Ingenious+ Spark powered by the Rideau Hall Foundation and DMZ supports young entrepreneurs as they take early ideas toward commercialization      

Toronto – April 2, 2026 – Canada’s next generation of entrepreneurs took centre stage as ten young innovators aged 16-20 participated in the first ever Ingenious+ Spark in Toronto, a national youth pitch competition by the Rideau Hall Foundation, in partnership with DMZ.  

After a month of pitch coaching and business development, the finalists presented their solutions to a panel of judges for up to $100,000 from DMZ Ventures, DMZ’s for-profit arm, and national recognition.           

DMZ Ventures is now proceeding to finalize investment terms with the following Ingenious+ Spark participants:       

  • Aidify: Edelyn To and Nico To– a free typing analytics tool that allows teachers to evaluate students on their writing process -secured $30,000.  
    Learn more
  • Anterno: Cindy Cheng, Hannah Xia, Thomas Lenh, Evan Zhou– an AI-powered onboarding and training system designed to help engineering interns become productive more quickly – secured $30,000. 
    Learn More
  • Candmé: Thivya Jeyapalan, Sarvesh Sakar– a centralized application and evaluation platform designed for student organizations, fellowships, and leadership programs that manage high volumes of applications – secured $40,000.  
    Learn more

“Organizations who invest in young talent are key to growing Canadian innovation, and Ingenious+ Spark does exactly that. We were really proud and grateful to be part of a diverse space that reflects the strength of Canada’s future through the ideas and ambitions of its next generation,” said Candmé co-founder Thivya Jeyapalan. 

“Congratulations to our first Ingenious+ Spark winners. They’re showcasing for all of Canada what young people can do when they’re given the right opportunity and support at the right time. I am very grateful to DMZ for joining the RHF in our commitment to helping young innovators succeed and realize their incredible potential, not just for themselves but for their communities, the country and the world,” said Teresa Marques, President and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation.    

“Today’s event was a reminder that the next generation isn’t waiting their turn — they’re already building. At DMZ, backing young entrepreneurs has always been core to what we do, and partnering with the Rideau Hall Foundation, an organization driving innovation forward across Canada, has been a true honour. Together, we’re helping young founders commercialize their ideas and go further, creating real opportunities for youth to build, lead, and scale. That’s how you grow an ecosystem,” said Abdullah Snobar, Executive Director of DMZ and CEO of DMZ Ventures.  

Ingenious+ Spark builds on the success of the RHF’s Ingenious+ program by supporting past winners as they move from ideas to real-world ventures. Through pitch training, expert mentorship, and access to networks, Spark is part of a broader supportive ecosystem helping young innovators develop, test, and scale their ideas.  

For more information on all 10 Ingenious+ Spark finalists, visit: Winners’ Gallery – Ingenious+ 

Each finalist is a past Ingenious+ award recipient, demonstrating continued growth and commitment to innovation. Their participation in Spark reflects the RHF’s ongoing investment in youth as they move from early ideas to real-world impact.  

About Ingenious+ Spark  

Ingenious+ Spark is a partnership between the Rideau Hall Foundation and DMZ that supports youth innovators in transforming their ideas into ventures. Participants receive mentorship, training, and the opportunity to pitch for investment to bring their ideas to life.  https://ingeniousplus.ca/spark

About the Rideau Hall Foundation  

The Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) is a nonpartisan national charitable organization that brings together ideas, people and resources to celebrate what is best about Canada while working with partners to meaningfully improve lives and foster the conditions for more Canadians to succeed and thrive. Learn more at www.rhf-frh.ca.  

About DMZ  

DMZ is a tech incubator and startup ecosystem that fuels entrepreneurship in Canada and beyond. Through its award-winning programs, DMZ empowers founders to scale high-impact ventures, helps students develop entrepreneurial mindsets and equips professionals to thrive in today’s fast-moving economy. By offering tailored support, world-class resources and expansive networks, DMZ nurtures bold ideas, drives business growth and creates global economic impact. 

To date, DMZ has supported 2,630+ startups in raising $3.08 billion in capital and has created over 25,400 jobs. Headquartered in Toronto, DMZ operates a global network of hubs spanning 15+ countries, enabling entrepreneurs to access diverse markets, collaborate internationally and drive global innovation. Learn more at https://dmz.torontomu.ca/  

Media Contact: 

Jill Clark 
Sr Advisor, Strategic Communications and Media Relations 
jill.clark@rhf-frh.ca 
Rideau Hall Foundation 
613-619-0230