Green Summer Incubator Program at Queen’s University

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Happy Eco News Green Summer Incubator Program at Queen’s University

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Queen’s University’s Green Summer Incubator Program culminates with nine entrepreneurs pitching circular economy ventures.

Queen’s University has taken a significant step towards promoting sustainable innovation with the launch of its Green Summer Incubator Program. The initiative, which concluded on August 15, 2024, saw nine entrepreneurs pitch their circular economy-focused business ideas to a panel of industry professionals, competing for up to $10,000 in seed funding.

The program is a collaborative effort between the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre, the Smith School of Business Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Social Impact, and Project Zero, a national circular economy incubator. This marks Project Zero’s first expansion of its incubator model outside of British Columbia, where it has been operating since 2019.

Over four months, participants—undergraduate and graduate students and alumni—received comprehensive support to develop their business concepts. The program provided mentorship, networking opportunities with industry experts, and business fundamentals and entrepreneurial skills training.

The Green Summer Incubator Program is part of the broader Queen’s Venture Creation, Experiential Learning & Net-Zero Training (QVENT) initiative. It aims to nurture a new generation of innovators focused on creating solutions for a regenerative circular economy.

Four ventures emerged as winners from the Green Summer Incubator final pitch event:

X-8 Circular Fashion Club, founded by Zoe Zhu and Yanxi Chen, secured $4,000 in funding. Their concept combines online thrifting with AI-powered fashion design and on-demand graphic printing, giving new life to vintage garments.

YieldFly, led by Kie Pongsupha, also received $4,000. This agricultural venture proposes vertical farming of black soldier flies as a sustainable source of animal feed and organic fertilizer.

Cognitech AI Solutions, founded by Rejoice van der Walk, was awarded $1,000. Their project focuses on AI-enabled leak detection for municipal water infrastructure, aiming to reduce water loss and enhance resource efficiency.

Renovation Scout, developed by Prachi Jangid and Alena Miazga, also received $1,000. Their app guides homeowners through renovations, offering features such as project planning, green retrofit recommendations, and code compliance and rebate information.

These ventures represent diverse approaches to circular economy principles, ranging from fashion and agriculture to infrastructure and construction.

The success of Queen’s University’s Green Summer Incubator program builds on Project Zero’s track record in British Columbia. Since 2019, Project Zero has completed over 60 ventures within the circular economy sector, creating more than 140 jobs across the province.

Georgia Lavender, Program Manager at Project Zero, expressed enthusiasm about the expansion: “It’s inspiring to see these incredible entrepreneurs working to create a circular economy across Canada. I’m excited to continue building momentum as we develop a national network of green leaders actively driving innovation, creating green jobs, and building economic and environmental resilience.”

The circular economy model underpins the incubator’s focus and aims to revolutionize the current “take-make-waste” linear economic system. Instead of resource-intensive processes that generate high emissions and waste, the circular economy emphasizes resource retention, reuse, repair, and recycling. This approach reduces pollution and waste and creates opportunities for new ventures and green jobs.

Project Zero, an initiative of the Synergy Foundation, has been promoting circular economy innovation since 2019. The organization engages stakeholders, including the private sector, local governments, post-secondary institutions, and non-profits, to achieve a shared sustainability vision. Project Zero has supported over 90 businesses within the circular economy sector.

The success of the Green Summer Incubator Program at Queen’s University demonstrates the growing interest in and potential for circular economy ventures across Canada. As these innovative ideas move from concept to reality, they have the potential to create tangible environmental benefits while also driving economic growth and job creation in the green sector.

Project Zero is now seeking partners interested in hosting similar incubator programs in other regions. It aims to expand its impact and foster a nationwide network of circular economy innovators. This expansion could be crucial in Canada’s transition towards a more sustainable and resilient economic model.

As the inaugural cohort of Queen’s University’s Green Summer Incubator Program concludes, the stage is set for these ventures to make their mark on the Canadian business landscape. Environmental advocates and business leaders will watch their progress closely, potentially serving as a blueprint for future sustainable innovation initiatives across the country.

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