The Sustainable Innovation Challenge was introduced and launched at the STTPA Conference 2023 in partnership with ICUBE, Sobeys, and Say Hi to the Future and seeks innovative solutions to address sustainability challenges in various sectors, such as renewable energy, waste management, sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, water conservation, and more.
A team of five from the MScSM Class of 2025 (Menaka Bhatia, Marlo Campbell, Siobhan Mehrotra, Helena Teng, Chloe Wu) participated in the challenge and placed third! Read the team's experience with the challenge below:
Participating in Sobeys’ Sustainable Innovation Challenge was a FRUITful journey of discovery and application. Tasked with creating a viable solution to contribute to Sobeys’ goal of reducing food waste by 50% by 2030, we gained a deeper understanding of the processes and existing solutions in a sector pivotal in sustainability. It was crucial for us to devise a solution that was not only innovative but also feasible to integrate into Sobeys’ operations, leveraging our interdisciplinary backgrounds to offer unique perspectives. This challenge allowed us to apply classroom theories to real-world challenges, enhancing our skills in collaboration and our commitment to making a positive impact. Overall, we loved hearing about the other teams' innovative solutions presented during the pitch day, and we’re grateful to ICUBE and Sobeys for the opportunity to challenge ourselves outside of the classroom.