SWRIL receives "Best Education Program" and "Best Social Innovation" Awards

In early November, the Global Innovation Management Institute held their 2024 Innovation Awards Ceremony. These awards aim to recognize and celebrate organizations and individuals’ innovations initiatives in the public, private, and social sectors. They describe the winners as "remarkable innovators whose visionary contributions have transformed industries and inspired communities worldwide. Their work exemplifies the true spirit of innovation."

Smart Waterloo Region is proud to announce that we're the recipients of two 2024 Innovation Awards!

Best Education Program: GIMI Impact Program in Waterloo Region Schools

This award celebrates innovative approaches to education and learning. This award was given to Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab for the GIMI Impact Program, a curriculum we ran in Waterloo Region schools. The program is intended to inspire young people to innovate, create solutions around social challenges, and present these solutions to others. The program has had widespread success in four school boards in Waterloo Region, leading to over a dozen student project startups.

Best Social Innovation: Community Passion Projects & Youth Impact Project

This award celebrates the top projects based around social innovation. Jahmeeks Beckford, Play Lead at Smart Waterloo Region, received this award for work on Community Passion Projects and the Youth Impact Project, which is a collaboration with the Children and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo Region. The Youth Impact Project is an evolution of GIMI Impact, with the goal to bring innovation to community organizations and a more diverse group of youth.

We're grateful to the Global Innovation Management Institute for their support and partnership over the past 4 years, and for this prestigious recognition!

Learn more about GIMI Impact in Waterloo Region

Learn more about the Youth Impact Project