April 2, 2025 – Twenty-nine outstanding youth from British Columbia and Yukon Territory have been named as Ingenious+ regional winners. Ingenious+ is the Rideau Hall Foundation’s (RHF) national innovation challenge that connects young people with learning opportunities and financial support to foster innovation across Canada. The winners were celebrated on April 1 at an event hosted by Her Honour, The Honourable Wendy Cocchia, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia at Government House in Victoria. Each of these young innovators will take home $1,000 to further their innovative projects and advance to the national level of the challenge.
“We are thrilled to be honouring these young people from B.C. and Yukon for their incredible innovations,” says Teresa Marques, President and CEO of the RHF. “Ingenious+ is all about empowering Canada’s next generation of changemakers to improve lives through creative thinking, and participants from the west coast have really hit the mark this year.”
Regional winners from B.C. and Yukon include a recycling device that enables hotels to create detergents and cleaners from soap waste, a teen-led magazine that publishes writing and artwork from young people across the globe, and an AI-powered app that helps users manage blood sugar levels by analyzing photos of their meals.
These three projects represent only a sliver of the creativity and hard work behind the 2025 Ingenious+ challenge submissions. The RHF will be announcing a new batch of regional winners each week, culminating in the national awards ceremony in Ottawa during Canadian Innovation Week.
For interview requests and further information:
Mélanie Béchard
Senior Communications Officer
Rideau Hall Foundation
613-914-0651
melanie.bechard@rhf-frh.ca
About the Rideau Hall Foundation
The Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) is a non–partisan national charity that brings together ideas, people and resources to celebrate what is best about Canada while working with partners to meaningfully improve the lives of Canadians. The RHF celebrates excellence while creating opportunities and connecting communities, all towards the shared purpose of a better Canada. Learn more: https://rhf–frh.ca/
British Columbia
20/20 Mission
Kobe Li, Elva Ly and Jason Qin, BC
20/20 Mission collects and repurposes used eyeglasses to address global vision impairment. To date, more than 4,000 glasses have been collected and donated through donation boxes at 150 locations.
Algaefy: Dual-Purpose Biological Photovoltaic (BPV)
Yu Han Guo and Yu Chen Guo, BC
Algaefy Biological Photovoltaics (BPVs) generate renewable energy and purify wastewater using algae’s natural processes. They offer a sustainable, cost-effective solution to energy scarcity and water pollution in off-grid communities.
Beyond Leather
Aviva Liu, Anya Liu and Linda Dai, BC
Beyond Leather is a vegan leather company creating affordable, biodegradable leather from starch, agar, and glycerine. The durable material aims to replace animal leather, reducing environmental harm, protecting endangered species, and combating climate change.
BioPower: A Novel Biodegradable Banana Peel Based Battery Cell
Warren Chen, BC
BioPower converts agricultural waste into biodegradable batteries with 1.5V performance, reducing costs and solving disposal issues. With scalability for AA/AAA formats and potential use in EVs, electronics, and OEMs, BioPower offers a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
Byte – AI Tutor
Nirmay Singh, BC
Byte is an AI-powered app that transforms scanned text into engaging video lessons with dynamic backgrounds. Byte generates AI-driven practice questions and allows users to share lessons with friends. By making learning as captivating as social media, Byte revolutionizes education for the short-form content era.
CarieGuard
Yufan Wang, BC
CarieGuard is a plant-based oral spray using natural cranberry compounds to prevent dental caries. Unlike fluoride and antibiotics, it preserves the oral microbiome without side effects, making it suitable for all ages and promoting long-term oral health. This portable solution makes preventive dental care accessible, affordable, and convenient.
Dr. Eye
Michael Hu, BC
Dr. Eye is an AI-powered healthcare assistant robot, designed to reduce anxiety in children during medical visits and improves access to care for the elderly. It guides patients through hospital processes and uses AI to engage in compassionate conversation.
EcoTrack
Aaron Bai, BC
EcoTrack is an AI-powered app that recognizes bird species, predicts migration patterns, and tracks routes affected by climate change. It also offers a platform for collecting observation data, supporting research, and encouraging wildlife conservation efforts.
Early Voices of Parkinson’s: Machine Learning for Optimal Early Parkinson’s Detection
Nonit Gupta, BC
Early Voices of Parkinson’s uses machine learning techniques to detect vocal biomarkers early allowing for timely medical interventions, that may slow the disease and positively improve patient outcomes.
Event Horizon Publication
Eric Wang and Eric Su, BC
The Event Horizon publication educates youth on community issues, including homelessness, substance abuse, and climate change. It also spotlights local organizations addressing these issues, inspiring civic engagement among youth.
Glyce
Alekay Singh, BC
Glyce is an AI-powered app designed to help manage blood sugar levels through personalized meal recommendations. By analyzing photos of meals, the app offers simple guidance, such as adjusting portion sizes or increasing protein to reduce glucose spikes.
HerConnection
Gabriela Bezede, Caitlin Gutierrez, and Mehgan Sandhu, BC
HerConnection is a website dedicated to empowering women by providing career opportunities, financial resources, and educational courses, promoting equality and personal growth.
Novel Soap-Recycling Embedded System for Greener Hospitality
Jora Singh Nahal, BC
This on-site soap recycling device dissolves residual soap waste into useful products such as detergent, cleaners, insecticides, and weed control solutions. It offers a cost-effective and sustainable approach to waste management, reducing landfill pollution and water contamination.
OctaFilter
Ishan Kapadia, BC
OctaFilter a 3D-printed, octopus-shaped water purifier that combines science, and biomimicry to produce cost effective and reliable filtration. Its multi-tentacled design maximizes efficiency and provides clean drinking water to communities.
OscarAI
Ethan Curtis and Elmond Aphiwetsa, BC
OscarAI is an intelligent waste sorting system that uses computer vision and machine learning to automatically categorize items into appropriate disposal bins. It accurately sorts recyclables, compostables, paper, and trash, enhancing recycling efficiency and reducing landfill waste.
Micro:Monitor
Zeyus Spenta and Ava Spenta, BC
Micro:Monitor minimizes energy waste by reminding users to turn off lights when leaving a room. Powered by micro:bit technology, it detects activity and displays reminder messages, helping reduce energy costs and promote sustainability.
Plantet Indoor Gardens
Althea Trinidad, Julian Lam, Luca Conte, Justin Erickson, and Nicholas Mok, BC
Plantet Indoor Gardens is a 3D-printed hydroponics garden designed to fit any space. Its modular, stackable design with built-in automation is made from eco-friendly materials and promotes sustainable, year-round gardening.
ProductiveU
Eric Su, BC
ProductiveU supports students in managing academic pressure through gamified time management, mental health tools, and stress-relief resources. Its platform, workshops, and community promote sustainable study habits and well-being.
Project CONNECT
Camille Zhang, BC
Project CONNECT combats senior social isolation in Greater Victoria by fostering intergenerational connections with students. Through storytelling sessions, students document seniors’ lives, creating personalized books that provide companionship and cultural insights.
Shared With Care
Miyo Macario, BC
Shared With Care is a youth-led nonprofit advocating for education equity and providing resources and support to underserved communities worldwide. Supported by a dedicated volunteer network, it has provided school supplies, tutoring, and mentorship to over 572 children in 12 countries.
Sentrius: Affordable AI Assistant That Can Save Lives
Nirmay Singh and Shaylen Bhushan, BC
Sentrius is an AI-powered robot designed to assist the disabled, elderly, and individuals in emergencies. It features AI-driven decision-making, object recognition, real-time emergency response, and functional arms, aiming to provide life-saving technology for all.
STEAM Makerspace for Children & Youth
Zeyus Spenta, BC
The STEAM Makerspace for Children & Youth program provides free, hands-on learning with Micro:bit computers for children ages 7-12. Participants collaborate on projects that develop skills in coding, engineering, critical thinking, and teamwork, while sparking curiosity and a passion for innovation.
Symstep: A step Asymmetry Screener for Seniors
Gillian Mok, BC
Symstep is a low-cost portable device designed to identify gait abnormalities in senior patients within a community setting. The goal is to reduce the risk of falls in seniors through early detection and intervention.
The CanTeen Magazine
Chelsea Eng, BC
The CanTeen Magazine is a publication that gives a voice to young writers and artists from all over the world. Striving to create a space where readers find solace in knowing they are not alone in their experiences.
The Hearts Against Homelessness Educational Program for Students
Zohra Rose Khawaja, BC
The HAH program educates Canadian high school students on the housing crisis, focusing on the causes of youth homelessness and the resources available to support those affected, with expert insights from professionals in the field.
The Tactile ASL Robotic Hand
Vaishnavi Verma and Antony Zhang, BC
The Tactile ASL Robotic Hand is a robotic hand that translates English to tactile ASL and vice versa. Using 3D-printed fingers and servo motors, it conveys information through touch and recognizes ASL signs, enabling communication for deafblind individuals.
WaterShield
Selena Chen, BC
WaterShield provides a portable solution to industrial spills, using metal-organic framework technology to efficiently absorb pollutants like lead and arsenic, helping restore environmental safety.
Wheelchair Positioning System Based on BLE Beacon Technology and IoT
Shiran Sun, BC
This innovation allows wheelchair-bound seniors to request help with a single button press, instantly displaying their location on a tablet floor plan. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Beacon and Internet of Things (IoT) technology, it ensures efficient localization while reducing monitoring needs and easing workloads for nursing staff.
Yukon
AI Powered Early Skin Cancer Detection
Olive Passmore and Lilou Lefebvre, Yukon
AI Powered Early Skin Cancer Detection is an app that uses machine learning to detect early signs of skin cancer. Users photograph suspicious lesions, and AI analyzes the images for malignancy, providing immediate feedback, which is important for remote communities.
