What does the future of Canada look like? If you ask the youth innovators of Ingenious+, it looks like a wildfire monitoring system, a Braille communication platform for the deafblind, and a skin-cancer detection tool that can save lives.
Since its launch, Ingenious+ has invested over $800,000 in young innovators, recognizing 18 national winners, 20 national finalists, and 283 regional winners. More than 6,500 youth have engaged through workshops and mentorship, gaining skills in problem-solving, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
The 2025 winners embody the program’s mission to make innovation contagious and inevitable:
- Jasmine Wang (ON) – Developed a wildfire monitoring and prediction system to help communities prepare for climate emergencies.
- Joti Gokaraju (SK) – Created TouchTalk, a groundbreaking Braille communication platform for the deafblind.
- Anthony Efthimiadis (ON) – Designed M-SCAHN, a dermoscopy software system that provides rapid, non-invasive screening of skin cancers.
- Warren Chen (BC) – Invented Naturacell, a biodegradable cellulosic-based battery cell.
- Céline Zhang (QC) – Launched ‘Student Innovation Lab’ to foster community engagement through youth-driven projects
Each of these innovators represents the potential of Canadian youth when given the chance to think big. Ingenious+ is about equipping youth with networks, mentorship, and confidence to see themselves as problem-solvers.
Four years in, the results are clear: when youth are trusted to lead, they don’t just imagine a better future – they start building it!
Applications Open December 1
Do you know a young innovator with a bold idea? Applications for the next round of Ingenious+ open December 1. Youth aged 14–18 from across Canada are invited to apply for funding, mentorship, and the chance to take their ideas to the next level.
Encourage the young changemakers in your life to apply, because Canada’s future starts with the ideas of today’s youth.
