Suncayr, which won first place at the Women Entrepreneurs Bootcamp hosted by Communitech and Google for Entrepreneurs in September, has another reason to celebrate.
CEO Rachel Pautler and her team are runners-up in this year’s prestigious James Dyson Awards, an international competition named in honour of the famed British inventor and his charitable foundation.
Suncayr, a UV-responsive marker that lets users know when sunscreen is no longer effective, was created by a group of fourth-year University of Waterloo nanotechnology engineering students.
Pautler and her team want to wipe out skin cancer, which affects one in three people diagnosed with cancer worldwide.
As a runners-up for the James Dyson Award, the group will receive $9,000 to help develop their product.
“The consequences of not having adequate sun protection are significant,” James Dyson, best known for his innovative vacuum cleaner designs. said in a news release. “Suncayr uses visual cues, so it’s obvious when it’s time to reapply sunscreen. As with all the best problem-solving designs, it’s very simple to use – but very effective."
Photo: Rachel Pautler, CEO of Suncayr, pitching her award-winning UV-responsive marker.
