2025 Systems Innovation Challenge

At Innovation North, our research and experience have shown that addressing today’s complex challenges demands future leaders equipped with innovative and holistic problem-solving approaches. We are committed to fostering these critical skills, including systems thinking. 

Systems thinking is an approach to understanding and addressing complex problems. It reveals and tackles interconnected systems by focusing on the relationships and interactions between the system’s components rather than just the individual parts. Systems thinking differs from conventional problem-solving methods like the scientific method or design thinking. It involves deepening awareness, recognizing patterns, and making underlying structures visible. This approach guides decision-making by considering long-term, and large-scale, impacts and the broader context of actions toward desirable futures. 

The 2025 Systems Innovation Challenge is a Canada-wide student challenge organized by Innovation North and powered by Ivey Business School and BMO Academy. This year’s Challenge focuses on mental health and wellness, particularly as it manifests in reduced well-being at work and within organizational settings.

Participants in the Challenge will have the opportunity to apply critical- and systems thinking approaches to develop actionable ideas for these complex, real-world issues.  

What To Expect

The 2025 Systems Innovation Challenge is made up of two stages: 

In the Nurture stage, students will be introduced to a complex, systems-level problem and discover how they might approach tackling it through a series of 5 virtual workshops focused on how to use systems thinking to tackle complex problems. Following the workshops, teams will submit a deliverable showcasing your learnings and understanding of the problem. 

Select teams will proceed to the Navigate stage, where they will have the opportunity to deepen their thinking on another related challenge and interact directly with leaders of the corporate partner. This challenge will be announced at an in-person studio session where these selected teams will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and interact with other participants from across Canada and receive guidance from mentors and experts. In the weeks that follow the in-person session, they will have opportunities to engage virtually with the corporate partner before making a final presentation.  

Teams with the most feasible, scalable, or creative solutions will be awarded up to $15K in cash prizes and additional opportunities to partner with Innovation North. Finalists will also earn a digital badge via Credly to display on LinkedIn or include on their resume.  

Eligibility

The 2025 Systems Innovation Challenge is open to all post-secondary students across Canada. This includes undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students at any university or college. Students must form a team of 3-5 members and submit one application for their team. No prior knowledge about systems thinking or expertise in mental health or wellbeing is required. We welcome diverse perspectives and fresh ideas from students across all disciplines. 

Program Dates

An info session took place on October 1. Watch the recording here:

Nurture Stage

  • Tuesday, November 5, 6-7:30PM ET: Kick-Off &  Holistic approaches to complex problems 
  • Thursday, November 7, 6-7PM ET:  Deepening awareness: embracing complexity beyond simple solutions 
  • Tuesday, November 12: 6-7PM ET:  Ideation and theories of change: what constitutes good ideas
  • Thursday, November 14, 6-7PM ET:  Building capacities for action: where impact and resilience align 
  • Tuesday, November 19, 6-7PM ET:  Navigating challenges: inspiring collective action
  • Sunday, December 1 at 11:59PM ET: Submission Deadline 

Navigate Stage (open to select teams)

  • Saturday, January 18 (all-day): Showcase & Kick-Off (in Toronto) 
  • Thursday, January 23: First Dialogue with BMO
  • Thursday, January 30: Second Dialogue with BMO
  • Thursday, February 6: Third Dialogue with BMO
  • Friday, February 14: Final Presentations 

All workshops and sessions will be hosted virtually by Zoom except for the Navigate stage kick-off, which will take place in Toronto (travel-related costs will be reimbursed by Innovation North following the session).

Apply

Applications for the 2025 Systems Innovation Challenge have now closed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be an engineer, medical, or business student to participate?  

Prior knowledge about systems thinking or expertise in mental health or wellbeing is not necessary. We welcome diverse perspectives and fresh ideas from students across all disciplines. 

Can I apply as an individual?

We only accept applications from teams. If you haven’t built a team yet, visit this Miro board to connect with other individuals looking to form a team.

Can I form a team of students from different programs or schools? 

Yes, diversity among your team is encouraged – this can include members from different programs, degree levels, and/or schools across Canada.

When will my team know if we’ve been selected to participate? 

After applications close on Sunday, October 20 at 11:59PM, our team will review each one and assess your team’s readiness to develop solutions to complex issues. We anticipate providing an update on the status of your application no later than Friday, October 25. 

How much time should I plan to commit to the 2025 Systems Innovation Challenge? 

You should plan to commit up to 5 hours per week to participate in the Challenge. We ask that you attend all sessions listed under Program Dates, and if selected, be willing to travel to Toronto, ON for the in-person studio session.

Can I re-apply if I was not selected to participate or didn’t move past the Nurture Stage in 2024? 

Yes! Re-applications from past applicants and participants who didn’t move past the Nurture Stage are welcome. Please mention this in your application.  

Is this a case competition? 

No, this isn’t another case competition. Innovation North’s Studio endeavours to be a highly collaborative, creative, and playful space that will develop novel, actionable ideas to tackle real-world complex challenges. 

Where can I learn about last year’s Challenge?

Visit this page to learn more about the 2024 Systems Innovation Challenge, which was powered by Walmart Canada.

How many teams are selected to move from the Nurture Stage to the Navigate Stage?

At the end of the Nurture Stage your team will submit a final deliverable that will be evaluated against a set of criteria provided during the workshops. Approximately 10 to 15 teams will advance to the Navigate stage, depending on the quality of the submissions. 

Still have questions?

Contact the program team at: innovationnorthstudio@ivey.ca