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Innovation Challenge Awards
Established in 2004, the NSERC Innovation Challenge Awards were awarded as a way to encourage students pursuing graduate studies in the natural sciences or engineering to develop their entrepreneurial spirit. The awards successfully helped student entrepreneurs on the road to achieving their goals: around twenty start-up companies were established; and more than 80% of those who received the award said it had a positive influence on their career. As there are now many award options available to budding entrepreneurs, the NSERC Innovation Challenge Awards are no longer available.

Past Winners

$10,000

Michael Montgomery
Michael Montgomery

Reducing Wind and Earthquake Vibrations in High Rises

University of Toronto

$5,000

Martin Bernier
Martin Bernier

Using Fibre Optics to Improve Health Care


Viet Hung Vu
Viet Hung Vu

Maintaining and Monitoring Industrial Machinery in Operation

École de technologie supérieure

$1,200

Azadeh Yadollahi
Azadeh Yadollahi

Application of respiratory sounds for sleep apnea monitoring and assessing upper airways

University of Manitoba
Dr. Yadollahi developed a monitoring device that patients can take home to detect signs of sleep apnea.
Masha Talebpourazad
Masha Talebpourazad

3D TV content generation and multiview coding

University of British Columbia
Dr. Talebpourazad developed software to convert 2-D television content into a 3-D format.
Prithula Prosun
Prithula Prosun

Low income flood-proof technology (LIFT) housing

University of Waterloo
Prithula Prosun developed the LIFT design, a home that rises with flood waters and then lowers once flooding recedes, preventing damage to the home and its contents.
Rylan Lundgren
Rylan Lundgren

New catalysts for Palladium coupling reactions

Dalhousie University
Dr. Lundgren developed novel chemical compounds, known as ligands, which are generating significant interest from pharmaceutical companies.
Fernando Luciano
Fernando Luciano

Mustard as a natural food preservative

University of Manitoba
Dr. Luciano has shown that using mustard meal in dry sausage can eliminate E. coli bacteria.
Geoffrey Holmes
Geoffrey Holmes

A cost-effective air contacter for direct atmospheric capture of carbon dioxide

University of Calgary
Geoffrey Holmes is making breakthrough discoveries in the field of air capture of CO2 that could help combat climate change.
Laurent Moss
Laurent Moss

An integrated tool suite for electronic embedded system design

École Polytechnique de Montréal
Dr. Moss has contributed to the development of a commercially viable software tool suite known as SpaceStudio. The technology has garnered significant interest from the European Space Agency, leading to research and development projects.
Mohamed Hamid Mohamed
Mohamed Hamid Mohamed

Sequestration of naphthenic acids from oil sands process water using B-Cylodextrin-based polyurethanes

University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Mohamed is studying the use of polymer chemistry to help remediate tailing ponds created by the oil sands industry.
Yoan LeChasseur
Yoan LeChasseur

New optrode for neuronal recording

Université Laval
Dr. LeChasseur is creating a new type of electrode that can be used to study individual neurons within a living organism. His work combines expertise from the fields of photonics and neuroscience, with the goal of creating new technologies for biomedical research that could lead to breakthroughs in new drugs and therapies for people with brain disorders.