Mayor's Innovation Challenge 2026

Applications have closed for the 2026 Mayor's Innovation Challenge.

• Winners announced for the 9th annual Mayor’s Innovation Challenge

  Innovation, creativity and bold thinking took centre stage as two outstanding student teams were selected as the winners of the 9th annual Mayor’s Innovation Challenge, hosted by the City of Kingston.

  Delivered in partnership with local post-secondaries, the Mayor’s Innovation Challenge empowers current and recently graduated post-secondary students to tackle real-world issues and bring forward ideas that can help shape Kingston’s future.

  During the Pitch Competition held at City Hall, eight teams of students presented their pitches to a group of panelists, including:

  • Mayor Bryan Paterson, City of Kingston

  • Bob McDonald, Client Executive, Bell Business Markets, Bell

  • Jim McLellan, Academic Director and Co-Founder, Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre

  • Ben McIlquham, Investment Manager, Life Sciences & Health Innovation, Kingston Economic Development

  • Morgan Lehtinen, Executive Director, RXN HUB

  • Emil Mathew, CEO and Co-Founder of Perceivable, 2025 MIC winner

  “This challenge is one of the events I look forward to the most each year,” says Mayor Paterson. “The energy in the room was incredible. These students aren’t just imagining a better future for Kingston - they're actively designing it. Their ideas, passion, and drive remind us of what’s possible when we invest in the next generation of innovators.”

  After deliberation, the panel announced the following winning projects:

  Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre Prize

  
  

  KPARK

  

  “KPark is a smart parking solution that helps drivers quickly find available parking spots using real-time data and simple navigation tools. By reducing the time spent searching for parking, KPark helps decrease traffic congestion and emissions in busy areas. Our platform aims to make parking more efficient, convenient, and stress-free for both drivers and cities.”

  • Nathaniel Cheung, 2nd Year Computer Engineering - Queen's University

  • Darcy Cheung, 2nd Year Computer Engineering - Queen's University

  • Rowan Horner, 2nd Year Electrical Engineering - Queen's University

  The team will gain admission to the Queen’s Founders and Innovators Initiative (QFII) program, a transformative, part-time program that helps aspiring innovators and entrepreneurs take their early-stage startups to the next level. Beginning in April, Winners will receive world-class entrepreneurship training, mentorship from industry professionals, and the opportunity to unlock up to $4,000 in seed funding, and the opportunity to compete for up to $30,000 in DDQIC’s Regional Pitch Competition.

  Public Sector Innovation Prize

  BRIGHTSIGHT

  

  “Brightsight is a student run initiative which works with local clinics and shelters to provide eye care to those who need it. Their primary demographic is underserved youth aged 0-19 whose eye exams are covered by OHIP. Their goal involves raising awareness and getting youth to use the services while they can. Additionally, they cover the costs of any prescription glasses, to alleviate their burden and allow them to see and live better.”

  • Alex Afrouz, 2nd year Health Science - Queen's University

  • Kamran Asim, 2nd year Health Science - Queen's University

  • Hussain Al Moman, 2nd year Health Science - Queen's University

  Sponsored by Bell, this prize includes a $10,000 cash award to help bring a great business idea to life. But the support doesn’t stop there - winners will also gain access to the Summer Company Program, funded by the Government of Ontario and delivered by Kingston Economic Development Corporation, which provides hands-on training, mentorship, and financial support to young entrepreneurs aged 15 to 29.

  Through this immersive program, the winning team will gain essential business training, marketing insights, and strategic mentorship - equipping them with the tools needed to sustain long-term success. More than just a prize, this is a launchpad for young entrepreneurs to build a business, refine their skills, and establish themselves as future industry leaders.

  The Pitch Competition was livestreamed and can be viewed on Kingston City Council’s YouTube channel. The Mayor’s Innovation Challenge is made possible through strong partnerships and collaboration with local post-secondary institutions, the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre, Kingston Economic Development Corporation, Shelby’s Shawarma, and the generous support of sponsor Bell Canada.

  Innovation, creativity and bold thinking took centre stage as two outstanding student teams were selected as the winners of the 9th annual Mayor’s Innovation Challenge, hosted by the City of Kingston.

  Delivered in partnership with local post-secondaries, the Mayor’s Innovation Challenge empowers current and recently graduated post-secondary students to tackle real-world issues and bring forward ideas that can help shape Kingston’s future.

  During the Pitch Competition held at City Hall, eight teams of students presented their pitches to a group of panelists, including:

  • Mayor Bryan Paterson, City of Kingston

  • Bob McDonald, Client Executive, Bell Business Markets, Bell

  • Jim McLellan, Academic Director and Co-Founder, Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre

  • Ben McIlquham, Investment Manager, Life Sciences & Health Innovation, Kingston Economic Development

  • Morgan Lehtinen, Executive Director, RXN HUB

  • Emil Mathew, CEO and Co-Founder of Perceivable, 2025 MIC winner

  “This challenge is one of the events I look forward to the most each year,” says Mayor Paterson. “The energy in the room was incredible. These students aren’t just imagining a better future for Kingston - they're actively designing it. Their ideas, passion, and drive remind us of what’s possible when we invest in the next generation of innovators.”

  After deliberation, the panel announced the following winning projects:

  Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre Prize

  
  

  KPARK

  

  “KPark is a smart parking solution that helps drivers quickly find available parking spots using real-time data and simple navigation tools. By reducing the time spent searching for parking, KPark helps decrease traffic congestion and emissions in busy areas. Our platform aims to make parking more efficient, convenient, and stress-free for both drivers and cities.”

  • Nathaniel Cheung, 2nd Year Computer Engineering - Queen's University

  • Darcy Cheung, 2nd Year Computer Engineering - Queen's University

  • Rowan Horner, 2nd Year Electrical Engineering - Queen's University

  The team will gain admission to the Queen’s Founders and Innovators Initiative (QFII) program, a transformative, part-time program that helps aspiring innovators and entrepreneurs take their early-stage startups to the next level. Beginning in April, Winners will receive world-class entrepreneurship training, mentorship from industry professionals, and the opportunity to unlock up to $4,000 in seed funding, and the opportunity to compete for up to $30,000 in DDQIC’s Regional Pitch Competition.

  Public Sector Innovation Prize

  BRIGHTSIGHT

  

  “Brightsight is a student run initiative which works with local clinics and shelters to provide eye care to those who need it. Their primary demographic is underserved youth aged 0-19 whose eye exams are covered by OHIP. Their goal involves raising awareness and getting youth to use the services while they can. Additionally, they cover the costs of any prescription glasses, to alleviate their burden and allow them to see and live better.”

  • Alex Afrouz, 2nd year Health Science - Queen's University

  • Kamran Asim, 2nd year Health Science - Queen's University

  • Hussain Al Moman, 2nd year Health Science - Queen's University

  Sponsored by Bell, this prize includes a $10,000 cash award to help bring a great business idea to life. But the support doesn’t stop there - winners will also gain access to the Summer Company Program, funded by the Government of Ontario and delivered by Kingston Economic Development Corporation, which provides hands-on training, mentorship, and financial support to young entrepreneurs aged 15 to 29.

  Through this immersive program, the winning team will gain essential business training, marketing insights, and strategic mentorship - equipping them with the tools needed to sustain long-term success. More than just a prize, this is a launchpad for young entrepreneurs to build a business, refine their skills, and establish themselves as future industry leaders.

  The Pitch Competition was livestreamed and can be viewed on Kingston City Council’s YouTube channel. The Mayor’s Innovation Challenge is made possible through strong partnerships and collaboration with local post-secondary institutions, the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre, Kingston Economic Development Corporation, Shelby’s Shawarma, and the generous support of sponsor Bell Canada.

  Applications have closed for the 2026 Mayor's Innovation Challenge.

• Application information and prizes

  Rules

  1. No more than four members to a team.
  2. All team members must be registered in a university or college program (undergraduate or graduate, full- or part-time) or have recently graduated (within six months of the September 2025 launch of the challenge) in order to be eligible for participation. A student is defined as an individual enrolled in an accredited Canadian university or a Canadian or permanent resident of Canada enrolled at a non-Canadian university. Team members may be from any academic discipline.
  3. Fifty per cent of the team must be from an academic institution in Kingston.
  4. Teams must selectContinue reading

  Rules

  1. No more than four members to a team.
  2. All team members must be registered in a university or college program (undergraduate or graduate, full- or part-time) or have recently graduated (within six months of the September 2025 launch of the challenge) in order to be eligible for participation. A student is defined as an individual enrolled in an accredited Canadian university or a Canadian or permanent resident of Canada enrolled at a non-Canadian university. Team members may be from any academic discipline.
  3. Fifty per cent of the team must be from an academic institution in Kingston.
  4. Teams must select a “team lead”, who will be the primary contact between the City and the team. Any changes, updates or administrative matters will be communicated to the team's primary contact.
  5. Teams are encouraged to reach out to professors or professionals in the field to act as project advisors. This is by no means mandatory and will not have any impact on the assessment of your submission.

  Prizes

  This year's competition includes two separate challenge streams, each with a coveted prize.

  Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre Prize

  The team winning the Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre prize will be admitted to the Queen’s Founders and Innovators Initiative (QFII) program. This transformative, part-time program is designed for aspiring innovators and entrepreneurs. Winners will enter the program in May and learn how to take their early-stage startup to the next level.

  The QFII program offers award-winning and internationally recognized entrepreneurship training and mentorship from industry professionals and entrepreneurs. It also provides the opportunity to unlock up to $4,000 in seed funding and a chance to compete in their pitch competition with a prize pool of up to $30,000.

  Public Sector Innovation Prize

  Winners from the Public Sector Innovation prize will receive a cash prize of $10,000 towards advancing their ideas. They will also be admitted to the Summer Company Program, with access to resources, mentorship, and hands-on business mentoring from local business leaders.

  The creators of the top submissions, selected by senior staff, will be invited to present their proposals at the Mayor's Innovation Challenge Pitch Competition on Friday, March 20, 2026.

  Contact us

  For information or questions regarding the Mayor's Innovation Challenge, contact mic@cityofkingston.ca

  Applications have closed for the 2026 Mayor's Innovation Challenge.