Stu Clark New Venture Championships Crowns 2026 Champions

For three days, Downtown Winnipeg became the place to be as the next generation of entrepreneurs, founders, and changemakers took the stage at the Stu Clark New Venture Championships.

From April 30 to May 2, student entrepreneurs from across North America gathered at the Fairmont Winnipeg for the 2026 Stu Clark New Venture Championships, bringing bold ideas, breakthrough technologies, and socially driven ventures to one of Canada's largest business plan competitions.

Hosted by the Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Manitoba, this year's Championships set a record, with more than 150 applications received from universities across North America. Following a highly competitive selection process, only 32 teams, 16 undergraduate and 16 graduate ventures, earned a spot to compete in Winnipeg for more than $72,000 in cash prizes.

But beyond the competition itself, the weekend became a celebration of entrepreneurship, collaboration, and the future of innovation.
 

Transforming Healthcare Through Early Detection

The graduate track showcased ventures tackling some of the world's most pressing challenges, with first place awarded to NeuroFore from Washington University in St. Louis.

Founded by neuroscience PhD student Hamasa Ebadi, NeuroFore has developed a SaaS platform that uses patent-pending machine learning algorithms to detect Parkinson's disease up to 10 years earlier than current diagnostic methods, prioritizing non-motor symptoms often overlooked in traditional screening.

For Ebadi, the win represented more than a trophy; it reflected the power of returning, learning, and refining.

"Winning the Stu Clark New Venture Championships has given us another validation and a step closer to FDA approval," said Ebadi. "This win goes back to the Stu Clark community and all the feedback we received last year. We appreciate this community immensely."

The venture's journey underscored one of the defining elements of the Championships: founders are challenged not only to pitch their ideas, but to evolve them through mentorship, and real-world business feedback. 
 

Innovating in Industries Often Overlooked

In the undergraduate track, top honours went to StableInsights from Western University for its innovative approach to smart horse blanketing.

The team's smart horse blanket tracks vital signs, including heart rate and temperature, in real time, helping horse owners identify early warning signs of potentially life-threatening conditions such as colic.

For the team, the experience extended far beyond the competition stage.

"This weekend has given us more than just a competition — it gave us connections and feedback we will carry with us forever," the team shared.

"Winning has proven to us that we are moving in the right direction."
 

Building Community Through Entrepreneurship

Throughout the weekend, students connected with investors, industry leaders, mentors, and fellow entrepreneurs, transforming the Championships into far more than a business plan competition.

The event created meaningful opportunities for founders to test ideas, strengthen business models, and build relationships within Canada's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Celebrating Social Innovation and Creative Problem-Solving

In addition to the main business plan competition, the Championships recognized ventures making an impact through storytelling, technology, and social entrepreneurship.

The undergraduate team Power of Play from McMaster University and the graduate team Sielo Robotics from the University of Ottawa earned top honours in the Video Pitch Competition.

Social Entrepreneurship Awards were presented to DevMinds from Johns Hopkins University and AssisTech SmartShower from Rice University, ventures focused on creating meaningful social impact through innovation.
 

A Glimpse into the Future

This year's Championships featured ventures tackling global issues across healthcare, climate, agriculture, and artificial intelligence, from AI-powered drones for wildfire prediction to robotics designed to manage invasive weeds.

The competition also highlighted Manitoba-based innovation, with Amani Health and Wellness from the University of Manitoba earning an Honourable Mention in the undergraduate division.

As the final pitches concluded inside the Winnipeg Centre Ballroom on May 2, one thing was clear: the impact of the Stu Clark New Venture Championships reaches far beyond a single weekend.

For many student founders, the Championships are not simply the end of a competition — they are the beginning of what comes next.