Canadore students brainstorm ideas to tackle local and world problems

Students at North Bay’s Canadore College were participating in one-day innovation challenge Tuesday where they had to come up with ideas to tackle key issues northern Ontario communities face.

It was the first time the college has hosted the innovation challenge. Their ideas were critiqued by a panel of judges.

Students at North Bay’s Canadore College were participating in one-day innovation challenge Tuesday where they had to come up with ideas to tackle key issues northern Ontario communities face. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)

Second-year mechanical engineering technology student Michael Komsa and his team were brainstorming ideas to improve community revitalization.

 "It’s been really great. We’ve been working great together," Komsa said.

"Everyone is giving great ideas."

Their pitch was to create a smartphone app or platform to bring people together so those with problems can connect with experts to help them.

"We can take people from … around the world and solve issues, locally or globally," Komsa said.

"We’re solving problems in our community."

The one-day competition demands has 150 students on 16 teams brainstorm ideas to tackle real-world issues posed by city and industry partners. Each team has a mentor to act as a guide and provide support.

The teams had to work to find solutions in one of five critical areas: affordable housing, community revitalization and sustainable development, food security, health challenges, artificial intelligence and mobilizing clean water.

Students at North Bay’s Canadore College were participating in one-day innovation challenge Tuesday where they had to come up with ideas to tackle key issues northern Ontario communities face. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)

The teams were judged on their creativity and how innovative their project was.

"Canada is a very small nation of 40 million people. The Canadian young entrepreneurs are brought up on technology, so they need to do the business that has a global reach," said panel judge Vijay Kanwar.

"When I see these kids at 21- or 22-years-old, it reminds me of myself. How lucky these students are to have an institution like this in North Bay."

Kanwar said the exposure the students get to entrepreneurial practice will excite them.

"We are creating entrepreneurs who know what they want, who will know where to see the capital and will know how presenters look at their pitch," he told reporters.

Each of the five categories had one winning team, with a prize of $5,000 for each winner. In addition, the winning teams will receive post-competition support to develop full project business plan proposals.

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The winners will be announced Tuesday evening.

"These students, you know from these ideas today, we may be looking back in 20 years saying it started here," said Canadore College president and CEO Geroge Burton said.

"If that’s the result of this, then it was well worth it."

The competition’s goal is to inspire the next generation of leaders to find unique ways to make the world a better place.