Forty University of Waterloo students will have the opportunity to travel to Africa, Latin America, and Asia to develop innovative technologies to help deliver energy solutions to impoverished communities around the world.

Funded by a $300,000 award through the Queen Elizabeth Scholars (QES) program, the students will receive a $6,000 to $8,000 scholarship and have access to a range of leadership and networking activities provided through the Affordable Energy for Humanity Initiative (AE4H).…

Are you a student looking to commercialize your research or capstone project? Are you a revenue-ready start-up? Apply to the Big Ideas Challenge! We are searching for individuals who are in the process of executing a social impact venture. Winners will receive specialized training in sales, government relations and financial literacy. One-on-one coaching and mentorship will be provided, including a storyteller in residence. There will be a talent recruitment fair to help build your team…

Access to energy is at the nexus of many social problems, and improving the ability of people to gain access to affordable, reliable energy could help mitigate the effects of poverty and a host of related challenges, such as access to clean water, food, healthcare, adequate housing and clean environments.

As governments around the world grapple with advancing economic development while moving toward cleaner energy usage, 1.2 billion people still have minimal or no access to energy (according…