Students power local impact at Experience Ventures Solutions Lab finale

A proposal for a vending machine dispensing local snacks took first prize at this year's Experience Ventures Solutions Lab, which tasked students to develop an equitable, scalable and feasible solution to support the Buy Canadian movement. 

This year’s winning idea was spearheaded by Kiera Driediger (Haskayne School of Business), Hymns Chu (Haskayne), Leah Coil (Faculty of Science), Malak Diab (Haskayne) and Semi Park (Faculty of Arts).

Solutions Lab, established in 2021 at the University of Calgary's Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, provides a unique opportunity for students to learn about and champion social innovation. The program teaches students to leverage entrepreneurial thinking as they tackle real-world issues and design creative solutions with local impact.

For the winning team, participating in Solutions Lab was an opportunity to put the community first. 

“In supporting this movement, we’re helping our locals feel valued and seen, and I believe that is what it means to support your community and the people in it,” says Diab. “We’re all here for each other.”

Introducing a new kind of vending machine 

BuyCan Mini Vending aims to make Canadian snacks accessible to everyone. 

More than just a vending machine, the team envisions the BuyCan Mini as a smart, modular platform with a 21.5-inch touchscreen, rotating snack offerings, real-time inventory tracking and AI integration.  

“The winning team stood out because they balanced creativity with practicality,” says Sarah Topps, senior manager, partnerships and engagement at the Hunter Hub. Topps led the delivery of Solutions Lab at UCalgary. 

“Their solution was rooted in a strong understanding of the challenge, real-world market validation, and they presented a clear path from concept to implementation. They also demonstrated exceptional drive, and they were able to respond to judges’ questions with maturity and depth,” Topps says about the winning team, who also won the people’s choice award. 

“Ultimately, they delivered a solution that was both compelling and feasible.”

Helping changemakers make an impact

Experience Ventures Solutions Lab is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative. The program gives college and university students learning opportunities to prepare them as they enter the workforce. 

For Chu, Solutions Lab introduced a new way of learning. “This experience has allowed me to think big," Chu says. "Academic studies fit a specific paradigm, but, in this case, we got to come up with our own ideas.”

Driediger echoes a similar sentiment. “The main skill I had to use — which surprised me — was the ability to be flexible. The program was very open ended and very ambiguous,” she says. “So, for me, it was about learning how to be safe in ambiguity and trust that I can guide my own path.”

At its core, Experience Ventures is designed to foster entrepreneurial thinking skills to help participants thrive in the future, no matter what path they choose. 

“This whole cohort embodied the core elements of entrepreneurial thinking: curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to create the future they want to see,” Topps says. “They embraced experimentation, considered new perspectives, and didn’t shy away from tackling a complex challenge.

“Their openness to feedback and their drive to turn ideas into actionable solutions is exactly the mindset UCalgary aims to nurture across campus.”

Supporting local and strengthening the economy 

For Sasha Ivanov, the program validated the importance of the Buy Canadian movement. 

“I’ve been immersed in the Buy Canadian movement all year,” says Ivanov, BSc'17, MSc'21, who is the founder of Maple Scan and community partner for Solutions Lab. Ivanov also participated in the finale as a judge, marking a full-circle return to the Hunter Hub. 

“I was blown away. Every student came in with fresh eyes and new ways to approach this movement,” he says. 

Participating as a judge reinvigorated Ivanov’s motivation to keep pushing the Buy Canadian movement. 

“This started to really blow up in Calgary back in February. But there’s so much we can do to help promote Canadian brands, regardless of tariffs. We should always support our entrepreneurs and local communities,” Ivanov says. 

Get involved with Experience Ventures

For those who missed out on Solutions Lab, there are other opportunities to get involved with Experience Ventures. 

The 2026 Experience Ventures Hackathon is now open for applications and will focus on developing solutions to support affordable housing in Calgary. 

Over 16 hours, participants will work in teams, learn from mentors, and pitch their solutions for a chance to win a $1,000 team prize, all while earning a $325 honorarium for completing the program. No prior experience is required, and students from all faculties are encouraged to apply.

You can apply here.