnea. They also hope their product will reduce snoring, track the quality of sleep, and help improve overall health.

The team also took the top prize at SFU’s 2017 Opportunity Fest.

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