Kelowna, B.C. – Students, tech leaders, and those with an interest in freshwater issues were on hand today for the launch of the B.C. AquaHacking Challenge 2020, hosted by the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) and Aqua Forum, held at UBC Okanagan.
AquaHacking was founded by the De Gaspe Beaubien Foundation five years ago with the goal of connecting youth and young professionals with an interest in freshwater issues, clean-tech innovation and entrepreneurship, with mentors who could help them launch real-world solutions. Aqua Forum was established as a separate non-profit to oversee the initiative and the program initially had a five-year focus on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin (2015-2019). After five years, and with funding from RBC Foundation to bring the program coast-to-coast, and further funding from the Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC), organizers were ready to expand westward.