Greenhouse’s 35th Social Impact Showcase came off last week at United College, bringing together community members, family and friends, celebrating a new cohort of social innovators from the University of Waterloo community, who are dedicated to creating meaningful change.
The event highlighted the creativity, determination, and compassion that drive GreenHouse students as they tackle pressing social, environmental, and community challenges.
As is customary, four stand-out innovators from the Starter and Builder pitch categories were awarded $9,000 in funding to help take their ventures forward.
Director of GreenHouse Tania Del Matto expressed how proud she was of this current group of social innovators and thanked those in attendance for always showing up and giving their support to the students.
Today we celebrate journeys, not just ideas. Whether it’s supporting mental health for young women, empowering farmers with accessible tools, helping young Canadians navigate financial uncertainty, or creating spaces for students to express their voices through art, these social innovators identified gaps, unmet needs, and opportunities to do things differently. What unites these ventures is their commitment to breaking down barriers, creating access, and building community where it's needed most."
A look at the winning ventures that received Social Impact Funding
$1,500 Award Winners
Aisha Ali- Faculty of Arts, English (Masters)
Aisha, through her venture, Groundwork Gallery, creates arts-based, identity-focused educational spaces for students to express political and social justice perspectives outside restrictive classroom environments. She aims to channel activism through public art displays while researching differences between classroom and extracurricular creative expression.
Jacob Grima, Faculty of Arts, Psychology (Undergraduate)
Jacob ‘s venture, Grima Financial, uses his psychology background to provide a coaching and learning platform designed to help young Canadians navigate financial uncertainty with confidence. Offering accessible, unbiased advice and personalized guidance, Grima Financial fills a critical gap between generic online resources and costly financial services. The platform encourages open conversations around spending and saving habits while reducing the stress and confusion often associated with financial decision-making.
$3,000 Award Winners
Isabella Todd, Faculty of Science, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry (Masters)
Isabella’s The 20 Something Girl, a mental health magazine for high-achieving young women, addresses anxiety and isolation through vulnerable storytelling. It’s Isabella’s hope to continue building community and securing funding for this very important project that is close to her heart.
Gabriel Jabile, Faculty of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering (Undergraduate)
Gabriel was recognized for Enyana Health, a mobile triaging system delivering automated agricultural advice to farmers in Uganda. Available in local languages, the tool supports livestock health in regions where 73% of households depend on farming but only half can access veterinary services. By combining engineering, accessibility, and community partnership, Enyana Health aims to improve livelihoods and strengthen food security across rural communities.
In addition to the top awards, four students were recognized with Changemaker Awards, each receiving $250 for their leadership towards taking action.
Changemaker Awards
Inclusive Designer Award: Olivia Vento, Faculty of Science, Psychology (Recent Graduate)
Tech for Good Innovator Award: Julie Rennick, Faculty of Environment, Environment and Business (Masters)
Global Changemaker Award: Elisha Ochieng Okoth, Faculty of Environment, Social and Ecological Sustainability (PhD)
This showcase once again demonstrated the powerful vision and passion of GreenHouse students. Their work reflects the program’s enduring mission: to equip young changemakers with the tools, mentorship, and community they need to transform ideas into real-world impact.
United College congratulates all participants and award recipients and looks forward to seeing how their projects continue to grow in the months and years ahead.
For students interested in making social or environmental change, applications are now open for this winter term’s Social Innovators in Training. To learn more and start your own venture, click the link below.