Hub Highlights: A January to Remember at the Innovation Hub
Stories of Growth, Creativity, and Connection
What a month it’s been at the Innovation Hub! January felt like one of those moments where everything just clicks, and you can see the real impact of bringing people and ideas together. From supporting student-led innovation to welcoming the broader community into our space, there’s so much to share. Let’s walk through what made this month so special.
January Project Spotlight: GreenTech Kingston: Planting Seeds for Change
One of the most exciting things to come out of January has to be GreenTech Kingston (GTK), an Enactus SLC project that’s tackling sustainability head-on. These students aren’t just brainstorming ideas—they’re rolling up their sleeves and making real changes.
This month, they hosted an incredible brainstorming session at the Hub with Cedric Peplea, who helped shape their ‘Make Your Own Farm’ (MYOF) concept. The idea? Empowering people to build their own micro-farming systems—accessible, eco-friendly, and totally doable. They even teamed up with Tamara from Collective Joy, who’s been growing microgreens for over 15 years, to test out Speckled Peas for research.
But the real highlight is their upcoming workshop on February 18th and 19th, where participants (computer systems analyst students) will actually build their own microgreen houses. By the end, it’s going to turn into a friendly challenge: who can keep their plants the healthiest? Honestly, how fun does that sound? GTK is also gearing up for the Enactus regional competition in March, and we can’t wait to see how they take this project even further.
Awesome Kingston: Pitch Night Brings the Community Together
Have you ever been to an event where you leave feeling like, “Wow, I love where I live”? That’s exactly what Awesome Kingston Pitch Night was like on January 16th. The Innovation Hub hosted this incredible evening, where local innovators shared ideas with the community. There was such a great mix of excitement, support, and genuine connection in the room—you could feel it in the air.
Three amazing teams took the stage, each vying for a $1,000 micro-grant:
Beyond Bookkeeping: A super practical (and much-needed!) project to help trades contractors get a handle on their finances.
BuddyCard: A student-focused app connecting users to sweet local discounts!
Yarning for Love: A heartwarming initiative by Queen’s University students Emma and Lia, who create handmade items for hospitals and cancer organizations.
The winner? Yarning for Love, which had everyone in the room smiling. Their passion for spreading kindness and warmth really struck a chord. And even though it was a competition, the whole night felt like a celebration of Kingston’s creativity and collaboration. If you missed it, don’t worry—Awesome Kingston is hosting their next pitch night on February 20th, and applications are open until February 9th. So, if you have an ‘awesome’ idea apply to pitch today!
Providence Care + SLC Students: Designing Solutions That Matter
This month, we kicked off an amazing collaboration with Providence Care that really highlights what the Innovation Hub is all about: creating meaningful connections and giving students the tools to tackle real-world challenges.
On January 17th, Health Care Administration (HCA) students joined Providence Care reps for a panel discussion to dive into two major projects:
Enhancing the Caregiver Program: Helping caregivers gain confidence, access resources, and navigate some of the hardest moments in life.
Preparing Kingston’s First Hospice House: With the hospice opening this March, the students are working on everything from staff training to communication plans.
The Hub provided students with design-thinking workshops, brainstorming templates, and empathy-driven tools to guide their work. And let us tell you, these students are all in. They’ve been asking big questions, listening closely, and putting themselves in the shoes of the people they’re designing for. It’s inspiring to watch.
A big thank you to Professors Ekta Singh and Kellie Daniel for leading this project and, of course, to Providence Care for trusting us with this partnership. We can’t wait to see what these students come up with.
Cornwall Hub: New Look, Same Big Vision
Now, We’ve got to brag about our Cornwall campus for a minute. If you haven’t visited yet, let’s paint a picture: this place is coming together beautifully. January was all about giving the space a bit of a glow-up—new furniture, a fresh vibe, and so much potential.
Since opening in the summer of 2024, the Cornwall Hub has already been making waves with events and collaborations. It’s amazing to see how this new branch is growing into its own while staying true to what makes the Innovation Hub special: creativity, connection, and a commitment to the community. If you’re in Cornwall, come check it out—we promise, you’ll leave inspired.
Looking Ahead
January was a reminder of why we love being part of the SLC community. It’s not just about the projects or the events (though those are amazing); it’s about the people—the students, the community members, the partners—who make it all happen.
With GTK’s workshop, Awesome Kingston’s next pitch night, and so much more on the horizon, 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year. Thank you to everyone who made January such a success. If you are a staff or faculty member with a community project or a student with a great idea for a project reach out! Let’s keep building something incredible together.