Newcomers to Kingston recognized for entrepreneurship

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New Kingstonians were honoured at the third annual Kingston Newcomer Entrepreneur Awards on April 28 during Kingston Economic Development Corporation’s (KEDCO) annual general meeting.

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The ceremony celebrated the achievements and contributions of Kingston’s newcomers to the business community.

The awards are a partnership between KEDCO and Kingston Immigration Partnership and recognize exceptional entrepreneurs in three categories: community builder, start-up of the year, and inspirational entrepreneur.

This year’s recipients were selected by an external adjudication panel composed of former award winners. The judges observed business innovation, community impact, and entrepreneurial journey.

“These awards highlight the valuable contributions newcomer entrepreneurs make to Kingston’s economy,” Norman Musengimana, KEDCO business development manager, said in a news release.

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“The winners exemplify how a diversity of perspectives and global experiences strengthens our local business ecosystem by creating new opportunities for growth and innovation.” Musengimana said.

The Community Builder award was presented to Patrick Egbunonu, president and chief artificial intelligence officer at Informanos Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (IAAI) Inc. Originally from Nigeria, Egbunonu previously served as manager of group underwriting at Empire Life Insurance and was the acting dean of business and community services at St. Lawrence College. He now leads a team at IAAI, developing AI-driven feedback platforms.

The Start-up of the Year award recognized the groundbreaking work of Vietnamese entrepreneurs Anh Tran Ly, CEO & co-founder, and Tu Nguyen, co-founder and chief scientific officer at CO2L Tech. The co-founders previously worked as researchers in Zurich, where they specialized in electrochemical carbon reduction. Now they are developing an innovative technology to transform carbon into valuable industrial chemicals, making carbon reduction profitable.

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The Inspirational Entrepreneur award was received by Phuong MacNeil, owner of Handy Fairies Cleaning Services. Originally from Vietnam, MacNeil transitioned from her previous roles as a software test engineer at Pricedex Inc. and telecom test engineer at Nortel Networks to establish Handy Fairies, which provides comprehensive residential and commercial cleaning services aimed at creating less stressful environments.

“The Newcomer Entrepreneur Awards celebrate not only business success but also the courage and resilience it takes to build a new life and venture in a new country,” said Yu Jier Kou, program co-ordinator at Kingston Immigration Partnership.

“These entrepreneurs bring valuable skills, create jobs, and contribute significantly to our local economy while enhancing Kingston’s cultural vibrancy and global connections.” Kou said.

To learn more about this year’s award recipients and the supports available to newcomer entrepreneurs, visit www.investkingston.ca/newcomer

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