As a political science student, entrepreneurship isn't the first thing that attracts me. But as an Enactus student, any opportunity is a good one to create change, no matter your field. 

Across the world, Enactus is continually committed to motivating and empowering students to bring about positive change in their communities. In addition to its presence in universities, where its programs ignite students' passion for social entrepreneurship, Enactus organizes annual competitions to celebrate the achievements of these future leaders. These competitions allow them to meet industry leaders, network with their peers, and demonstrate the impact of their projects on their communities. Once again this year, the Enactus uOttawa team competed against other schools in Central Canada, each hoping to be named regional champion and advance to the final phase of the competitions held at the National Exposition. As a general member of the Enactus uOttawa team and a presenter at this year's competition, I have assessed my experience, from upstream practices to the awards ceremony. 

Preparing for the competition 

Last year's regional competition was a resounding success for the team. We returned from Mississauga in March 2024 with awards for our four different projects! Thus, we had to set the bar very high this year, hence the hard work of the whole team and the weekly rehearsals of the presentation and technical teams. 

Eight students from the university were tasked with presenting three projects on which the whole team, and in particular the innovation team, had to work hard to ensure they were ready for the competition. These three projects, designed to meet the requirements of the four challenges presented in the competition, are as follows: 

• Shki-Miikan, which provides incarcerated Indigenous with the tools to write culturally relevant books for children, competing in the TD Entrepreneurship Challenge
• The Project F.L.Y, which aims to empower young people through entrepreneurship, is part of the Desjardins Youth Empowerment Challenge. 
• Aqua Grid, which tackles ocean sustainability with innovative kelp farming systems designed to combat ocean acidification and restore marine life, is part of the Canadian Tire Environmental Sustainability Challenge and the Innovation and Impact Challenge.

After several rehearsals and with confidence in our projects, we left Ottawa on Wednesday, March 5 for Mississauga, where the competition took place. 

Day 1 - Arrival and atmosphere

After the arrival formalities, between check-in and hotel registration, we all met up with the teams from the other universities for the opening ceremony. I instantly found the hall energetic and the atmosphere so catchy, that it was hard to sit still without vibrating to the rhythm of the music. What's more, the different teams were audible as they chanted repeatedly and energetically: it already felt like a competition but in a more relaxed context. Calm returned to the room as Enactus Canada representatives began the ceremony, officially kicking off the competition. By this stage, each team had an idea of the time and room in which they would be presenting, which gave me a hint of stress as the scenario for day two took shape. 

Day 2 - Competition day and awards ceremony

What immediately struck me as admirable were the colours that each university sported in its outfit. Like us with the burgundy, the other teams were also dressed in the colours of their universities, proudly representing where they were coming from. Between enthusiasm and a bit of stress, you could read the different emotions on the faces of the participants even before the presentations began. 

It all started at 9:30 am. The first team to present from my university represented the Shki-Miikan project and the enthusiasm shown by Chaymaa and Tai, the presenters of this project, was indicative of the time and effort put into practicing this passage. 

After them, at exactly 10:42 a.m., Miranda and I presented Project F.L.Y. I'm particularly proud of the fact that we managed to memorize our text and present it without staggering. Aqua Grid brought the day's presentations to a close with our final two passages, which, like the previous ones, reflected everyone's hard work.  

The day was also an opportunity for me to discover the work of other schools. I particularly appreciated the project presented by Seneca Polytechnic as part of the Desjardins Youth Empowerment Challenge: Jobfit.ai. This project, which aims to facilitate access to employment for people with disabilities, struck me as original and powerful. The HEC Montréal team was also impressive with an engaging presentation and precise answers to the questions asked. Finally, I can't fail to mention Fleming College, for their captivating presentations, but above all for their boundless energy. After a moment of rest, photos and creating memories, we met again in the same room as the day before, but this time for the closing ceremony. 

I was led to believe that the teams were stressed and calm, waiting for the results, but I learned that at Enactus, it's more than that. The energy was similar to that of the day before, if not more so. With all the teams singing and, at the prize-giving, the whole room cheering and shouting for the winning teams, I told myself: what a team spirit! Fleming College even had special cheers for each university. 

In the end, my team is returning to Ottawa with two trophies for the two Aqua Grid presentations. Happy and proud of her team, Fabiha Adiba, President of Enactus uOttawa, congratulated everyone for their joint efforts in achieving this result. She also expressed her enthusiasm for the national competitions to be held in May this year. 

Participating in Enactus competitions is undoubtedly the best experience I've had as a member of this club. And it's even more of an honour to go as a presenter of the tireless work of the whole team. 

Contaminated by the atmosphere of the competition, I'll be happy to keep you up to date with the national competition in Calgary, from May 6 to 8 with my logbook’s reflections.