By Rithanya Jaganathan
STEM Innovation High School
Each year, Platform Calgary selects 10 students in Grade 11 who are passionate about pursuing entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation.
Winners Rithanya Jaganathan and Inayat Kang from STEM IA high school were selected as recipients of this scholarship and were awarded a $1,000 cash prize, along with personal invitations to exclusive tech events across the city, along with private tours of leading tech facilities.
Personally, winning the 10X Future Founders Scholarship opened avenues to incredible opportunities where I had the chance to connect with inspiring people and expand my network. Here’s a glimpse into my experience so far!
DevFest is an event that happens worldwide, driven by Google Developer Groups, where tech enthusiasts come together to share ideas, learn about new technologies, and connect. Attending this event was eye-opening; I participated in fun but educational workshops, listened to speakers, and engaged with lots of experts!
Some of my highlights were connecting with professionals from ATB Financial, Google, and Warner Bros. who not only shared their expertise, but also provided advice to help advance our start-up. It was an amazing opportunity for developing lasting connections; I’m still in touch with several of them today!
Launch Party: Insights Into Start-Ups
The Launch Party is organized every year, and it showcases the Top 10 startups in Calgary. This presents a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their achievements and innovations. Speaking with the founders of these successful startups was truly enlightening. I learned about the challenges and rewards of building a business from the ground up, and deepened my understanding of startup culture.
This event also provided an amazing networking experience, as I was surrounded by tech professionals, investors and entrepreneurs. I networked and made several connections that have already proven beneficial. I also had the chance to speak with industry leaders who shared advice about scaling our startup, and spoke about strategies and initial steps we could take in order to grow.
Looking Ahead: Opportunities for Students The 10X Future Founders Scholarship is a great opportunity for highschoolers passionate about technology, entrepreneurship and innovation. It’s an annual opportunity that I highly recommend to eligible students. If interested, make sure to apply next year and look out for tech-related events and opportunities. This may be the beginning of an exciting journey, so get ready for what’s in store!
STEMIA Journal 