The Water Institute brings AquaHacking to the Waterloo region

Thursday, March 23, 2017

During World Water Day celebrations on March 22, the Water Institute and the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation announced an exciting three-year partnership that will combine water expertise and technology to help mitigate the threats facing our Great Lakes.

roy and claude

Roy Brouwer, Executive Director, Water Institute; Claude Perras, Executive Director, de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation

The partnership will bring AquaHacking 2017 – a five-month, water-themed hackathon – to Waterloo. AquaHacking challenges digital designers, water experts, hackers and engineers to develop technology that tackles issues related to Lake Erie. The health of the lake and its watersheds is critical in sustaining local economies, communities and environments.

said Roy Brouwer, executive director of the Water Institute. “I look forward to being a part of the groundbreaking, interdisciplinary solutions AquaHacking 2017 will bring to Lake Erie’s water challenges.”

“This three-year partnership with the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation will help young innovators pursue excellence in technology advancement in the water sector,”

The top five winning teams will share $75,000 and the top three teams will earn placements in local incubator and accelerator spaces to grow their ideas.

said Claude Perras, executive director of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation. “Partnerships like this one are important to our mission of championing emerging clean-tech innovation and entrepreneurship while bringing together stakeholders from multiple sectors, jurisdictions and generations to develop integrated strategies for water policy and governance.”​

“AquaHacking is a multi-generational, multi-sector and multi-stakeholder movement that aims to conserve the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence, and to foster the quality and responsible use of these waters,”

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A panel of expert judges will select the winners of the AquaHacking 2017 Challenge in September as part of the international water research conference, “The Role of Water Technology Innovation in the Blue Economy,” organized by the Water Institute and Elsevier, that will take place in Waterloo Region. Two similar AquaHacking events will take place in 2018 and 2019.

Learn more about AquaHacking

AquaHacking Mixer/Information Night

  • March 29, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m., EIT Atrium 
  • Food and drinks will be provided
  • Learn about how you can get involved in this innovative movement

AquaHacking Challenge Days

  • Occurring on campus throughout April, May, and June