UTRECHT, NL (October 20, 2023) On Friday, October 20, in Utrecht, Netherlands, Enactus Wilfrid Laurier University joined the National Champion teams from Egypt, Tunisia, and Australia in delivering their world-class presentations to a panel of global business executives during the Final Round of Competition at Enactus World Cup 2023. The final teams were the top contenders from 29 countries that competed earlier in the week.
The Enactus team from Kafr El Sheikh University, Egypt was named the Enactus World Cup 2023 champions and winners of the Ford Better World Award for the presentation of their social innovation, Hermeita, which leverages concepts of the circular economy by utilizing the black soldier fly to address challenges such as food waste and sharp increases in the cost of fish and animal feed. The student team from the Tunis Business School in Tunisia took home second place.
With a Top 4 finish at the Enactus World Cup 2023, Enactus Wilfrid Laurier University cemented an 8th consecutive appearance for Canada at the Final Round of Competition, dating back to the Enactus World Cup 2016 in Toronto, Ontario.
“The Enactus Laurier team is nothing short of remarkable,” says Allyson Hewitt, President & CEO of Enactus Canada. “The work these students are doing to help people and communities both at home and across the globe is a shining example of the resilience and strength of our Canadian network. Watching their presentation on the big stage had the entire country bursting with pride.”
The competition was just one of many elements of the four-day Enactus World Cup. Other events included the Finals of the Action with Africa Challenge, SDG Excursions highlighting social innovations around Utrecht, a screening of the Enactus France documentary, “Always Dare,” and a special session to discuss SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production.
Chair of the Enactus Country Network Steering Committee and founder of Enactus Canada, Ian Aitken, was recognized for his longtime commitment to Enactus with the Global Champion award. “My dedication to Enactus is fueled by the amazing students the organization serves. Each year, I return to Enactus World Cup to see their talents and passion applied to improve the lives of people, our planet, and our prosperity. Enactus has a lifelong impact on and through students,” said Aitken.
Enactus also conferred the Global Alumni of the Year award to Mirko De Pascalis, an alumnus of Enactus Italy. To emphasize that sustainable mobility is a collective call to action, De Pascalis biked from his home in Italy to the event in the Netherlands, covering more than 1,200 Km.”
At Enactus World Cup, students compete, collaborate, make intercultural connections, and are inspired to further develop skills that foster social entrepreneurship. The Enactus World Cup is the culmination of a year or more of innovation by students launching social enterprises as part of Enactus, a network of leaders committed to using business as a catalyst for positive social and environmental impact. Enactus
educates, inspires, and supports young people to use innovation and entrepreneurship to solve the world’s biggest problems utilizing the framework of the United Nations’ 17 Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At the closing ceremonies, it was announced that the Enactus World Cup 2024 will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, marking the first time that the global celebration and competition will be held in central Asia.
The event would not have been possible without the host country Enactus Netherlands, and much-needed support from joint venture partner Enactus Canada. “We look back on a wonderful event and are proud to have had the opportunity to host it in the Netherlands for the first time. I especially want to thank those who came together to make this Enactus World Cup possible,” says Enactus Netherlands Country Director Nancy Moorman.
Event sponsors included the Ford Motor Company Fund which provided $90,000 USD (US dollars) in cash prizes to help scale the social enterprises of the Final Four teams, as well as corporate, philanthropic, and individual donors.
-30-
ABOUT ENACTUS CANADA: Enactus Canada, a national charity and the country’s largest post-secondary experiential learning platform, is shaping entrepreneurial leaders who are passionate about advancing the economic, social, and environmental health of Canada. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, more than 1,600 post-secondary students led 166 community empowerment projects and business ventures last year in communities coast to coast, directly impacting over 40,000 lives.
As a global network of 33 countries, Enactus uses the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. For more information, visit enactus.ca.
Media Inquiries:
Tyler Maddigan
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Enactus Canada
tyler@enactus.ca | 709.725.8931