AquaHacking Quebec 2022-23
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Call for water issues
Attention eNGOs, municipalities, and communities!
We are looking for water issues that are impacting communities across the region (quality, access, management, etc), and that are well placed for tech-based solutions (engineering or digital tech).
Submit your water issue before July 22, 2022
To help you gage the kinds of solutions that are developed in an AquaHacking Challenge, have a look through the list of alumni enterprises.
ABOUT THE CHALLENGE
Quebec has 3% of the world's renewable freshwater supply, spread over the entire territory with the St. Lawrence River, its tens of thousands of rivers and more than three million water bodies. But over the past three decades, there has been increasing stress on Quebec's freshwater due to climate change, population growth and land-use changes.
This program is focused on solutions. We engage talented young innovators from across Canada to put their skills to work for freshwater.
We need solutions now and we need everyone engaged! If you care about water and are solutions-minded, this is the program for you!
Water has no substitute.
The time is now for solutions and change.
THE PRIZES
Half-way through the program, all teams pitch their solution during the AquaHacking semi-final event. This is a huge feat, and we welcome all semi-finalists into the AquaHacking Alumni community!
From these pitches, the top 5 teams are selected to go onto Phase 2 of the program. These finalists receive $2,000 to support the continuation of their work as they refine their solution in preparation for their pitch at the AquaHacking Finale.
All 5 finalist teams are winners and receive kick-start business training, leadership training, a spot in a local incubator, Lavery Lawyers credits and seed funding.
Eligibility
Eligible participants in an AquaHacking Challenge are between 18-35 years of age, a resident of Canada and enrolled in a post-secondary institution or be a recent graduate. They are interested in freshwater and have skills in water science, engineering, programming, sustainable development, data, and marketing or entrepreneurship. Most importantly, they believe ingenuity anchored in a respect for the natural world can make the difference we need in our climate impact world.
How to participate
Register & create your water-hacker profile
Build your multi-disciplinary team
Choose a water issue & tackle it
Develop your solution & pitch it to the judges
Timeline
Steering Committee
Anne-Pascale Richardson
Program Manager, AquaHacking Challenge - AquaAction
Martin Beaudry
President of the Board - Réseau Environnement
Jean-Éric Turcotte
Executive director - Stratégies Saint-Laurent
Sébastien Cottinet
Coordinator, mobilisation and public politics - ROBVQ
Advisory Committee
Robert Hausler
Directeur STEPPE-ÉTS et Professeur - ÉTS
Michèle Prévoste
Professeur, titulaire de la Chaire industrielle en eau potable - Polytechnique Montréal
Alexandre Guindon
Directeur et co-fondateur, 2 Degrès
Dominique Monchamp
Directrice générale - Fondation de Gaspé Beaubien
Richard Painchaud
Président du CA - Écotech Québec
Melissa Marin
Consultante en gestion, Développement durable, IBM Canada
Jean-François Bergeron
Président - Nordikeau
Marie-Claude Besner
Service de l'eau - Ville de Montréal
Philippe Murphy-Rhéaume
Directeur des politiques, Canada - Alliance des Villes des Grands Lacs et du Saint-Laurent
Anne Carabin
Co-fondatrice - Clean Nature - Alumni AquaHacking
Martin Vaillancorut
Directeir général - RNCREQ
Denise Cloutier
Directrice générale - C.I.EAU
Pierre-Marc Sarrazin
VP Finance d'entreprise et trésorerie - OVIVO
Lyne Morissette
Directrice - M Expertise Marine
