To whom it may concern at the Manitoba Water and Wastewater Association (MWWA):

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to you today to share information about the recently launched Western Canada 2021 AquaHacking Challenge which may be of interest to MWWA members. The AquaHacking Challenge is a professional development program and tech startup competition for students and young professionals who want to have a positive impact on water. Having helped establish 28 water tech startups since 2015, the AquaHacking Challenge is a recognized pre-incubator program supporting some of the newest and most innovative tech solutions and youth-led startups in the Canadian water sector today. The winning team in the Lake Winnipeg 2020 AquaHacking Challenge was Particuleye Technologies, made up of students from the University of Manitoba and University of Winnipeg.  

Co-presented by the Okanagan Basin Water Board and Aqua Forum, the Western Canada 2021 AquaHacking Challenge will be presented 100% virtually and is an opportunity for young problem-solvers to design, develop, and pitch an innovative tech solution tackling one of these critical water issues:

• On-farm nutrient capture and recycling
• Innovative ‘social’ technologies for water information
• Optimization of drinking water/wastewater treatment plants
• Toxic algal blooms

With $58,000 total in funding to be awarded, personalized training and mentorship, and a community that has been growing for the past 6 years, the AquaHacking Challenge is the opportunity of a lifetime for young innovators to transform their ideas into reality!