Tech + Science

Youth Innovation Showcase announces 2021 finalists

The Science Fair Foundation of BC has announced the 10 finalists in its 2021 Youth Innovation Showcase.

By Saphiya Zerrouk /

The 10 contenders will pitch their ideas to industry judges for a chance to win one of three $5,000 prizes

B.C. has no shortage of innovators—and it looks like there are plenty more in the pipeline.

The Science Fair Foundation of BC just announced the 10 finalists in its 2021 Youth Innovation Showcase. Their projects, which span sectors such as healthtech, cleantech and space, include a self-watering plant pot, a biodiesel blend using recycled oil and a pathogen barrier for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Now in its third year, Showcase gives youth aged 12-24 from B.C. and Yukon a chance to participate in monthly workshops and talks with experts from a variety of industries. However, this year there were only submissions from two age categories. Over 12 months, contestants refine their ideas and present them to industry, academia and investors.

The Youth Innovation Showcase has been held virtually for the past two years, but the number of applicants keeps growing, with 71 students submitting projects in 2021. (This year, there were no submissions in the 20-24 age category.) Industry judges interviewed the finalists on May 26 and 27, and the winners will be announced at an awards show on June 10, with three $5,000 prizes up for grabs.

Here are the 2021 finalists and their innovations.

Age 12-15 

Dianna Hu, Victoria: Self-Watering Plant Pot (agritech)

Ishan Leung, Surrey: Stuck in the Middle With You – Using Technology to Cross the Midline (healthtech)

Keanu Chan, Cranbrook: NuDisc – A Novel Universal Internal Spinal Disc Design Concept (life sciences)

Nathan Yeung, Surrey: Hyperfocus – A New Kind of Timer (healthtech)

Sathvik Vinnakota, Surrey: The Kangaroo Distance Pouch (healthtech)

Age 16-19

Hayden Persad, Creston: Development of a Pathogen Barrier Device for Use in Hands-Only CPR (healthtech)

Jessica Tang, Surrey: A Novel Deep Reinforcement Learning Controller for Indoor Farming (agritech)

Kristina Garagan, Penticton: Frilled Explorer Drone (space)

Taya Lee, Victoria: Recycling Oil From Contaminated Water Using Azolla Filiculoides to Create a Biodiesel Blend (cleantech)

Timothy Cai, Surrey: Reusable, Biodegradable, Custom-Fit Masks (healthtech)