Waterloo surpassed four finalist teams from other established Canadian institutions.
WATERLOO, Ont. (Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012) – For the second year in a row, University of Waterloo students from the Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) program dominated the RBC Next Great Innovator Challenge, taking home first prize and $20,000 in cash.
Waterloo surpassed four finalist teams from other established Canadian institutions.
The winning idea from Waterloo students focussed on mobile banking and the creation of a new platform that will allow young Canadians to set financial goals, seek advice and budget effectively in order to achieve long-term financial security.
“Waterloo lives and breathes innovation,” said Rod McNaughton, director of the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre at the University of Waterloo. “We’re shaping the next generation of business leaders, and it’s crucial for students to embrace new venture creation and be more entrepreneurial in today’s economy. The RBC challenge provides a great platform for the exploration and development of student ideas, and we are absolutely thrilled to celebrate this win.”
“The countless hours spent collaborating during concept development, then perfecting the pitch, finally paid off,” said John Zupancic, MBET student. “I’m proud of our team and grateful for the experience.”
Since 2006, RBC has issued the challenge to university students across Canada, asking groups to present an innovative concept or idea with commercial potential. Submissions go through qualifying rounds, with the last round involving the finalists pitching to a panel of judges comprised of senior-level RBC executives.
This year’s winning team from Waterloo, named the Inspirators, was comprised of Ehsan Daneshgar, Amber Manzoor, John Zupancic, Amro Gushaah, and Xuexia Sophia He.
Students from the MBET program at Waterloo have enjoyed great success in the competition in past years as well. In 2011, three of the five finalist teams in the RBC challenge were MBET teams. In the end, Waterloo’s MBET student teams scored first, second and third place.
Image: Waterloo Students Win Innovation Challenge.
About the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre
The Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre was created to support, build on, and expand the entrepreneurial initiatives at the University of Waterloo. The university’s reputation for encouraging and spinning off successful entrepreneurial ventures is unmatched in Canada. Conrad’s flagship Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) program is a 12-month program designed for entrepreneurially-oriented people who need the business skills to move ideas from concept to successful commercialization. For more information, please visit www.conrad.uwaterloo.ca
About the University of Waterloo
In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada's Technology Triangle, has become one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities with 34,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Waterloo, as home to the world's largest post-secondary co-operative education program, embraces its connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow. For more information about Waterloo, visit www.uwaterloo.ca.
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Media contacts:
Alison Gelata
Communications Manager
Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre
University of Waterloo
519.888.4567 ext. 37106
amgelata@uwaterloo.ca
Pamela Smyth
Media Relations Officer
Communications and Public Affairs
University of Waterloo
519.888.4777
psmyth@uwaterloo.ca
www.newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca
Waterloo news release no. 17
