April 24, 2026 – Youth from across the Prairies are being celebrated as regional winners in the Rideau Hall Foundation’s Ingenious+ challenge. From communities across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, these young innovators are responding to what they see around them, developing ideas that improve health, protect the environment, increase accessibility, and strengthen connection.
Now in its fifth year, Ingenious+ continues to support young innovators across the country as they turn ideas into action, providing funding, mentorship, and a national platform to grow their work.
This year’s Prairies winners will be recognized in Calgary, Alberta, at a ceremony held at the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary. The event will bring together young innovators from across the region, with Her Honour, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, in attendance. Each winner will receive $1,000 to further develop their innovation and advance in the national competition.
“It’s an honour to celebrate these young innovators from across the Prairies,” says Teresa Marques, President and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation. “These ideas are thoughtful and grounded in real needs, from improving healthcare and accessibility, to protecting the environment and building stronger communities. What stands out is the care behind each innovation, and the determination to make a difference in their communities.”
The 2026 Prairies winners reflect a wide range of innovations. Projects include AI-powered tools that support medical diagnosis and youth development, low-cost health technologies for underserved communities, environmental solutions that reduce pollution and restore ecosystems, and community-led initiatives that improve access to knowledge and services. Across disciplines, these young innovators are applying creativity and technical skill to challenges that matter to them and their communities.
Across the country, interest in entrepreneurship continues to grow. Programs like Ingenious+ play an important role in supporting this momentum early, helping young people move from ideas to real-world solutions that contribute to stronger communities and a more competitive economy.
Since its launch in 2022, Ingenious+ has supported nearly 600 young innovators across Canada. This year’s regional winners join a growing national community of youth who are building solutions with creativity, empathy, and purpose.
Media Contact
Jill Clark
Sr Advisor, Strategic Communications and Media Relations
jill.clark@rhf-frh.ca
Rideau Hall Foundation
613-619-0230
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/
Regional winners from the Prairies include:
Insulink
Aaron Dias. Edmonton, Alberta
An app that uses an armband to continuously monitors cardiovascular signals, circulation, diet, and stress in diabetic patients, delivering real-time insights and alerts to reduce health complications.
A Novel Ultrasonic? Photocatalytic Air Purification System for Buildings to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Annika Saini. Calgary, Alberta
A dual‑stage air‑purification system using sound and light to break down harmful pollutants, delivering cleaner indoor air while demanding less energy.
GameChanger 2.0 | Basketball AI Assistant for Youth Player Development
Antawn Omerez. Winnipeg, Manitoba
A basketball analytics tool that uses AI to turn effort-based stats into clear feedback, helping community players and coaches recognize impact, growth, and improvement beyond scoring.
3D Printed Prosthetic Leg
Ayesha Siddiqi. Calgary, Alberta
A 3D printed, below knee prosthetic leg, created with the use of an amputee’s scan of their residual limb and 3D modelling platforms to provide cheaper and quicker access to those in need.
Diagonsa: Brain Cancer Classifier
Chanelle Lewis-Olatunji. Winnipeg, Manitoba
An AI‑powered website designed to help doctors quickly identify abnormalities in medical images, providing a faster second opinion to support their diagnoses.
Early Multi-Sensor Hypothermia Risk Detection
Ellen Qin. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
A low-cost wearable device that estimates core body temperature by combining heart rate and skin temperature, identifying early warning signs of hypothermia and providing timely alerts.
Enable Access Lab
Esam Taher. Edmonton, Alberta
A 3D printing service to create inclusive technology such as body-actuated prosthetics for individuals with limb differences in marginalized communities, and braille signage for low-vision populations.
Bye-Bye Blooms!
Gayatri Sakharkar. Calgary, Alberta
An affordable wetland system, in a simple modular grid made of plastic waste, allowing plants to continuously absorb nutrients as they grow and reproduce.
Onco Sense
Joel Amaldas. Calgary, Alberta
A low-cost, portable ultrasound device powered by real-time AI segmentation to screen for breast, liver, and thyroid cancers in underserved and remote communities.
MediUnite Journal
Kamran Shukoor and Ibrahim Tariq. Calgary, Alberta
A youth-led health literacy initiative giving students a chance to write, edit, and publish articles, converting medical academia into easily understandable and accessible educational content.
ASVC (Animal Science & Vet Club)
Katie Warcimaga. Airdrie, Alberta
A student‑led, city‑based civic‑learning framework that expands access to animal science education, for high school students to gain hands‑on knowledge and apply it through organized civic action.
LockScan
Mia Pavlicic. Winnipeg, Manitoba
A tap-to-unlock locker system for schools that replaces manual combination locks, saving time, reducing stress, and keeping lockers secure with student ID access.
A Dual Therapeutic Approach to ALS through Brain Imaging and Omics Analysis
Mrigank Pandey. Calgary, Alberta
An alternative therapeutic approach to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) utilizing a dual-therapy framework that addresses the neurodegeneration of people with ALS in a holistic manner.
Frugal
Muhammad Huzaifa Irfan. Calgary, Alberta
An easy-to-use mobile app to help you quickly find the cheapest options of a product, in stores near you, by simply snapping a photo.
MedUnity
Nishka Rai. Winnipeg, Manitoba
A community health initiative that delivers interactive, culturally responsive programs for youth, adults, and seniors to improve health awareness, access, and overall well-being.
AngioPatch
Rafan Hasan. Edmonton, Alberta
A non-invasive nanoneedle patch that delivers healing proteins to damaged tissue, encouraging new blood vessels to grow and restore oxygen where it’s needed.
Neurobiologically Informed Targeted Schizophrenia Treatment
Sara Waqas. Calgary, Alberta
A medicine approach to schizophrenia that integrates multi-modal brain imaging and genomics to develop neurobiologically targeted therapies, aimed at restoring brain function.
Forester: An Autonomous Reforestation System
Shayan Awan. Fort McMurray, Alberta
An autonomous robotic system for site specific reforestation, translating drone-based land analysis into precise, ground-level tree planting.
Wound Alert
Shreyosi Bairagi and Nirva Mehta. Fort McMurray, Alberta
A pH-responsive hydrogel dressing that visually detects early burn wound infection in real time, while maintaining optimal protection and healing without equipment or clinical infrastructure.
Quantum- Boosted Algae Bioreactor
Lilou Lefebvre. Faro, Yukon
An algae bioreactor that uses advanced materials to help capture carbon dioxide, clean water, and produce more oxygen, supporting a healthier environment.
