Cambrian College has named the winners of their 2021 Student Innovation Awards.
The annual competition is overseen by the Applied Research Division of Cambrian College says co-organizer Cody Cacciotti.
He says the annual competition gives students a platform to pitch innovative ideas, products and services to a panel of industry and college experts with two of this year’s winners pitching new apps.
This year’s event also featured a keynote address from Keely Shaw, a Para Olympic hopeful on track to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
The winners receive cash awards and kudos.
This year’s $3,000 First Place winner sponsored by RBC Future Launch is Business Administration student Kate Keaney of Sudbury. She pitched Rosie Construction and Renovations, a company that supports and hires women in trades.
“This is absolutely incredible,” says Keaney. “I see this as a step toward equity in the workplace and I’m looking forward to moving ahead with this initiative – one people in the community are telling me is needed.
“I would like to add a thank you to my mentor, Kim Donaldson, for her unwavering support and to the Cambrian R&D team for hosting such an inspiring event.”
There were several runner-up prizes as well:
Second Place ($2,000, sponsored by XPS Consulting/Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations – Glencore): Charulatha Vijayakumar – an international student from India studying in the Mobile Application Development program for CollSong, a mobile/web app for amateur songwriters, musicians, and singers, allowing them to collaborate and share content with other artists around the world.
CollSong also received the $500 ‘Best Use of Technology’ prize, sponsored by The Workshop – A GSU Project.
Third Place ($1,000, sponsored by Ontario Power Generation): Xiangxu Teng, also an international Mobile Application Development student from China, for STU Hub – an app which provides support for international students seeking assistance as they settle in their new country, city and neighbourhoods. The app helps to not only identify student resources on campus, but also specialized resources in the community of interest to newcomers in the city.
