Innovation Challenge

Think outside the box

If you have at least one friend and a smart phone that can take amateur video, you can put your creativity to work in NAIT’s Innovation Challenge and have a lot of fun doing it.

The Challenge gives you the opportunity to experience some of the creativity associated with being an entrepreneur, collaborate under time and resource constraints, and pitch an idea in an engaging way.

How does it work?

Teams are tasked with taking an everyday object  and transforming it into something of greater value – whether that value is economic, environmental, or social. So, your idea could potentially turn into a lucrative commercial enterprise, or a way to solve a significant social problem.

Registration for 2023 is now closed. Thank you to all who signed up and participated! 

  1. Attend an information session on Tuesday, January 24, 2023  to find a team and sign up.
  2. Deadline to register teams is noon on January 31, 2023.
  3. Teams will receive a message letting them know the object or concept they will be working with on February 1, 2023. 
  4. Then you'll have just a few days to submit a 3 minute video (in MP4 Format) pitching their innovation idea.
  5. Finalist videos will be shown and prizes awarded at the Innovation Challenge Reception taking place February 16, 2023  from 4-6PM. 

2023 Winners - Highschool stream presented by ATB

First place, $1,000 prize: Team Torch Bearers of Memorial Composite Highschool

  • Elijah Wilfer
  • Jakob Whiffin
  • Jaden Van Dasselaar 
  • Barrett Ellert

Second place, $750 prize: Team Ross Sheppard of Ross Shepard Highschool

  • Cole Dufault
  • Alex Sun
  • Jacky Hong
  • John Nasitem

Third place, $400 prize: Team COAD of Ross  Sheppard High School

  • Carson Young
  • Ty Trimble
  • Kierra Stedall
  • Jasper Roemmich

2023 Winners - NAIT stream presented by Raptor Mining

First place, $1,500 prize: Team Innovait of the JR Shaw School of Business

  • Yash Verma
  • Pamela Huynh

Second place, $1,000 prize: Team Indigo of NAIT's ESL program

  • Karlo Escallon
  • Ana Matallana
  • Tania Lievano

Third place, $500 prize: Team Mic and Vic of the JR Shaw School of Business

  • Mikayla Balfour
  • Victor Castellon Bonilla

2022 Winners

First place:  Team DarkRed Media: Niki Kearl and David DesJarlais

Second place:  Team EspresSEO: Caitlin Kamminga and Mandeep Panesar

Third place: Team MK Media:  Kris Smylie and Michelle Ramoutar

2021 Winners 

First place:  Team Select Start: Real LaFrance, Niki Kearl and Katherine McDougall

Second place:  Team LATAM: Rodrigo Dominguez-Burich and Pablo Garcia Vega

Third place: Team Freedom:  Shane Bowzaylo and Carly Orton-Rogers

2020 Winners

First place:  Team CHP  – Marcel Figueiredo Araujo and Jaafar Alkhayr Allah  

Second place:  INNOFLUX – Jonathan Mui and Denise Bermjo 

Third place: Team Quadsquad – Arth Soni, Raj Shah and John Hodgins 

2019 Winners

First place: BR Tech – Chris Neumann, Marcelo Borges and Thacia Frank

Second place: Team Barbara and Pierre – Pierre Ramos and Barbara Guzman

Third place: Team Mawji Misfits – Andrew Wrenn, Grace Chan-Lowe, Jeevan Khosa, Pearse McKinney and Rayan Chakraborty

2018 Winners

First place: Team Transformational Innovation – Randy Seccafien, Shelley Stuart, Jonah Tetz and Tanys Allan

Second place: Team BR Tech – Marcelo Borges and Thacia Frank

Third place: Team Innovation Queens – Leah Massey and Emma MacKay

2017 Winners

First place:  On the DL – Nevin deMilliano and  Danielle Lowe

Second place:  Marketing Magicians – David Lopez, Katherine McDonald and Brant Menegozzo

Third place: W.M.C.T Innovation – Clint Bialas, Trey Currie, Winnie Peng and Maranda Martiniuk

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