From a 3D-printed prosthetic socket, to an app designed to preserve an endangered Indigenous language, the 2025 BCIT Student Innovation Challenge highlighted the creativity, ingenuity, and drive of BCIT students to apply their skills to solve real-world problems. This year’s competition saw another record-breaking level of participation with a 50% increase in submissions over last year, and 101 students from 5 schools and 27 programs competing to win. The momentum is clear, innovation and applied research are thriving at BCIT!
The Student Innovation Challenge invites students to submit original ideas across three categories: Applied Research, Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability. Finalists pitch their projects in a live Pitch Round similar to a Dragon’s Den or Shark Tank format. This year’s Pitch Round was held April 23, 2025 and ten finalist teams delivered pitches showcasing their unique business ideas, innovations, and sustainability solutions.
In keeping with the themes of innovation and impact, a new award category, Community, was introduced this year. This addition was sparked by a collaboration with School of Business + Media faculty member Gagan Sivia, who challenged her Finance students to think about real-world issues facing select communities and to submit their ideas to the Challenge as part of a class applied research project. The judging team was particularly impressed by Harnoor Singh and Vansh Gupta’s project that focused on helping rural residents with chronic health problems access the services they need. Their proposal was a thoughtful, well-structured plan that showed an understanding of the problem and community needs, and presented a clear path for implementation.
“Congratulations to all the students who participated and to our ten finalists for their outstanding pitches,” said Jonathan Bassan, Interim Dean, Applied Research. “Their work truly reflects the spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving that BCIT is so well known for.”
Meet the 2025 Student Innovation Challenge winners:
Applied Research
- First Place $3,000– A Custom 3D Printed Size Adjustable Inner Flexible Prosthetic Socket
A flexible, size-adjustable prosthetic socket compatible with vacuum suspension systems.
Team: Quinn Baak, Ryan Dorsers
School: School of Health Sciences - Second Place $1,500 – Echo of the North – Inuinnaqtun Language Preservation Application
A mobile and web app supporting the preservation of the endangered Inuinnaqtun dialect.
Team: Catherine Queenan, Soomin Jeong, Eugenie Kim, Amal Allaham
School: School of Computing & Academic Studies - Third Place $500 – ReelEZ
An adaptive fishing reel designed for individuals with limb differences or disabilities.
Team: Matthew Mansfield, Luis Chavez, Odin Lithgow
School: School of Health Sciences
Entrepreneurship
- First Place $3,000– AdPacks
Advertiser-funded food packaging that provides small restaurants with free packaging solutions and offers brands a targeted marketing channel.
Team: Andy Jeong
School: School of Business + Media - Second Place $1,500 – ParticiMate
An AI-driven, voice-based classroom participation tracker.
Student: Oceaan Pendharkar
School: School of Computing & Academic Studies - Third Place $500 – Transforming Kitchen Management with Mondays
A voice-activated task management tool to streamline restaurant operations.
Team: Layda Gongora
School: School of Business + Media
Sustainability
- First Place $3,000 – Ecometer
A platform connecting eco-conscious consumers with sustainability-committed restaurants.
Team: Ky Duyen Mai, Ethan Van Dyk, Charles Stathis, Abdulqadir Abuharrus, Kim Nguyen
Schools: School of Business + Media, School of Computing & Academic Studies - Second Place $1,500 – Viable Circular Solutions for Plate Glass
An initiative to repurpose plate glass and keep it out of landfills.
Team: Julianne Johnson, Alexandra Huang, Anna Lewis, Simon Donald, Riku Kurosaka, Jane Razenkova
School: School of Business + Media - Third Place $500 – Removal of Ammonium from Water by Adsorption on Canadian Natural Zeolite
A low-cost, natural method for purifying water contaminated with ammonium.
Students: Natalia Nolasco Canales, Andrea Verrocchi Reyes, Jonathan Zaldivar Guereca
School: School of Energy
Community
- $1,000 – Enhancing Chronic Disease Management in Rural British Columbia Through Integrated Telehealth
A telehealth-based solution aimed at improving chronic disease management and healthcare access for rural communities in BC.
Students: Harnoor Singh, Vansh Gupta
School: School of Business + Media
Thank-you!
Thank-you to our sponsors and Pitch Round judges, including Travis Stevenson ( JTS Consulting Inc.), Jared Fedesoff (Odlum Brown), Alisa Stephensen (Futurpreneur), and to judges Kenton Low (Dean, School of Business + Media) and special guest judge Russ Cmolik, for sharing their insights and expertise on the panel. And finally, a big shout-out to our first round judges Bryan Graziano, Nigel Halsted, Yvette Jones, Alan Stewart, Fardin Barekat, Jonathan Bassan and Garrett Kryt. These folks sorted through a mountain of submissions this year!
The Student Innovation Challenge continues to inspire BCIT students to think creatively, solve problems and build solutions that make a difference. We can’t wait to see where their ideas will lead next.
Interested in developing your innovation or learning more about the Student Innovation Challenge?
Connect with the Applied Research Liaison Office for guidance, resources, and support.