meshPrize

The mesh Prize to Support
Canada’s Digital Media Industry

Justin Kozuch selected as first recipient of $40,000 prize

Toronto, ON – May 18, 2010 – The mesh conference (www.meshconference.com) is excited to unveil the mesh prize today, a new initiative to support the Canadian digital media industry.

The mesh prize, which will be awarded annually to a project or groups of projects, aims to encourage projects that will create new understanding, capabilities or tools to benefit the digital media community.

“Canadian companies need to reinvest in our industry in a significant way, and the mesh prize is a way to do that.,” said Jon Lax, a partner with Teehan+Lax, which established and financed the mesh prize.

“I am excited about the projects that this prize will fund and the ideas that will emerge from them. I want to encourage other companies in our industry to follow our lead and participate in the mesh prize”

mesh prize winners, which will be announced each year at mesh, will receive $40,000 to be used to successfully complete of their project or projects.

The first recipient of the mesh prize is Justin Kozuch, whose project involves a research study on the size and scope of Canada’s digital media industry. The study will focus on suppliers of digital media services, as well as the needs of digital media customers.

“We’re doing this because there doesn’t exist a unified, industry effort to truly understand our industry’s makeup, or a grassroots campaign to catalog and report on the size and scope of our industry,” Kozuch said.

“This is an amazing opportunity to do something significant for the Canadian digital market. The mesh prize is the perfect launching pad for any initiative that will help us improve the Canadian digital media landscape. This is an first important step in continuing to nurture and grow our digital community.”

Submissions for the 2011 mesh prize will be accepted later this year. Anyone interested in becoming part of the advisory board can learn more about how to apply at meshprize.org.

Recipients of the mesh prize are required to complete their stated objectives and project plan. An advisory board ensures that the projects are completed. The prize winner will present their project at mesh ‘11, and the new winner or winners will be announced at that time.

Quotes

“Canadian companies need to reinvest in our industry in a significant way, and the mesh prize is a way to do that…I am excited about the projects that this prize will fund and the ideas that will emerge from them. I want to encourage other companies in our industry to follow our lead and participate in the mesh prize”

Jon Lax, a partner with Teehan+Lax, which established and financed the mesh prize

“We’re doing this because there doesn’t exist a unified, industry effort to truly understand our industry’s makeup, or a grassroots campaign to catalog and report on the size and scope of our industry…This is an amazing opportunity to do something significant for the Canadian digital market. The mesh prize is the perfect launching pad for any initiative that will help us improve the Canadian digital media landscape. This is an first important step in continuing to nurture and grow our digital community.”

Justin Kozuch