Catalyzing Impact: The Next Generation of Impact Entrepreneurs
UCalgary and XPRIZE are pleased to invite you to a dynamic presentation and conversation with local and global leaders at the forefront of impact innovation.
First, keynote, Dr. Ghada Nafie will share her engineering entrepreneurship journey to creating Litus, a company that’s commercializing nanomaterials to extract lithium from briny water.
This talk will be followed by an interactive panel discussion with insight into mobilizing capital for early-stage ventures to transforming healthcare systems and designing global competitions. Our panel brings together diverse perspectives on how philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and radical innovation can tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
Explore the XPRIZE approach to radical innovation—alongside insights from UCeed investment funds and grassroots health entrepreneurship—while gaining real-world strategies for turning bold ideas into action.
Keynote:
Dr. Ghada Nafie, CEO and co-founder, Litus; Instructor, Schulich School of Engineering
Panelists:
Andrew Tauhert, Chief Impact Officer, XPRIZE
Pete Santosham, Executive Director, UCeed Funds, University of Calgary
Sue Crawford, Nurse and Social Entrepreneur; Co-founder & CEO, Enable; Manager, Health Systems Transformation Initiative
Moderated by:
Guy Levesque, Executive Director, Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking
With over $519 million awarded in prize purses, XPRIZE is a global leader in designing competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. UCeed is fueling Calgary’s innovation pipeline, and social entrepreneurs like Sue Crawford are reimagining systems from the ground up.
This session is tailored for students and researchers passionate about the business of impact, and how bold thinking can drive systemic change—locally and globally.
Agenda
8:30 am - 9:00 am: Registration & Networking breakfast
9:00 am - 9:10 am: Welcome and intro to XPRIZE
9:10 am - 9:35 am: Keynote Talk - Dr. Ghada Nafie
9:35 am - 10:30 am: Panel Discussion
10:30 am – 10:50 am: Networking in Hunter Hub foyer