The City’s 2024 Maple Ridge Innovation Challenge invites residents and the local business community to nominate Maple Ridge businesses who demonstrate innovation in their products, processes, or services to compete for one of three cash prizes totalling $7,000. Nominations are being accepted from June 1 to September 2, 2024, and businesses are welcome to self-nominate.

Now in its fourth year, the Maple Ridge Innovation Challenge raises awareness of and celebrates the innovation already happening in the local business community. The initiative also helps foster a community spirit of ingenuity and creativity for companies in all sectors and sizes—from heavy industrial to handcrafts, major corporations to home-based enterprises—encouraging the friendly competition that helps drive growth and change.

“We want to show Maple Ridge residents and businesses that innovation isn’t confined to a laboratory or research centre,” says Tyler Westover, Director of Economic Development. “Innovation is happening in every corner of the business community, and it’s important that we recognize innovation in all its forms and celebrate the companies and people for the efforts they’re making every day.”

Nominate a Business by September 2
• Anyone can nominate a business and companies are welcome to self-nominate.
• All sectors and sizes of businesses are eligible.
• The winners must be located in Maple Ridge and have a current business licence.

Winners will receive $4,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place. The program’s returning Premiere sponsor, Ridge Meadows College, has supported the cash prizes.

The judging panel will include MLAs Lisa Bear and Bob D’Eith, Mayor and Council, and a representative of Ridge Meadows College. The winners will be announced during Small Business Month in October.

More details, including the nomination form, are available at MapleRidge.ca/InnovationChallenge.

Previous winners

2023
• 1st place: Brookfield Farm – implemented a robotic milking system
• 2nd place: Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corp. – developed a material that renders a target invisible by bending light waves around it
• 3rd place: Once Upon a Tea Leaf – launched a wholesale division to complement their local retail outlet
2022 – Pitt Meadows Plumbing & Mechanical Systems
2021 – Maple Ridge | Pitt Meadows | Kwantlen Seniors Network

For additional information, contact:
Karen Hansen
City of Maple Ridge | Economic Development
T 604 467 7320
E khansen@mapleridge.ca