The Knowledge Society (TKS), an educational program to create “Olympic level innovators,” announced it is expanding its programs to Ottawa, New York, Boston, and Las Vegas.
The Knowledge Society is a learning program designed for high school students, aged 13 to 17, focusing on emerging technologies. The program’s expansion to Ottawa aims to foster more Canadian talent in science and technology.
“Our mission is to be in every major Canadian city in the next five years.”
“Our mission is to be in every major Canadian city in the next five years. For us, Ottawa is the perfect springboard for us to achieve that,” said Navid Nathoo, co-founder of TKS. “We’re also looking to build a strong relationship with the Canadian government. We believe that we can drive positive change locally, nationally, and globally, and influence policy regarding education, workforce readiness, and closing the skill gap. Canada is a leading country in innovation, and we want to continue to be a part of that.”
TKS touts itself a human accelerator that teaches students the skills required to help solve some of humanity’s most pressing problems. Launched in 2016 in Toronto, the program was founded by Nathoo and his brother Nadeem, both entrepreneurs. The program’s topics include AI, genomics, nanotechnology, quantum computing, and blockchain.
Since its inception, the program has awarded scholarships to middle school, high school, and college students for original technology projects, inventions, or discoveries. In December, four Toronto teenagers from the program were recognized as winners of the 2019 Young Innovators to Watch awards, part of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
The program itself has students working in teams to tackle world problems like global poverty, and get a deeper understanding of technology industries like genomics. Students are also given access to conferences, events, and internship opportunities, as well as learn career skills.
Approximately 140 students participate in TKS Toronto each year, with the program running on weekends for the duration of the school year. After operating exclusively in Toronto, TKS’ new programs will start in Ottawa, New York City, and Boston in October of this year.
Image courtesy The Knowledge Society.