Meet the 2023 Cannon Lachapelle Award winners

The Hunter Hub has announced the winners of the $10,000 Cannon Lachapelle Award in Entrepreneurial Thinking. These remarkable individuals have demonstrated exceptional dedication to entrepreneurial thinking, innovation, and creativity in their respective fields. The Cannon Lachapelle Award, established by Dr. M. Elizabeth Cannon and Dr. Gérard Lachapelle in 2019, recognizes and supports undergraduate students who embody ingenuity and the entrepreneurial spirit.

Ronaar Qureshi – Cumming School of Medicine

Ronaar Qureshi, a third-year bioinformatics student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours program, emphasizes, "entrepreneurial thinking is very important because it allows us to create innovations that will drive our future." As a co-founder and chief operating officer of an education business and a contributor to an interactive game-based solution for youth cannabis abuse, Qureshi's commitment to addressing societal challenges stands out. 

Qaim Khalfan – Haskayne School of Business & Faculty of Arts

Qaim Khalfan, a fourth-year business and political science student, and an independent music artist, recognizes the value of entrepreneurial spirit in any profession. His involvement with the Hunter Hub, academic success in ENTI 317, and competition achievements at the 2023 RBC Fast Pitch with JustMusic showcased his commitment to entrepreneurial thinking. Winning the Cannon Lachapelle Award will be instrumental in launching JustMusic and further nurturing Khalfan's entrepreneurial skills as he aspires to become an entertainment lawyer.

Ramin Kahidi – Cumming School of Medicine

Ramin Kahidi, a bioinformatics student with the Cumming School of Medicine, emphasizes the application of skills learned in courses to address real-world problems. His team's success in the Hunter Hub Launchpad program and international competitions, including the Bangkok Business Challenge, demonstrates the impact of entrepreneurial thinking in biotech. 

Thanishque Harshaa – Schulich School of Engineering

Thanishque Harshaa, a second-year software engineering student, sees the Cannon Lachapelle Award as motivation to transition from being a developer to exploring the business and entrepreneurial side of software engineering. His innovative project, Snap Greens, reflects his commitment to biodiversity preservation through an incentivized mobile app. “It's also giving me the motivation and inspiration to go beyond just being a developer,” says Harshaa.

Congratulations to Ronaar Qureshi, Qaim Khalfan, Ramin Kahidi, and Thanishque Harshaa on this well-deserved recognition!