About the Innovation Challenge
Ingenious+ is a national youth innovation challenge with a strong regional and community focus. The goal is to give students aged 14 to 18 the opportunity to innovate for good, and to share their strategies to address problems at home, across Canada, and around the world.
- young innovators will be chosen from around Canada to each receive a $1,000 cash award plus mentorship.
- Innovators can opt in to be considered for the national awards where 5 youth innovators will be selected to receive:
- Cash awards: $10,000
- Customized mentorship from leading Canadian innovators.
We are using a broad and inclusive definition of innovation; it’s something different that has impact. It might be improving upon or innovating a product, service, or process, or creating something new that solves a problem or makes the world a better place.
We are inviting Canadian youth to Innovate for Good. Any topic within the following themes is acceptable:
- Community and Civic Engagement
- Climate Change and the Environment
- Equity and Inclusion
- Health and Well-being
- Technology and Entrepreneurship
Ideally, your project should be advanced beyond the idea or concept stage and have demonstrated that you’ve put the solution into action.
Projects do not have to be full-fledged innovations, commercialized or have the ability to monetize, e.g., social or community innovations may have different valuable impacts.
The theme for Ingenious+ is Innovate for Good. Applicants, can apply for one or more of these categories:
Community and Civic Engagement
- Innovating for a better country: Your innovation works for the common good by addressing community issues through civic action that strengthens the world locally and beyond.
Climate Change and the Environment
- Innovating for a green future: Your innovation helps in the fight against climate change, promotes sustainability, and/or benefits the environment.
Equity and Inclusion
- Innovating for a fair and just tomorrow: your innovation focuses on improving the world around you by removing barriers and promoting equity.
Health and Well-being
- Innovating to heal: your innovation addresses the challenges facing the physical or mental health of the public.
Technology and Entrepreneurship
- Innovate to grow: your innovation finds new and improved ways of addressing today’s many challenges through a business venture, technology and/or artificial intelligence.
Projects and Timeline
No. There is no financial obligation or financial requirement to participate.
To be eligible to enter, you must:
- have parental or legal guardian’s permission to participate,
- you and your team members must be 14 to 18 (having reached their 14th birthday and not yet reached their 19th birthday at the time of entry.)
- your innovation project must be led and created by youth living in Canada.
- Check your eligibility above.
- Explore Ingenious+ for inspiration, knowledge, insights and more.
- Read the judging criteria to help guide your submission.
- Upload your entry using the online form or via video in the application portal on our website. We will ask you to answer questions about your innovation project and to include a minimum of one image of your innovation.
Innovations projects can be submitted
- Submissions will be accepted from October 17th 2023 to March 10th, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PST
Reach out to us by email at ingeniousplus@rhf-frh.ca
Yes. You will need to upload a release form with your submission. If you are under the age of majority in your province (under 18 in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan, under 19 in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut and Yukon), your parent or guardian must sign the form as well.
Download this form if you are UNDER the age of majority in your province/territory
Download this form if you are OVER the age of majority in your province/territory
