EWB Global Innovation Fellowship

The Global Innovation Fellowship (GIF) is a 16-week, cohort-based innovation program that brings together students from EWB chapters in Canada and their peers in Africa to work on real-world development challenges. Running from May to August each year, the Fellowship supports cross-continental teams to move from problem understanding to tested, systems-informed solution concepts.

GIF builds on EWB Canada’s long-standing work in developing globally minded engineers and innovators, and on the success of earlier programs such as the Canada–Africa Innovation Fellowship (CAIF). It is designed for students who want to apply their technical skills, creativity, and curiosity to challenges that matter alongside peers from different contexts and perspectives.

Canadian applicants must:

• Be an undergraduate student enrolled at a Canadian university
• Be in second year of study or above at the time of application
• Expect to have at least one year remaining in their degree after the Fellowship (for example, participating in 2026 and graduating in 2027)
• Be affiliated with an EWB university chapter (or interested in starting one)
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person (e.g. refugee), or an international student holding a valid Canadian student visa
• Be 18 years or older at the time of application

You do not have to be an engineer to participate in the program. Students from engineering and other STEM disciplines are strongly encouraged to apply, and students from other fields are welcome to apply as well.

You do not need to be a registered EWB member to apply. However, applicants must apply through an EWB university chapter. If your campus does not currently have an EWB chapter, you are still encouraged to apply and you can indicate this in the application form, and the EWB team will follow up.

Successful candidates will be required to complete EWB membership onboarding before the program begins.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply as a self-selected team of three Canadian students, ideally people you would want to work closely with over the summer. These teammates effectively act as your co-founders throughout the Fellowship.

That said, individual applications are welcome. If you apply individually, the EWB program team try to may match you with other Canadian fellows based on factors such as chapter affiliation, location, time zone, and complementary skills. However, it is not guaranteed that we will be able to match you with a team if you apply as an individual. Team matching is used both as a backup option and as a deliberate design choice to promote diversity, balance, and strong collaboration.

Final teams for the Fellowship consist of three Canadian fellows and three African fellows. 

Each GIF team includes:

• 3 students from Canada
• 3 students from an African partner country

Teams are intentionally multidisciplinary and cross-cultural. This structure is central to the Fellowship’s learning experience and reflects how real-world development and innovation challenges are tackled.

Fellows will work on real-world challenge areas connected to EWB Canada’s Engineering Brighter Tomorrows (EBT) program, which focuses on expanding access to renewable energy in underserved communities in rural.

The Fellowship is centered on rural electrification and energy access as a powerful driver of broader systems change improving healthcare delivery, education outcomes, economic opportunity, and community resilience.

Teams will explore how clean energy solutions can create lasting community benefit, while navigating the technical, social, and systems-level realities that shape sustainable development.

Challenge areas may include:

• Renewable energy systems for rural health centres and schools
• Community-scale electrification and productive energy use
• Barriers to equitable energy access and long-term maintenance
• Innovation opportunities that strengthen local ownership and impact

Rather than starting with a predefined solution, fellows will be guided to define their problem statements within these themes, grounding their work in systems thinking, community needs, and practical constraints.

GIF is a part-time, flexible program. Fellows should expect to commit approximately 5–10 hours per week.

The program includes a mix of:

• Live virtual workshops and check-ins (scheduled in advance)
• Team meetings (self-organized)
• Independent and collaborative work

Because teams span multiple time zones, flexibility and proactive communication are important. The program is designed to be compatible with summer courses, internships, or part-time work.

No single technical background is required. EWB strongly believes that complex challenges benefit from interdisciplinary approaches.

Applicants are selected based on a combination of:

• Curiosity and motivation
• Ability to work collaboratively
• Interest in systems thinking and ethical innovation
• Relevant academic, technical, or experiential skills

Students from engineering and other STEM disciplines are highly encouraged, but diverse multi-disciplinary perspectives are valued.

The Global Innovation Fellowship is very competitive. Each cohort admits a limited number of students to ensure meaningful mentorship, strong team dynamics, and a high-quality learning experience. 

From our Chapter community in Canada, we will only be accepting 12 students, or 4 teams, this year.

Selection is based on both individual strength and team composition, including demonstrated commitment, alignment with the Fellowship’s goals, and readiness to engage deeply over the summer.

Each team is supported by:

• A dedicated mentor from EWB’s alumni network, industry, academia, or partner organizations
• Structured learning sessions and tools on systems thinking, innovation, and impact
• Modest prototype and seed funding during the program
• Ongoing guidance from the EWB program team

The Fellowship is primarily virtual during the 16-week program.

At the end of the program:

• Top-performing teams receive additional financial seed capital to continue developing their innovations
• The winning team is offered a competitive opportunity for international travel

For the winning team:

• Canadian fellows may travel to an African partner country for 1–3 months in the following year to continue building their innovation
• African fellows will travel to Canada to participate in EWB Canada’s national xChange Conference

For African fellows, visas and travel costs for xChange 2027 are fully covered. While travel is not guaranteed for all participants, it is a key capstone opportunity for top teams.

In addition, fellows based in the same country or city may have opportunities for in-person meetups during the program.

Yes. Core guides and learning materials will be made available in accessible formats, and selected materials may be translated to support participation across contexts.

Reliable internet access is required to participate and access to a laptop.

Yes. All EWB chapter members, including executives and presidents, are eligible to apply.

The program is restricted to members of EWB student chapters, or individuals with a demonstrated interest to start an EWB chapter.

The program is restricted to EWB student chapter members. However, if you are a professional, or a member of  an EWB Professional Chapter, who is interested in applying, please contact fellowships@ewb.ca to discuss your eligibility. 

You might be a great fit for the Global Innovation Fellowship if you:

• Want to apply your studies to real-world challenges beyond the classroom
• Are curious about global development, systems change, and ethical innovation 
• Are comfortable working across multiple time zones.
• Are comfortable working across cultures
• Enjoy working in teams and learning from people with different perspectives
• Are comfortable navigating ambiguity and complex problems
• Can commit 5–10 hours per week over the summer

You do not need to have a fully formed idea, prior startup experience, or all the answers. GIF is designed for students who are ready to learn, contribute, and grow.