Enactus SFU makes history at regional entrepreneurship competition

The victorious Enactus SFU team at the Western Canada Regional Exposition

SFU became the first school to win all four categories at the Enactus Regional Exposition for Western Canada, a competition where teams of students present community outreach projects and business ventures to a judging panel of business leaders. This year’s Regional Exposition for Western Canada was held in Calgary from March 2-3, with 19 universities competing for the regional champion titles. Enactus is a community of student, academic and business leaders who are using entrepreneurial action to create a better, more sustainable world.

The Enactus SFU team, including several Beedie students and alumni, secured first place in each of the Regional Exposition’s four categories: the TD Entrepreneurship Challenge, the Capital One Financial Education Challenge, the Scotiabank EcoLiving Green Challenge, and the Scotiabank Youth Empowerment Challenge. Having won the Regional Exposition, the SFU students will now face the top teams from across Canada at the National Exposition in Vancouver from May 9-11.

“I am incredibly proud of my competition teams, supporters, and execs,” says Enactus SFU President Rajin Shokar. “We made history in Calgary, becoming the first team to win all four categories at the Western Canada Regional Exposition. It’s even more special this year, as our teams will now be competing on home turf at the National Exposition.”

During the competition, the teams showcase how their school’s programs have impacted the local community to a panel of industry judges.

Beedie undergraduates Halie Minhas and Samantha Vuong teamed up with SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT) student Joyce Aquino, and were coached by Beedie students Dynamic Tang and Kim Venn to present Count on Me, a program aimed at teaching financial literacy skills to disadvantaged youths, winning the Capital One Financial Education Challenge.

In addition, Count on Me came out on top in the Scotiabank Youth Empowerment Challenge. The program was presented by Beedie students Joshua Chareunsouk and Christina Will with SIAT student Kosuke Futsukaichi, and coached by Leslie Chow and Judy Liang, both Beedie Alumni.

The winning initiative in the Scotiabank EcoLiving Green Challenge category was Coast Cards, Enactus SFU’s newest social enterprise program which upcycles used coasters from restaurants into handmade greeting cards. It was presented by Beedie students Napassorn Limapichat and Shilpa Lakshmy, along with SIAT student Ashley Wu, and coached by Beedie student Lara Ahmad and alumnus Aamir Sheriff.

Coast Cards was also showcased in the TD Entrepreneurship Challenge category championed by Beedie undergraduates Zahra Hirji and Jessica Truong with SIAT designers Jason Chung and Carolyn Yip, who were coached by Beedie students Hangue Kim and Nikhita Bhatt.

To learn more about Enactus SFU, visit http://enactussfu.com/.