Clean water solutions take centre stage as the 2024 Ingenium Innovation Challenge winner is awarded

OTTAWA, ON, May 6, 2024 /CNW/ - This weekend, Ingenium tapped into the creativity of young Canadians to help encourage action about sustainable management of water and sanitation services. The second annual Ingenium Innovation Challenge culminated Sunday night at a livestreamed award ceremony recognizing the brightest ideas that address the complex issue of clean water and sanitation.   

Held in Ingenium's Digital Innovation Lab, the three-day event brought together young adults early in their career aged 18-35 to build a digital product designed to enable young Canadians aged 9-12 (grades 4-7) to better understand how their actions affect wastewater systems, and help them find ways to contribute to sustainable water and sanitation habits.

The winning team, The Pool Boys, presented an augmented reality experience linked to water and wastewater networks called H2Go, which aims to educate, eliminate stigma, raise awareness, and drive careers in clean water and sanitation for our next generation.

The winning team ? made up of members Andrew Brien, Logan Ladurantaye, Luke Bowlby, Peter Gao, and Simon Yin ? was awarded a financial prize in addition to a grant, in-kind funding, and mentorship guidance for the development of their proof-of-concept prototype into a marketable product for use by the general public.

The weekend programming provided participants with a wealth of expertise and knowledge from across the country. These diverse perspectives ? from keynote speaker on Indigenous rights advocacy, Autumn Peltier, to a panel of voices from across the private and public sectors led by Corinne Lynds of Water Canada, invited participants to think differently about the issue of clean water and sanitation in a way that will resonate and inspire action in our next generation.

This event was made possible thanks to the support of partners and collaborators, Animikii, Blue Futures Pathways, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Health Canada, the Ingenium Foundation, Water Canada and our academic partners at UOttawa, Carleton University, and Algonquin College.

"I share my deepfelt congratulations to all the participants and to the winning team of our annual Ingenium Innovation Challenge. Our vision is to ignite ingenuity by unlocking the curious and creative minds of this nation of innovators. We hope that the ideas sparked by these bright young adults translate to meaningful action and awareness around the impacts of access to clean water and sanitation. I am deeply inspired by the passion, ingenuity, and drive that was pulsing from this building all weekend, and hope the work we are doing this weekend points us towards a path to mitigate the disparities faced by many communities here in Canada."

- Christina Tessier, CEO and President, Ingenium ? Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation

Ingenium ? Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation oversees three national museums of science and innovation in Ottawa ? the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and the Canada Science and Technology Museum. Its lngenium Centre houses an exceptional collection of artifacts, research institute, and digital innovation lab. Our museums, digital content, outreach programs, travelling exhibitions, and collaborative spaces help to educate, entertain, and engage audiences across Canada and around the world. Our mandate is to bring science literacy and inspiration to Canadians of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

SOURCE Ingenium