Winners of the 2020 CEC Youth Innovation Challenge Announced

Bruized
Monique Chan
Bruized is a women-run food enterprise created from a passion project to combat food waste through education and yummy eats.

NoPlastic
Karime Guillen
NoPlastic is an innovative 100% biodegradable compostable bioplastic, based on Nopal cactus, agro-industrial fruit waste including peels and leaves, as well as natural additives.

Rebundle
Ciara May
Rebundle is a plant-based synthetic hair brand that eliminates skin rashes and single-use waste.
Important Dates
31 March, 2020 – Submission deadline
Week of May 11, 2020 – Announce 3 winners
25 & 26 June, 2020 – Winners present their solutions
How do you submit a solution via Submittable?
It is easy to submit your solution through Submittable.
- Log-in or register a profile with Submittable
- Read and accept the challenge guidelines
- Fill out the form to submit your solution
What are the elements of a successful submission?
- It describes a solution that addresses an environmental sustainability challenge in North America
- It includes a solution that has a direct impact on North American communities
- It demonstrates the innovativeness and business potential of your proposed solution
- It is supported by photos, videos, schematics and prototype designs
What do we mean by innovative solution?
The innovative solutions could be a:
- Product
- Technology
- System
- Process
- Application
- Service
- Business
- Supply chain
Who can join the challenge?
- You can join if you are aged 18 to 30 on the date that you submit the solution
- You can submit a solution individually or as a team
- You must be a resident of Canada, Mexico or the United States
How will your innovative solution be evaluated?
Your proposed solutions will be judged against the 4 following criteria:
- Impact (30%)
How does your solution benefit the environment and the livelihoods of North American communities? Does it create green jobs and economic opportunities? - Innovation (30%)
How is your solution innovative? How does it differ from current solutions? - Feasibility & Replicability (30%)
How will you implement your solution considering technological feasibility and the availability of resources? Is your solution replicable and scalable? - Economic Value (10%)
Is there a market for your solution or does it fill a specific niche? Does your solution have potential for economic growth?
Who will select the finalists?
9 North American panelists will evaluate and select the finalists:
- 3 youth ambassadors from the EcoInnovation Network with expertise in innovation (1 Mexico, 1 United States, 1 Canada)
- 3 CEC Joint Public Advisory Committee/Traditional Ecological Knowledge Expert Group members (1 Mexico, 1 United States, 1 Canada)
- 3 experts on social entrepreneurship (1 Mexico, 1 United States, 1 Canada)
Who will select the winners?
The three winning solutions will be selected by environmental officials from the federal governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States from the pre-selected group of finalists.