Kingston, ON (March 4, 2009) – Joel Warsh, owner of International Innovation MD and full time student at Queen’s University, has been named the Ontario Student Entrepreneur Provincial Champion by national charitable organization, Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship, ACE, and proud program supporter, CIBC.

Since 2006, Joel, a Master’s student in Epidemiology and Community Health, has owned and operated International Innovation MD, a medical technology and website design business where healthcare and scientific websites are created to increase the knowledge translation as well as improve the delivery of healthcare.

According to Stats Canada, approximately 4.1 million Canadians are currently without family doctors. Joel hopes that one day his innovative medical technology will be the primary source to improve the healthcare system and will one day be able to ensure the proper healthcare to those in need. 

Operating International Innovation MD has provided Joel with the opportunity to: 

·         Founding and publishing the Canadian Journal of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

·         The privilege of working with such individuals as Pfizer, McGill University and Queen’s University

·         Increasing the number of employees from 2-7 in 3 years

·         Provide a French-English service for their clients in Eastern Canada

“International Innovation MD was created with the dream of helping those in need and creating technology that can save lives,” says Joel. “This award will ultimately boost our exposure and credibility in the community and give us a better chance to reach our goals. It is an honour to be chosen to represent Ontario and this award truly proves our company slogan that ‘Anything is Possible’. “

The regional round of competition will take place at the 2009 ACE Regional Exposition in Toronto, Ontario on March 13, 2009. Provincial Champions will each present their business to a live panel of business professionals who will decide the two Regional Champions, who will each receive a $1,000 cash prize and move on to the final round of competition taking place at the 2009 ACE National Exposition in Toronto on May 6th, 2009. The National Champion will be named and will receive a $10,000 cash prize and represent Canada at the international level of competition, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, if he or she qualifies.

“Given the changing economy student entrepreneurs are being forced to take on new challenges to ensure their businesses thrive” says Amy Harder, President of ACE. “ACE provides an experience that strengthens and supports student development to create a more sustainable and enterprising Canada.”

For more information about the Student Entrepreneur Competition taking place regionally and nationally in 2009 please visit www.aceexpos.ca.

About ACE
Founded in the mid-1980s, ACE is a national charitable organization that is teaching and igniting young Canadians to create brighter futures for themselves and their communities through enterprise. Working in partnership with business and higher education, ACE operates a team-based program, Students In Free Enterprise, SIFE, and an individual-based program, Student Entrepreneur. Through these two programs, ACE guides students along the path to becoming the champions that will define the enterprising mission of Canada. For more information about ACE, visit www.acecanada.ca.

Operated by ACE and proudly presented by CIBC, the Student Entrepreneur Program is the only National program to focus solely on full time Canadian post secondary student entrepreneurs. It is a program that strives to enrich participant’s lives through feedback, recognition and networking opportunities.

- 30 -

For more information, please contact:

Andrea Louden
Coordinator, Communications and Events
ACE (Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship)
416.304.1566 ext 233
1.800.766.8169 ext 233
andrea@acecanada.ca
www.acecanada.ca
www.aceexpos.ca

Joel Warsh
Owner- International Innovation MD
Tel: 613-539-3219
joel@iimdonline.com
www.IIMDonline.com