Post-secondary students invited to take part in Mayor's Innovation Challenge

It is looking for innovative projects that improves quality of life for Kingston residents or introduces new approaches to delivering municipal services.

Post-secondary students in Kingston are being encouraged to come up with an idea to make the Limestone City better.

The 2026 Mayor's Innovation Challenge invites current and recently graduated students to turn bold ideas into real-world solutions that strengthen the community and shape the future of Kingston.

This contest is in partnership with Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College, and the Royal Military College.

The winning teams will have an opportunity to gain valuable experience through the Summer Company program and a $10,000 prize to advance their idea. They can also have a chance to turn their idea into a business venture with admission to the Queen’s Founders and Innovators Initiative (QFII) program and the opportunity to unlock up to $4,000 in seed funding, along with a chance to compete in their pitch competition with a prize pool of up to $80,000.

Those interested are asked to submit a two-to three-minute video outlining an innovative project that improves quality of life for Kingston residents or introduces new approaches to delivering municipal services.

There is also an information session on Tuesday Feb 10 inside the Mitchell Hall Events Commons at Queen's main campus. Participants are asked to first register through Eventbrite. 

Deadline for submissions is Friday March 6.

A short-list of entries will then pitch their ideas to a panel of leaders with expertise in municipal government, entrepreneurship and innovation on March 20.

More information on the Mayor's Innovation Challenge can be found here. 

Story by Ken Hashizume