The Youth Impact Challenge is accepting applications for its 2026 Summer Innovation Challenge, offering funding and mentorship to young Canadians developing projects with social or environmental impact.

The organization is hoping more young Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurs will apply by the deadline at end-of-day on Monday, July 20.

The virtual program is open to teams of at least three founders between the ages of 16 and 25 who are based in Canada. International students are also eligible to apply. Applicants must be working on an idea that has received less than $5,000 in previous funding.

The organization said it has supported more than 4,000 young people since launching its first Summer Innovation Challenge in 2020.

The competition is aimed at youth-led initiatives addressing environmental or social issues. Examples of eligible projects include community urban gardens, mobile apps that help revitalize Indigenous languages, clean energy promotion programs, climate-focused social media campaigns, sustainable clothing exchange platforms, and machine learning tools for improving underwater surveys.

The top 20 teams selected for the challenge will each receive $500 in seed funding and advance to the program's next stage. Participants will also receive mentorship, workshops and networking opportunities.

The finalists will compete in a live grand final, where the winning team will receive a $3,000 grand prize. In total, the organization said it will provide more than $15,000 in funding through the program.

Shitangshu Roy, the Halifax-based executive director of the Youth Impact Challenge, said the organization is encouraging applications from across Canada, with a particular focus on increasing participation from Atlantic Canada.

More information and application details are available on the Youth Impact Challenge website. The application deadline is Monday, July 20, at 11:59 p.m. PDT.