In 2012, Nan-b and Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien challenged their grandchildren to find their own voice as future philanthropists by asking them what issues were of concern to them. Members of the family’s fourth generation were of one mind: their biggest concern was water.

Extensive research and engagement with key leaders in the water sector opened the eyes of the de Gaspé Beaubien grandparents to the state of freshwater in North America. Their grandchildren were right.

And so, believing in the passion and creativity of youth and the value of entrepreneurship to channel that potential for sustainable societal impact, the De Gaspe Beaubien Family Foundation founded AquaHacking and launched the AquaHacking Challenge to become a source of solutions for our most pressing water issues.