The vice-president of strategy said he chose the song because it highlighted the reason why the business had never sought outside funding.
"We wanted to keep control of what we wanted the company to be and where we wanted it to go," he said. "It was a conscious decision from the beginning."
Apption, founded in 2005, conducts analytics and metrics on large data sets for major organizations, generally government departments and Crown corporations. One unidentified customer takes in 20 to 40 million event records each day, and Apption uses systems to refine that data to reduce operational costs and develop services.
It also hosts an in-house incubator that has seen the likes of Gazaro and Select Start Studios, the latter of which was recently acquired by Shopify. For the past 18 months, Adigence (combining "ad" and "intelligence") has been shacking up with Apption while developing a service that optimizes web marketing campaigns.
Mr. Szaplonczay said the founders of Apption had each been venture funded in previous endeavours. The advantages of that route are obvious - you can get a lot of money very quickly and can afford to run a deficit - but to them, it wasn't worth the loss of control.
The Bootstrap Capital Award received by Apption honours a business that has been self-capitalized since the beginning; an homage to the overall theme of the Bootstrap Awards.
Serial entrepreneur Rob Woodridge emceed the event and a made a crack at the Ottawa venture and angel funding scene before announcing the award.
"Quite frankly, that shouldn't be hard (to win) because there's not a lot of that (funding) going on in Ottawa," he said.
The annual awards ceremony, hosted by Bruce Firestone's entrepreneur network Exploriem, included twelve awards, up from 10 last year, honouring self-funded local businesses. Nominations were up 40 per cent year-over-year with 93 submissions - a sign of fierce competition and a healthy start-up scene, Mr. Woodbridge said.
"These are the faces of the future of what is happening in Ottawa," Mr. Woodbridge said after asking all nominees to stand. "These people all know the feeling of falling asleep at their keyboards, waking up, and getting back to work."
First, second and third place awards were given, along with the announcement of two honourable mentions. The first place winners received an award in the form of a gold spray-painted used boot - with the scuff marks to prove it - and a personalized video created from acceptance footage and a private interview immediately.
The "Oscar" of the evening, the Fastest Growing Start-Up Award, is yet to be awarded. The finalists are Renaissance Repair and Supply, StoneShare and YOUiLabs. The winner of this award will be announced at an OBJ event later this year.
Spoonity Inc. took Best Mobile App/Website, and LavaBlast won Best Sales/Value Proposition.
Winners of the 2012 Bootstrap Awards:
Best Business Model
1. CanaFlora
2. Dual Code
3. LoonieGames
Innovation in Engineering and Technology
1. Crack Semiconductor
2. V+I Composites
3. Giatec Scientific
Lead to Win for Women
1. Amanda R A Lunan | Auntie Loo's Treats
2. Elizabeth Lance | InGenuity Group
3. Hana Abaza | Wedding Republic
Bootstrap Capital
1. Apption Corporation
2. OPIN Software
3. Nuvyyo
Best Guerilla Marketing
1. Toletta
2. Mold Busters
3. Openera
Community Impact
1. Shepherds of Good Hope
2. HUB Ottawa
3. First Place Options
Green Award
1. Rumidifier Home Comforts Inc.
2. CarbonSolve Inc.
3. RIPP
Best Mobile App/Website
1. Spoonity Inc.
2. DawnSuite Communications Inc.
3. iPricedit.com
Best Customer Service
1. Blue Rabbit Machines
2. Movingboxes.ca
3. Reno Rescue
Best Sales/Value Proposition
1. LavaBlast
2. Chide.it
3. Tindr
People's Choice
1. Dermis Advanced Skin Care
2. GremlinsGold.com Inc.
3. Major Craig's Chutney
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