Winner: Dr. Christopher Barden

Dr. Barden is founder and manager of three Halifax-based life sciences companies and partner in a fourth. From searching for a drug to treat Alzheimer's and developing next-generation antibiotics to commercializing ground-breaking tools to access traumatic brain injury, he is at the forefront of the city's life sciences vitality. Dr. Barden has attracted significant investment and interest to the local life sciences community.

Finalists:

Dr. Ryan D’Arcy

• Dr. Darcy is considered a world leader in the area of diagnostic imaging of the brain and is head of the Atlantic satellite of the National Research Council's Institute for Biodiagnostics.
• Ryan is also an inventor, an in-demand speaker for international conferences and a key member of the award-winning team that performed the world's first virtual brain surgery in Halifax.

Nathan Kroll

• Nathan has been on the cutting edge of advertising/marketing technology since the 90's and is founder and owner of the successful advertising solutions business, AD-Dispatch. He remains committed to building a Canadian business and hiring local.
• He is also the developer of online training modules for companies in employee safety sales.