AquaHacking is a start-up tech competition where young innovators team up to tackle urgent water issues through innovation and entrepreneurship. After five consecutive years focused on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Basin, AquaHacking is now expanding to Atlantic Canada. In 2020, Atlantic Water Network at Saint Mary’s University is proud to host the first edition of AquaHacking on Canada’s east coast.  

AquaHacking Atlantic Canada

About the Challenge
Since 2015, AquaAction has hosted annual challenges for young innovators to tackle Canada&rsquo;s biggest environmental problems of freshwater, with prizes, mentorship, and incubation to accelerate change. The AquaHacking Atlantic Canada 2020 Challenge, hosted by AquaAction and the Atlantic Water Network, gathered participants from across Atlantic Canada to create groundbreaking solutions to critical environmental water issues in this region.&nbsp;
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The Water Issues
Microplastics from Fishing Gear: How can microplastics from fishing gear (threads, fragments) be prevented from entering aquatic environments and how can fishing gear be retrieved before furthering the problem of microplastic accumulation?​
 Treatment of Drinking Water in Rural and First Nations Communities: How can we develop tools to empower small rural and Indigenous communities to manage their drinking water supplies in a sustainable and culturally appropriate way?
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Private Well Safety and Monitoring: How can we improve the safety of private well drinking water?
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Agricultural Runoff: How can we minimize the impacts of soil and pesticide runoff in our Aquatic ecosystems?
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Algal Blooms and Eutrophication: How can we manage and prevent algal blooms before they occur?
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The Participant Experience
Over 100 registrants ranging from students to young professionals interested in water science and sustainable development participated in this challenge hosted between January and September of 2020. Following the in-person Kickoff, the challenge shifted to being virtual due to the global pandemic. Out of 35 teams that were formed, 16 teams made it to the semi-finals and 5 to the finals. Following the semi-finals, the finalists got to participate in an intensive series of skill-building workshops with industry leaders through the <a href="https://aquahacking.com/en/a-look-back-at-the-tech-startup-competition-in-atlantic-canada/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atlantic Canada AquaHacking eExpedition</a>.&nbsp;
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As an AquaHacking participant, they had the opportunity to learn how to be an effective change-maker, learn how to make a meaningful impact in the water sector, connect with professional mentors, and attend virtual workshops while building and pitching a freshwater solution to critical water issues.
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To learn more about this challenge, visit <a href="https://aquaaction.org/challenge/atlantic-canada-challenge-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://aquaaction.org/challenge/atlantic-canada-challenge-2020/</a>.