FOG Studios’ exclusive client Hotrocket, the international award-winning Alberta interactive production company, has made its mark at two high profile events in Western Canada. In February, the company was named “Best of Show” at the 2008 Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum in Vancouver, beating out 20 of Canada’s hottest digital media companies. Later that month, the company picked up another win, recognized with the Marketing Award of Distinction at the 2008 Alberta Business Awards in Calgary.

“It’s been an amazing month,” said Ken Bautista, 30, CEO of Hotrocket, who started his most recent road trip in New York at the 2008 KidScreen Summit, where they won the international pitch competition the previous year. “We got great exposure after last year’s win for our cross-platform kids game CIE, so we had a busy week of meetings in the Big Apple with new projects, clients and production partners.”

After KidScreen, Bautista flew to San Francisco for meetings at the Game Developers Conference with business partner Jason Suriano, and then headed to Vancouver to pitch at the Fusion Forum. Explains Bautista, “Fusion is the only financing event in the west dedicated to digital media, so we were excited to have the opportunity to pitch to investors from Vancouver, Seattle and Silicon Valley very familiar with the digital entertainment space.” After an 8-minute pitch, and a barrage of questions, the judging investors awarded Hotrocket with first prize. As a result of this recognition, Hotrocket will have the opportunity to travel to Seattle and Silicon Valley for follow up meetings with groups of top-tier venture capital firms over the next month.

Shortly after, Bautista headed to Calgary as a finalist for the Marketing Award of Distinction at the Alberta Business Awards gala event (hosted by the Alberta Chambers of Commerce). Up against stiff competition from Micralyne (Edmonton), Calgary Public Library, and Community Savings (Red Deer), Hotrocket won the award, which was presented by Ruth Kelly from Alberta Venture. Asked about the highlight of the night, Bautista replied, “Being personally congratulated for our achievements by Premier Ed Stelmach was a pretty sweet highlight and a great honor.”