Admission to an incubator program and a paid internship are up for grabs on Friday, March 4 during the Fifth Annual Mayor’s Innovation Challenge Pitch Competition.

The City of Kingston has long committed itself to becoming a city that is smart, livable, and leading. To reach that goal, the municipality is challenging students, whether an individual or a team, to present innovative ideas that will guide the city to its goal of making Kingston a better place to live, work, and play. The hope is to identify and ultimately retain these talented students to make a positive impact in their careers and Kingston.

The contest is open to individuals or teams of students from Queen's, St. Lawrence College, and the Royal Military College. The event, which will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., is divided into two separate streams for participants – the Dunin-Deshpande Smart Kingston Stream and the Public Sector Innovation Stream. Community members can view the event virtually by registering online to watch.

“This is one of my favourite events and always showcases the incredible talent and creativity we have locally,” says Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson. “For our fifth year we have another amazing line-up of pitches!”

Those participating in the Dunin-Deshpande stream are eligible to win a four-month incubator program with the Dunin-Deshpande Queen's Innovation Centre. The winning pitch will earn a $7,000 stipend for up to three co-founders as well as seed capital, as much as $4,000, to develop the winning concept. They will also gain full participation in the Queen's Innovation Centre Summer Initiative (QICSI 2022) program, which includes the chance to pitch in August for a grand prize of $30,000.

The winning individual or team in the Public Sector Innovation Stream receives a four-month paid internship within one of the City of Kingston’s municipal departments. City staff will also provide the individual or team with resources and mentorship opportunities. An additional perk to winning the Public Sector stream is the exposure to ongoing City of Kingston projects and the chance to gain government experience.

For more information about the Mayor’s Fifth Annual Innovation Challenge Pitch, visit the Mayor's Innovation Challenge website.