Two Prince County companies have successfully competed for awards under Innovation PEI’s Pilot and Discovery Fund, says Innovation and Advanced Learning Minister Allen Roach.

“BioSpa Cosmeceuticals of Summerside will complete their development of a full line of skincare products for the professional skincare industry and Rem-ilator of Wellington is developing a unique disinfection technology for healthcare facilities. These two companies are developing innovative products to serve customers on and off Prince Edward Island,” said Minister Roach. “As the province’s lead economic development agency, Innovation PEI will provide support to help these innovators explore the commercial potential of their products.”

Each of the successful companies will receive $25,000 in funding to further its research and development work.

“We at Rem-ilator are delighted to receive the much needed support from Innovation PEI's Pilot and Discovery Fund to further our research and product development,” said Rob Gallant.

“BioSpa has invested considerable resources developing a PEI brand that is beginning to be recognized as offering some of the most effective natural based products in the professional skincare sector. The funding provided under this program will play a crucial role in developing the last key products needed to complete the line and enabling BioSpa to expand into a larger national and international markets,” said Sharon Quann.

The Pilot and Discovery Fund is a competition to find and support projects that are early stage and have a strong potential for success. Research and development requires up-front costs that can be difficult for small businesses in the Province to cover. This program helps bridge the gap between development costs incurred and revenue generated by a commercial ready product.

A total of 10 projects were offered funding in this round of the Pilot and Discovery Fund, totaling an investment of $250,000 in early stage businesses in Prince Edward Island.

Information on the Pilot and Discovery Fund and the application process is available at www.innovationpei.com/pdfund.

About BioSpa Cosmeceuticals

BioSpa (Quann) Cosmeceuticals Inc. is owned by Ms. Sharon Quann. Ms. Quann has been involved in the spa and aesthetics industry for 30 years and also owns two aesthetics operations: Mystical Touch in Summerside and Mind, Body & Spirit in Kensington.

Quannessence Skincare is a PEI initiative using the expertise and access of Ms. Quann’s aesthetic business to identify market needs, develop treatment protocols, and validate new products. All products are manufactured in Summerside and are based on a natural approach, using plant derived extracts. BioSpa will develop six additional products that will supplement their current product offering. These products will enable them to offer a complete product line for the private skincare market.

About Rem-ilator Inc.

Rem-ilator Inc. is a new venture for Mr. Robert Gallant and Mr. Elmer Arsenault. These individuals saw a need in the healthcare industry for an easy and cost effective way to clean the door knobs and handles to prevent the transfer of illnesses. They began work on a door mounted, automatic cleaning device that uses UV light to disinfect door knobs/handles. The Rem-ilator 1 unit is encased in non-processed stainless steel with a retractable stainless steel inner sleeve with sensors that react to touch.