Robot Industry Blog

Dj Sures For The $100,000 Manning Innovation Award

*Update: Sorry to say - I received a letter today informing me that EZ-Robot does not qualify as an innovation and therefore my nomination has been removed.

*Original Post:
I'm so excited and happy to be a nominee for the national $100,000 Manning Innovation Awards. Proudly sponsored by Innovate Calgary, this year's Manning Innovation Awards feature a record nine nominees from southern Alberta contending for the country's largest innovation prize, and I'm one of them!

"Canada is home to many successful revolutionary industry innovations, and it is organizations such as the Manning Awards that can really propel their success," said DJ Sures, President, EZ-Robot. "It is an honour to be recognized as a nominated Canadian innovator, and I am excited about possible future opportunities that may come with being a Manning Award winner."



The $100,000 top purse, plus $25,000 and $10,000 awards, are presented each year to Canadians who have demonstrated recent innovative talent and successfully marketed their innovations. The nominees are being recognized at a celebration tonight in Calgary and the winners will be announced at the annual Awards Gala in Ottawa on October 17, 2012.

"These are Canada's most prestigious awards for innovators and can have a tremendous impact on the individuals and companies who win. It is also important for Canadians to recognize the value that this spirit of ingenuity brings to the nation as a whole," said David Mitchell, President, Manning Awards Foundation. "As the province with the largest numbers of nominees this year Alberta is showing its leadership in recognizing and celebrating the significant contributions of its local innovators."

The innovations from the nine southern Alberta nominees affect all walks of life, and range from new security technologies and novel processes in oil and gas to advances in health care and innovative equipment for the music industry.

The Ernest C. Manning Awards Foundation has been recognizing and encouraging innovation in Canada since 1982. By means of a nomination, Canadian resident citizens, who have demonstrated recent innovative talent in developing and successfully marketing a new concept, process or procedure, may be eligible for one of these awards: Principal Award ($100,000), Award of Distinction ($25,000), Innovation Awards (2 at $10,000). Learn more about our Award Winners.

The awards are named after former Alberta premier Ernest C Manning, who was a champion of Canadians who turned their creative genius into beneficial technology.












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#2  

You Definatly Deserve it! Think of all robots you could build for that;)

#4  

If we could vote you would win for sure!

PRO
USA
#7  

Wow thats terrific, good luck!!

Will

United Kingdom
#8  

Amazing good luck

Neil

Spain
#9  

I see many possibilities, good luck!:)

#10  

Congratulations on the nomination and good luck on the prize.

Alan

Ecuador
#11  

good luck!! why will you win this===??? because you create something for everybody... not only for you"":)

Belgium
#12  

Good luck and I hope you win ! You deserve this !

#14  

Congratulations DJ, You certainly deserve the recognition! Rember when I told you you would be the Bill Gates and Steve Jobs of the consumer robot world? Good things always come to those that give so freely of themselves. I hope you win the top award. Lloyd

#15  

Wishing you best of luck. John

Australia
#16  

You are not just innovative but an inspiration to everyone that has an interest in Robots. This Month my brother and I will be ordering 2 kits for life size Wall-e projects that involve our sons.

Best of luck for achievement recognition all over the World from fans downunder.

Cheers,

Harry Montmorency Victoria Australia

PRO
Synthiam
#17  

Thank you everyone:) I really have my fingers crossed, and it looks like you all do too! I can't express how much I appreciate your awesome support. Helping you build your dream robots is very important to me. I know many of your robot creations may become consumer products someday.:)

A grant like this will do amazing things for EZ-Robot! Can you imagine what I'd be able to offer the community with that kind of funding? WOW!

#19  

If they're accepting votes, count two in your favor from Key West!

Good Luck and congratulations!

#20  

DJ, this is great news. The fact that you were nominated is an honor and testimony to your genius. If you have the fortitude, and I trust you do, you will be highly successful and will heavily impact the industry. What I have seen so far is truly amazing. The stumbling block to robotics has been too much effort was needed to understand basic electronics from ground up and tedious code learning and writing. You have removed that stumbling block so true innovations can occur at a much quicker pace. Please keep at it through all the discouragement that comes to those few that are truly unique and innovative. In the end you will prevail and provide the breakthrough that is needed in robotics. One must remember it is not through large companies that innovation comes from, but from individuals with an insight and a need from the innovation you offer.

PRO
Synthiam
#21  

@RMill That's real nice to hear:) I appreciate it a great deal. It means a lot that everyone here recognizes how hard we work towards our goal.

Thanks again everyone! As a group, we rock:D

PRO
Synthiam
#22  

Sorry to say - I received a letter today informing me that EZ-Robot does not qualify as an innovation and therefore my nomination has been removed.

PRO
USA
#23  

Bullsh*t!! Sorry to hear.

Will

Canada
#24  

What was their reasoning?

You've created a innovative product which will bring education to schools and the masses. You've marketed it well.

Doesn't seem right. Who do we spam? :)

PRO
Synthiam
#25  

Haha apparently bringing advanced robots to the consumer market with properties of becoming a standard - doesn't qualify as an innovation:)

Have you seen pirates of the silicon valley? This past 7 months reminds me of the first 45 minutes of that movie

#26  

Man! what do they want???

You are the winner in OUR eyes.

:-)

#27  

F&*& them. Your getting more famous by the day. I can see your kits in every school in America by 2015. Let me know if you need some help with that. I use to be a pretty good salesmen.

#28  

DAM you should get that award,maybe next time they can give it to you i hope

PRO
Synthiam
#29  

Thanks everyone:) It would have been nice - however, it is a risk for the older people in their organization to see the value in new technologies. They tend to stick with things they know - from experience. So an innovation like Robotics is a complicated task to wrap their mind around - and that is very understandable:)

It is neat - everyday I have friends and business aquentenances email me articles about robotics in the news. You can't escape it! Robotics are everywhere. EZ-Robots soon too!

#30  

There you go teasing us again! "EZ-Robots soon too":) We know you will be announcing a new platform. Enquiring AI's need to know!........

#31  

DJ you look better in all dress up then that funny disney shirt you are wearing

#32  

robotmaker! your hilarious!:)

PRO
Synthiam
#33  

Lol disney shirt! Thanks haha

#34  

Looking to use the EZB in almost all my robots,i have close to 70,but alot of them i am fully restoring with no microprocessor board of any time,and a few with have another board so my guess is about 40 to 50 CANT wait for my early retirement in MARCH 25 ,only build robots mostly all day long