On November 21st, 2019, What’s Next YYC will showcase ten exciting Calgary & area based social enterprises that have already won awards and/or successfully completed a local social enterprise support program. It looks to answer “what’s next?” on the journey for these organizations.
“These 10 may well be the most amazing collection of Calgary social entrepreneurs I have ever seen. Their diversity, ingenuity and momentum confirm Calgary is a hub of social entrepreneurship activity.” says Dan Overall, Executive Director of the Trico Charitable Foundation.
Register Now for the 2019 Social EnterPrize!! As a part of the Social EnterPrize Awards evening, the 10 finalists for What’s Next YYC will participate in a live pitch fest vying for $25,000 for the most popular audience choice. Three additional awards of $25,000 each will be selected by a judge. Please note: an organization can only receive one award for the evening. Live voting will take place at the event. Do not miss your chance to help decide who takes home the Audience Choice Award! Click here to register.
What’s Next YYC 10 finalists (in alphabetical order):
| Name | Brief Description | Programs & Awards |
| aGRO Systems Inc. | Provide service and grain bins to breweries, distilleries and cideries to transform their waste into livestock feed that is sold to local farmers. | Programs: Trico Foundation Summer Student Program; CATALYZE, Innovate Calgary; and the Social Enterprise Incubator, Innovate Calgary. |
| Beaverlodge | An app that turns energy efficiency for your home into an easy game that saves you real money. You follow a series of steps on your phone, and end up with a clear picture of how your house could be more energy efficient. They give you a path of all the actions you could take, and things you could buy to make your home run like a dream. | Programs: Impact for Innovation Squared Team of Venture Deals, Techstars. |
| CareFind | A centralized interactive online platform with images, unique programs and more, connecting parents to real-time openings posted by accredited and or licensed daycares, preschools, out of school care programs and approved dayhomes in Calgary and area for full, part-time and drop-in care. | Programs: Summer Incubator Program, Innovate Calgary; 150 Startups, Bow Valley College; Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking.
Awards: RBC Fast Pitch, Haskayne School of Business; Innovation Rodeo Pitch Competition, Bow Valley College; Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization Year End Pitch Competition. |
| CMNGD | Employing people facing poverty through a sustainable commercial laundry service. | Programs: Social Venture Institute Alberta; SheEO Accelerator.
Awards: Social Enterprise of the Year – Prairies, Startup Canada; Social Enterprise of the Year – Calgary Chamber of Commerce; SheEO Venture of Canada. |
| Colouring It Forward | Produces and sells colouring books and other products developed with Indigenous artists and elders to help to share (and preserve) the beautiful artwork and ancestral wisdom of our Indigenous peoples and promote reconciliation through the arts. | Programs: Social Venture Institute Alberta.
Award: Social Enterprise of the Year, Conseil de Developpement Economique de l’Alberta.
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| Deepwater Farms | Re-circulating, semi-decoupled, vertical aquaponic farm using a unique blend of technologies to produce specialty greens and specialty fish. Uses 95% less water and can grow food three times faster than traditional growing methods. | Program: LaunchPad, Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Mount Royal University.
Award: Trico Social Ventures Pitch Contest. |
| Fresh Routes | Mobile grocery store (bus) brings healthy, fresh, and affordable food into neighborhoods facing barriers – allowing choice, maintaining dignity, and building community. | Award: Alberta Nonprofit Innovation Award, Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations. |
| PwrSwitch | Supports victims of cyber-stalking and cyber-harassment including those experiencing a high conflict divorce or separation by providing a means to effortlessly collect and consolidate the electronic communications evidence they need to seek legal restitution or therapeutic counsel.
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Programs: RBC Social Enterprise Accelerator, Innovate Calgary/Calgary Technolgies Inc. |
| Tsuut’ina Apiaries | Provides culturally fulfilling on reserve employment to First Nations citizens while simultaneously combating the declining bee population and developing the economy of the reserve. Also works to replenish native plants on the reserve by planting orchards near the apiaries. | Programs: Hunter Hub Summer Incubator, University of Calgary.
Awards: HSBC Indigenous Advancement Project Accelerator, Best Project; HSBC Entrepreneurship Project Accelerator, Best Project. |
| Universal Access | Provides assessments and certifications to multiple locations that meet our physically “barrier-free” standard. | Programs: RBC Social Enterprise Accelerator, Innovate Calgary/Calgary Technolgies Inc.; Trico Changemakers Studio, Mount Royal University.
Awards: Be Local Award, REAP; Accessible Housing Award. |
As we had MANY great organizations apply, getting it down to ten was really hard. As a result, we added an Honourable Mention category.
3 Honourable Mentions (in alphabetical order):
| Name | Brief Description | Programs & Awards |
| Centre for Sexuality | Have developed an LGBTQ inclusion organizational audit tool for the private sector. | Programs: RBC Social Enterprise Accelerator, Innovate Calgary.
Award: Venture Partner’s Fast Pitch. |
| Enable | Online platform that creates meaningful matches between people with disabilities and support workers. | Programs: Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Summer Incubator Program with the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Graduate Studies and Innovate Calgary/Platform; Social Mentor Network; 150 Startups, Bow Valley College; ChicGeek Mentorship Program; RBC Social Enterprise Accelerator |
| Unravelled Yarn | Diverts waste by converting domestic corporately branded t-shirts and upcycling them into high quality t-shirt yarn. | Awards: Enactus Western Regionals winner of Scotiabank Eco Living Green Challenge;
LaunchPad, Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Mount Royal University $10,000 winner; University of Calgary Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking- 1st place. |