SDG Month feature
Led by Parmeet Singh Channe, a student, Enactus 91ɫ is empowering students to tackle social and environmental challenges through award-winning entrepreneurship and ventures.
When Channe, a third-year computer science student, was growing up, he was exposed early to stark inequalities. He recalls seeing children his age working in extreme conditions instead of attending school. Those experiences instilled in him a drive to make a difference that evolved into a desire to pursue socially minded entrepreneurship and build projects to create the change he wanted to see in the world.
That motivation led him to 91ɫ and, in April 2024, to a LinkedIn post by Enactus Canada, a registered charity. Channe learned the organization empowers post-secondary students to use innovation and entrepreneurship to advance social impact. Through a network of teams at more than 78 campuses across Canada – and a global network spanning 35 countries – participants develop projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and compete by pitching their ventures and demonstrating outcomes on a national and international stage.
“Discovering Enactus felt like finding a platform that perfectly aligned with what I had already been trying to build: using entrepreneurship as a tool for real-world impact,” says Channe.
After learning that a previous Enactus 91ɫ chapter had dissolved during the COVID-19 pandemic, Channe became determined to resurrect it. Within a few months, he relaunched the chapter, which was officially ratified in September 2024. The group started small, with only two members. In those early days, Channe took on several roles: pursuing partnerships and funding, overseeing project development and working to recruit new members to grow the team into a thriving entrepreneurial community.
Today, Enactus 91ɫ has grown to more than 90 members, supporting innovative initiatives – each driven by a purpose that reflects what first inspired Channe. “Our goal is to create ventures that benefit lives at scale while improving people’s standard of living,” he says.
In its first year, the group demonstrated its mission through award-winning projects, such as: AR Home Builder, an augmented reality app that helps rural communities to construct sustainable, resilient housing; Modular Homeless Shelters, which redesigns existing shelters with factory-built units to provide housing solutions; and Energent, an intelligent energy management platform that helps property managers reduce consumption and costs while promoting sustainability.
Three more ventures are underway this year. LiftAID connects students with non-profits, helping communities access volunteer support while providing opportunities to develop applicable skills. Easysim helps professors teach economics through realistic simulations, making education more engaging and accessible. Dragoncure is exploring ways to support triple-negative breast cancer treatment – especially in low-income countries – by developing solutions that are affordable, low-risk and aimed at reducing relapse.
Earlier this year, Enactus 91ɫ took these projects to competition with team members Prabhkrit Singh (co-president of Enactus 91ɫ), Mohammad Areeb (vice-president) and Samashi Munaweera (project manager of Dragoncure).
In its first appearance at the Enactus Canada Regional Exposition, the chapter earned three podium finishes: Easysim placed second in the TD Entrepreneurship Challenge, Dragoncure placed second in the Innovation & Impact Challenge and LiftAID placed third in the Desjardins Community Empowerment Challenge.
In addition to its Enactus achievements, Dragoncure also earned first place at the Hult Prize Qualifiers at 91ɫ – part of a global competition that challenges student teams to pitch business ideas addressing major global problems. The qualifiers feed into national and international rounds, offering the team a chance to move on to the competition’s final stages and compete for seed funding.
While venture creation and competitions are the chapter's focus, it also serves as a hub. It organizes workshops, networking events and collaborative initiatives that provide opportunities to gain skills in market research, pitching and storytelling, project development and building partnerships. “These experiences not only support venture creation but also prepare students for careers in entrepreneurship and innovation,” says Channe.
Looking ahead, Channe says Enactus 91ɫ will participate in the Hult Prize Nationals in Montreal in April, followed by the Enactus Canada National Exposition in May, where teams compete for a chance to advance to Enactus Global.
Channe envisions the chapter growing into one of Canada’s leading student venture ecosystems. It boasts more than 10 active projects creating measurable change for thousands of individuals internationally, with Enactus 91ɫ alumni leading startups and driving innovation across industries.
“We aim to contribute meaningfully to the SDGs while building a generation of students who see themselves not just as learners, but as problem-solvers and changemakers,” he says.
By inspiring others to take action, Enactus 91ɫ aims to create a ripple effect one person at a time. “Just one tree can provide shade to hundreds of people in its lifetime,” Channe says.