There’s $50,000 up for grabs as the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) challenges youth from across the Prairies to save one of Canada’s most beloved lakes with the AquaHacking Lake Winnipeg 2020 Challenge.

An info session at Brandon University over the lunch hour on Tuesday will share info for BU students who want to learn more. It will take place in the Room 4-47 of the Brodie building, from 12:40–1:30 p.m.

Finalists receive amazing prizes such as expert mentorship, start-up funding, a guaranteed spot in a local incubator, and ongoing support as a member of the AquaHacking alumni network.

AquaHacking is a startup competition designed to find tech solutions to freshwater problems affecting the Lake Winnipeg Basin. The competition launched on Jan. 31 and will run until Oct. 14, 2020 with multidisciplinary teams of students from business, science, engineering, and other disciplines working with mentors to learn about the water issues facing Lake Winnipeg and come up with innovative solutions.

There will be five water challenges for competitors to solve based on themes of Agriculture, Drinking Water, Microplastics, Fish Health, and Watershed Investment. There is $50,000 total in cash prizes plus incubator space, since the goal is for these “hacker” teams to eventually launch their own tech startups.

There have been five AquaHacking competitions in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region since 2015 and the program has helped launch 18 new startups. It’s also an excellent way to connect with peers and mentors while tackling a challenge to improve our environment. Check out past AquaHacking winners and their solutions here.