Judges give two paws up to student startup in Bow Valley College’s VentureQuest competition

Friday, April 4, 2025 (Calgary, AB) – It’s a Ruff Life! The brainchild of two Bow Valley College students is now a business. Entrepreneurs Minette Narvaez and Jerwin Yparraguirre took home the top prize at the college’s annual VentureQuest competition. It is doggone apparent their startup, The Ruff Life, is on its way to great things, with $10,000 in cash, business funding, and in-kind services.

Described as a drop-shipping e-commerce platform, The Ruff Life will deliver high-quality customized pet care solutions to Canadian dog lovers.

“Their business model of subscription boxes and exclusive ‘dogparent’ merchandise resonated with our judges,” says Stan Peake, Bow Valley College’s Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Networking Lead in the Chiu School of Business.

“The competition was fierce, starting with 150 students six months ago. Deliverables mirrored real-world business planning – from creating compelling video proposals to identifying their target market, determining their value proposition and understanding their financials. These budding entrepreneurs were put to the test, resulting in masterful pitches,” says Peake.

The second prize went to Adenike Kukoyi, who won $5,000 in cash, business funding, and in-kind services for Sip Train, a tea and coffee business at every CTrain stop. Kukoyi took home an additional $500 for winning the crowd favourite poll, voted most likely to have a social impact.

The third-place prize of $2,500 went to Kern Babb, whose AggriAssure is described as a pioneering agri-food technology company dedicated to ensuring businesses can navigate the complex regulatory landscape with ease and confidence.

Over the years, the VentureQuest competition has awarded more than $150,000 in prizes (cash and in-kind services). Catherine Brownlee, President and CEO of CBI Business Solutions, Bretten Roissi, Chief Creative Officer of Social Launch Labs, Katelyn Smith, Co-founder of Enta Solutions, and Harold Gallos, 2024 VentureQuest winner, judged the 2025 pitches.