The 2026 Global Innovation Fellowship is off to a fantastic start!
This year’s fellowship brings together university students from across Canada and Zambia to collaborate on innovative solutions to rural energy access challenges. Canadian fellows from Université Laval, Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Alberta, and Toronto Metropolitan University have been paired with students from the University of Zambia (UNZA) and the University of Lusaka (UNILUS). Together, they have formed five multidisciplinary teams, each consisting of three Zambian and three Canadian students.
Over the past several weeks, fellows have participated in an engaging series of virtual learning sessions focused on problem discovery, customer discovery, and Entrepreneurship 101. These sessions have been expertly facilitated by the League of Innovators, whose team has done an outstanding job introducing fellows to the entrepreneurial mindset, human-centred design, and problem-solving approaches that are at the heart of EWB Canada’s work in sustainable development. By investing in the next generation of innovators and leaders, the fellowship is equipping participants with the skills and confidence to create solutions that are rooted in community needs and capable of driving lasting impact.
Fellows have also had the opportunity to learn from Schneider Electric, one of EWB Canada’s corporate partners, through an inspiring session on leveraging technology to expand access to sustainable energy solutions. In addition, participants joined an Expert in Residence session led by EWB Canada alumnus William Tremblay, founder of OVO Solar Technologies, who shared his experience building affordable, income-generating solar technologies for smallholder farmers in developing countries and offered valuable insights into social entrepreneurship.
Some of the GIF participants during the Schneider Electric Virtual session.
Next week marks an exciting milestone in the fellowship as the Zambian fellows travel to Eastern Zambia to visit the communities where EWB Canada’s Engineering Better Tomorrows (EBT) project is currently installing solar systems at Chimtende Rural Health Post and Dambe Primary School and Rural Health Post. The field visit will give fellows the opportunity to engage directly with community members, better understand local energy challenges, and validate the ideas they have been developing throughout the fellowship. Following the visit, the Zambian students will share their insights with their Canadian teammates, enabling each team to refine their innovations and ensure they are grounded in the needs and priorities of the communities they are designed to serve.
The fellowship will culminate in late August with the GIF Innovation Pitch Event, where each team will present its final innovation to a panel of judges, partners, and members of the EWB community. We are excited to see the creative, user-centred solutions that emerge from this unique international collaboration and look forward to celebrating the achievements of this year’s fellows.
Interested in joining the next Global Innovation Fellowship cohort? We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to your local EWB chapter or the EWB Canada National Office to learn more about how you can get involved in next year’s fellowship.
