The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Mount Royal University partners with the Trico Charitable Foundation to tackle social and environmental problems submitted by Calgary’s network of social innovation leaders.
The first biennial What’s Next YYC was held in November 2019 and from the outstanding pool of 10 finalists, Beaverlodge was one out of three Judge’s Choice recipients, receiving $25,000 in prize money. Beaverlodge makes it easier for people to get bulk discounts as they make their homes more efficient. The user follows a series of steps on their phone and they end up with a road map to reduce their emissions by 50%.
Among the 10 impressive What’s Next YYC finalists who are using the power of business models to solve social problems is the Indigenous-run social enterprise Colouring It Forward. 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.
It is no secret that ideation is HARD, especially when you are tackling complex issues. That is why Mount Royal University’s (MRU) Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Trico Charitable Foundation are excited to launch the Social Entrepreneurship Sprint this August!
The Trico Changemakers Studio is home to a diverse group of businesses, organizations, agencies and individuals working on changemaking in various forms. Over the past 2 years, they have been home to 20 organizations from different sectors, including amazing social enterprises.
Arbutus Medical is a Vancouver based social enterprise developing devices that break down barriers to safe surgery. Michael Cancilla, Director of Engineering and Co-Founder of Arbutus Medical states:
“From the beginning, we have been focused on expanding surgical care and we do that through frugal innovation. That means we look for simple solutions to complex problems to break down barriers to care.”