RZR Skate Blades win Lion’s Lair “We are mixing steel and hockey,” says co-founder.
Hamilton Spectator
By Meredith MacLeod
The makers of custom hockey blades skated away with a $63,000 share of the Lion's Lair prize Thursday.
RZR Skate Blades was the grand prize winner of the third annual Hamilton entrepreneurial battle. The winnings included legal and accounting services, team dynamics training, video production and $15,000 in cash.
Second place was awarded to Schopf Innovations, maker of the Wedgie, an aerodynamic water bottle and tools for competitive cyclists. That company received $10,000 in cash, along with brand development, accounting services and web and technology development. The total package is worth $42,000.
Third place was taken by online clothing platform Trend Trunk, which received strategic planning services, search engine optimization and $5,000 in cash for a total of $27,000 in prizes.
For the first time, gala attendees were able to vote to award a $10,000 People's Choice award for app development. That went to Trend Trunk. The five-member Lions panel also awarded a $7,000 leadership and team dynamics package to walking tour app developer Walkbug.
RZR designs and manufactures performance skate blades with its own technology it says creates a blade edge that is five times harder, and a core that can withstand three times greater impact than a standard blade.
"We are mixing steel and hockey, the two things the city is best at," company co-founder Michael Verticchio told The Spectator at the launch of the Lion's Lair training.
He began the company in 2012 with his brother Chris Verticchio and blade designer Nick Montecchia and said they wanted to be part of Lion's Lair for the marketing and networking opportunities.
The company says its blades allow for better acceleration, speed and cornering, along with less resistance, which lowers muscle fatigue and reduces the risk of injury. The blades are manufactured in Hamilton.
They sell for about $120 for standard sizes through the company's website and are designed to fit skates made by the big guys – Bauer, Easton and Reebok among them. They are also available in some pro shops.
Judge Mike Morreale said the passion of hockey parents and kids, the strength of the product and the potential market were big pluses for the Lions panel.
"And the manufacturing happens in Hamilton. It ties in so well with what this city is built on."
The Lion's Lair is a collaboration between Innovation Factory and the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. The remaining finalists wereGolfscoring.net, Lusso Living, OverAir Proximity Technologies, Pain-QuILT, Prevori Flow Control and Roux Commercial Kitchen and Food Truck Commissary.
The judges were Carmela Trombetta of RBC, Paul Lee-Chin of Manulife Securities, Mike Morreale of the CFL Players' Association, Tim Richard of Weever Apps and Blair McKeil of McKeil Marine.
mmacleod@thespec.com
905-526-3408 | @meredithmacleod
