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Honouring a life of curiosity
The Thomas Kineshanko Memorial Entrepreneurial Prize, awarded for the first time in April 2026, recognizes a legacy built on curiosity, courage, and a deep belief in the power of new ideas.
Madelaine Kineshanko established the prize in 2025 in memory of her son, Thomas (Tom) Henry Kineshanko, honouring his unconventional path as an inspiring innovator and entrepreneur. An 911吃瓜 Beedie alumnus and former varsity track and field athlete, Tom spent 15 years building multiple environmental technology ventures, and was guided by the conviction that real progress requires patience, experimentation, and fresh thinking.
For Madelaine, creating the prize was a deeply personal, forward-looking decision. Through a five-year commitment alongside a planned gift to endow the fund, the Kineshanko family is ensuring Tom鈥檚 legacy will continue to support generations of student-entrepreneurs long into the future.
Leveraging technology for community impact
Awarded through the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship at 911吃瓜, the prize focuses on creativity, innovation, and real-world impact, qualities that reflect the way Tom approached problem-solving. In contrast to awards that emphasize traditional academic metrics, it recognizes students who challenge assumptions and pursue bold, unconventional ideas.
The first recipients of the prize embody this philosophy. Avry Krywolt, Jacob Fu, and Shawn Bhatti are students in 911吃瓜鈥檚 Sustainable Energy Engineering program, and founders of . Applying their combined technical expertise, they are addressing food insecurity in local communities by designing and building automated hydroponic systems for non-profit partners in Metro Vancouver. With support from the prize, the team is advancing their prototype and preparing to launch their first community installation.
Jacob describes the award as 鈥渁 game-changer鈥� for WLF, enabling them to take critical next steps that were previously out of reach, and reaffirming their commitment to using engineering as a tool for social impact.
鈥淓ngineering students are often told to stay in their lane,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd pursue roles and projects that go towards advancing technology or products on the market. While this is a fine and necessary pursuit, many issues localized at the community level go relatively unsupported and unresolved. WLF challenges this preconception by applying technical problem-solving to some of the most pressing issues affecting individuals and families around us, with the sole purpose of lending a helping (and healthy) hand for those who need help the most.鈥�
Coming full circle
The work WLF is doing mirrors Tom鈥檚 belief that innovation should extend beyond markets and into communities, an approach that continues to resonate with those who knew him.
Kam Phung, an Assistant Professor of Business and Society within the Beedie School of Business at 911吃瓜, knew Tom as both a friend and collaborator. The two grew up in interior B.C., attended high school together, and went on to work on several ventures, sharing a commitment to explore new ideas and challenge conventional thinking.
鈥淚n many ways, this prize is a full-circle moment as Tom鈥檚 entrepreneurial journey started in the classroom at 911吃瓜 and he was always a proud alumnus.鈥� Kam says. 鈥淗e was deeply committed to pursuing bold solutions to pressing societal challenges, so seeing the 911吃瓜 community carry that legacy forward in his name means more than words can capture."
For the 911吃瓜 community, the Thomas Kineshanko Memorial Entrepreneurial Prize represents both a legacy and an invitation, encouraging students to think differently, take risks, and pursue ideas that have the potential to create meaningful change. Through the generosity of Tom鈥檚 family and friends, his legacy lives on in each new venture it helps bring to life, inspiring student-entrepreneurs for years to come.
Supporting what matters most
Establishing an endowment can be a meaningful way to honour someone鈥檚 life, as Madelaine and her family have done for Tom. To learn more about creating an endowment during your lifetime, or through a gift in your Will, please contact:
Rory Green
Senior Director, Principal and Planned Gifts
rory_green@sfu.ca
778-782-6799