It’s a wrap! CUE student innovators win $5000 in prizes at the Innovation Launchpad Showcase
Posted on: Apr 12, 2022
Congratulations to all the participants and winners of the Innovation Launchpad program for 2021-2022.
Innovation and creativity are critical parts of learning experience at CUE. In total, 67 CUE students participated in the program between January to March 2022 in either the co-curricular stream or the extra-curricular stream.
Announcing the winners
The following top 5 students/teams were selected based on their solution’s viability, marketability and overall presentation approach.
- First prize – Yegrecycled – Kelton Libich, Bachelor of Arts (drama major) Prize: $1000 in CUE tuition credits, $100 CUE book store gift card and 6 month flex office space in BMO-CIAR, selection into the Startup Founder Program (Innovate Edmonton)
- Second prize – Physician Path-finder. Victor Aduayi, Bachelor of Environmental Health (After Degree) Prize: $750 in CUE tuition credits and $100 CUE book store gift card, Selection into the Startup Founder Program (Innovate Edmonton)
- Third prize – Rayaa respite care, Valerie Auwa, CUE Alumnus Prize: $500 in CUE tuition credits and $50 CUE book store gift card
- Fourth prize – RenewLink, Group E, MARK 201 class (Jake Svenningsen, Jaxon Littlefair, Noah Saraya, Seth Nobert) Prize: $150 CUE bookstore gift card
- Fifth prize – Conserve Energy, Group B, MGT 410 class, Joshua and Eric
Prize: $50 CUE bookstore gift card - Judge’s special award – Gas Price, Ali Boukrich, MSc IT
Prize: $50 CUE bookstore gift card
All participants received a certificate of completion and CUE swag.
How 2021-22 Innovation Launchpad was offered
To keep up with the current challenges faced by students and educators, the 2021-22 Innovation Launchpad was offered in two streams:
- Co-curricular stream – Students in IT 505, MARK 201 and MGT 410 were challenged to develop innovative solutions using their class learnings for 1-3 course-specific UN sustainable development goals (in their respective classes). Students used problem validation and design thinking strategies over a period of 10 weeks to brainstorm, ideate, validate and present their innovative solution at the 3rd Annual Innovation Launchpad Showcase.
- Extra-curricular stream – Students worked on their business ideas as part of the innovation sprint co-hosted with Startup Edmonton.
Meet the judges
The students presented their solutions to a panel of expert judges:
- Allan Waine, Program Facilitator, Innovate Edmonton
- Christina Garies, Program Facilitator, Accelerate Edmonton, Innovate Edmonton
- Jason Neistch, Founder, Jn Cards
- Colin Christensen, Entrepreneur in Residence at MacEwan University
“The journey to start your own business is long and tiring and I am delighted that CUE students are able to get the support they need and connections with the innovation ecosystem right here,” says Jason Neitsch, a CUE alumnus, JnCards founder and Innovation Launchpad Judge.
Thank you!
Huge thanks to Kathleen Norman, entrepreneur-in-residence, Innovate Edmonton and BMO-CIAR, who led the sessions and provided one-on-one mentorship to the Innovation Launchpad 2021-22 cohort.
We thank our sponsors and supporters: Startup Edmonton (Innovate Edmonton), Concordia Alumni Association, CUE connects program and Alberta Innovates Institutional Support for Entrepreneurial Education.
Special thanks to Dr. Baidya Saha, Dr. Glenda Sterling and Dr. Sergey Sukhankin for enabling the co-curricular stream of the Innovation Launchpad program.
