INNOVATION SPRINT

Open for students from all Atlantic Canada!

FIRST PLACE

$1,000

SECOND PLACE

$700

THIRD PLACE

$300

About

During the Innovation Sprint, participants engage in time-sensitive bursts of intensive problem-solving and developing business solutions. In these four-hour sessions, students will receive insightful resources and mentorship to address business challenges.

Aligned with the emphasis on experiential learning, the main goal of the Innovation Sprint is to train students to apply design thinking principles, drive innovation and creativity, as well as learning how to facilitate rapid and effective output to challenges one may face in their business, thus preparing students for their future business.

What to expect

Solve real business challenges and problems with innovative ideas. Within a time frame of 2-3 hours, you will brainstorm, analyze and present your findings to a panel of judges, thus showcasing your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Gain invaluable experience of networking with local entrepreneurs, while developing your business skills.
Collaborate with students from across Atlantic Canada from various faculties and disciplines.
Compete as a team and take home first, second and third prizes ($1,000, $700 and $300 respectively).

Eligibility

Must a Resident of Canada or be allowed to stay, study or work in Canada;
Must be a current (or registered for the 2023/2024 term) student from any faculty (Science, Arts or Commerce) in Atlantic Canada;
Be able to attend the competition in-person.

Upcoming Events

Sprint will come back in Fall 2024!

Past Events

Starberry Drink Co.

As we closed out our Winter semester with the last Innovation Sprint for the term, we had Starberry Drink Co. come in with a unique challenge of sustainable manufacturing, packaging and marketing solutions. 21 students, from Saint Mary’s, Dalhousie and NSCC showed up to brainstorm and come up with innovative solutions to preserve, package and promote the Starberry Drink Co.

We had 10 teams, each presenting three ideas as Keisha and Michael, Founders of the Starberry Drink Co. assessed the solutions and whether they were aligned with the vision and mission of the business. Solutions ranged from UV Lights, to pulsed electric fields and even reducing the fruit to concentrate to extend shelf life. These were only a handful of the many ideas that pitched to the business and three winning teams walked away with $2,000 total in prize money.

First place: Theron Hughes and Douglas Vincent—Saint Mary’s

Second place: Vegu Shree Rama Kamal Kumar, Pradeep Kumar Sampath, Noof Al Shehhi—Dalhousie

Third place: Karanveer Singh and Sidney Nuwahereza—Saint Mary’s

UpBeing

First place ($1,000): Lydia Lee, Jack Poirier, Sophie Malenfant, Vaishali Sachdeva—Saint Mary’s
Second place ($700): Julia Duck, Patricia Tagliapietra, Maria Tagliapietra—Dalhousie
Third place ($300): Zi Wan, Hariharasudhan Giridharan, Rowan Menezes—Dalhousie

The Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre

1st place – Jennifer George Frank & Iram Shaikh

2nd place – Ashley Kenny & Nathaneil Collier

3rd place – Quynh (Alex) Nguyen, Murtaza Abbas Shakir & Tabassum Fatima

Bright Breaks

Bright Breaks is a B2B wellness platform that boosts employee wellness, connection and productivity with seven-minute live micro-breaks.

November 18, 2023

Shivani’s Kitchen

Founded in 2014 by Shivani Dhamija, Shivani’s Kitchen is a culinary venture offering authentic Indian cuisine with a modern twist, providing a delightful fusion of flavours and a captivating dining experience. She launched her very own Spice Blends in 2016, which can be found across grocery stores (Sobeys and Atlantic Superstore) in Atlantic Canada.

Semtember 23, 2023

Easy Platter

Easy Platter, co-owned by Poleen Kaur and Saint Mary’s University alum Mandhir Singh MBA’14 is a one-of-a-kind, on-demand personal chef service in the greater Toronto and Halifax areas. Recently featured on CBC’s Dragon Den, Easy Platter received $150,000 for 6% of their company.

April 22, 2023