Victoria youth wins national award for potentially life-saving innovation
A young man from Victoria recently brought home a prestigious national award from the Ingenious+ youth innovation challenge in the category of entrepreneurship and technology.
The Ingenious+ awards are presented to successful nominees aged 14 to 18-years-old and funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF), which is based out of Ottawa and funds its winners’ projects all across Canada.
Liam Pope-Lau won this Ingenious+ award for LifeHeat, a self-heating survival pack that works underwater.
LifeHeat is described as a water-activated self-heating survival pack developed to help prevent hypothermia.
Pope-Lau designed this product to automatically begin generating heat when immersed in water.
The young inventor says it is made of recycled materials, is refillable and can retrofit any lifejacket.
“I am honoured to receive this award from the Rideau Hall Foundation,” says Pope-Lau.
“I’m excited to use the funding and mentorship to drive positive change in BC and beyond.”
Along with the award, Pope-Lau will also receive $10,000 as well as opportunities for mentorship and guidance in the next steps in his journey as a young innovator.
He was one of 16 others who were recognized for their efforts.
Of those 16, five winners were selected for their projects in community and civic engagement, climate change and the environment, equity and inclusion, health and well-being, and technology and entrepreneurship.
“We are thrilled to celebrate young innovators like Liam from coast to coast to coast,” said Teresa Marques, President and CEO of the RHF.
“Ingenious+ is about empowering Canada’s next generation of changemakers to improve lives through creative thinking, and we are excited to see where this achievement takes them.”
Applications for next year’s Ingenious+ youth innovation challenge will open fall 2024, according to the RHF.
