SFU Demshot Challenge

(noun). A call to mobilize whole-of-society action for two of the defining challenges of our time: mis/disinformation and the breakdown of democracies.

Inspired by the spirit of a moonshot, a leap toward the extraordinary, Demshot invites SFU students to take their best shot at contributing to the resilience and renewal of Canadian democracy, with the potential to win more than $2,500 in prize money. Think hackathon meets design lab meets TEDx showcase — but with democracy at the center.

Demshot is a platform for student creativity, learning, and action at a time when democratic systems are under stress from misinformation, polarization, and declining trust. Through workshops, mentorship, social media engagement, and a final showcase, Demshot transforms democratic renewal into something students can see themselves in and shape directly.

Demshot is open to all SFU undergraduate and graduate students. Whether you’re a first-year student or deep into your graduate research, this is your space to imagine the future of democracy.

Why Now?

Democracy under pressure: Canada’s democratic institutions remain strong, but face increasing risks from AI-driven mis/disinformation, declining public trust, and deepening polarization.

Youth as drivers of renewal: Young people bring creativity, energy, and digital fluency, yet often feel disconnected from institutions. Demshot re-centres them as innovators who can meaningfully shape democracy’s future.

SFU as a living lab: With leading centres in democratic innovation and public engagement, SFU is uniquely positioned to test new ideas and model democratic renewal in action.

Awards & Prizes

Demshot recognizes ideas that could meaningfully strengthen Canadian democracy. Prizes include:

The Demshot Prize ($1,000 - Best Overall)

Category Awards ($300 each)

Information Integrity & Accessibility Award: Ideas that help people find, trust, share, or produce reliable information.
Tech & Technology Disruptors Award: Using or critiquing technology — including AI — to strengthen democracy.
Public Voice & Accountability Award: Ideas that enable residents to be heard, shape decisions, or strengthen institutional accountability.
Civic Space, Education & Rights Award: Protecting and expanding civic rights, access, and civic learning.
Social Cohesion & Belonging Award: Strengthening belonging, trust, and resilience across communities.

Special Recognition

Ready-to-Scale: Proven ideas ready to grow.
Ready-to-Pilot: Bright, ambitious ideas worth trying.
Could Work at SFU: Ideas with strong implementation potential on campus.

How it Works

Stage 1 - Workshops & Launch

A virtual launch and a series of activation workshops introduce students to core concepts:

Democracy in today’s context
Designing and communicating bold ideas
Storytelling and campaign design
Pitching and presentation skills
Equity and inclusion in civic engagement

Stage 2 — Idea Submission

Students submit a concise proposal in one of three formats:

Written (up to 2 pages)
Video (up to 3 minutes)
Visual storyboard / infographic

All submissions address the six required Guiding Topics.

Stage 3 — Dragon’s Den Finale

Shortlisted applicants present their ideas to a live panel of judges at a high-energy showcase event.

Rules

You must follow all the following rules:

Submission Deadline: Early March 2026
Judges’ decisions are final.
No AI-written submissions. You may use AI for background research, but the solution and the words must be entirely your own. You are responsible for verifying any evidence your submission relies on.
Teams of up to 3, or enter solo. All team members must be SFU students.
Give credit where it’s due. We don’t expect detailed bibliographies, but if you’re building on an existing idea, your submission should add something useful or outline clear next steps that move it forward.
Shortlisted entries must present live in early April 2026 at the final Dragon’s Den–style event to be eligible for prizes.
Eligibility: SFU Centre for Dialogue Staff may not apply

Submission Guidelines

All submissions must respond to the following six questions:

Problem Statement / Opportunity
Your Demshot Solution
How It Would Work
Intended Impact
Evidence or Testing
Scalability & System Impact

Judging Process: As you work on your submissions, please ensure that they’re meeting the following criteria -

Impact: Bold enough to shore up Canadian democracy against destabilizing forces, and/or renew our democracy in ways that address inequities or fulfill untapped potential.
Evidence-informed: Points to compelling research, evaluation or community input (qualitative or quantitative) that could persuade the decision-makers tasked with maintaining the stability and integrity of our democratic system.
Feasibility: Proposes a clear pathway towards implementation or scaling that has a reasonable chance to action real-world systems, including considerations of capacity and resources.
Novelty: Puts forward innovative or underexplored approaches, or builds upon known ideas in new ways that address the reasons why those ideas have not yet been fully adopted.

Timeline

A quick look at the timeline:

Challenge Launch: November 2025
Workshops & Activation: January 2025 – February 2026
Submission Deadline: March 2026
Finale: Early April 2026

Workshops & Engagement

Coming soon: Skill-building workshops and classroom visits will help students build confidence and creativity around democracy-related issues, including:

Understanding democracy in today’s context
Designing and communicating bold ideas
Storytelling, campaign design, and pitching (Dragons Den-style)
Equity and inclusion in civic engagement

These sessions are meant to be interactive, energizing, and open to all—giving students the tools and inspiration to turn their ideas into real entries for the Challenge.

Follow #DemshotSFU on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn to join the conversation.

Ready to Take Your Shot?

If you want to participate in the challenge, sign up below to receive updates and announcements about the January launch and upcoming workshops.

For any questions or concerns, please email Melvin Singh at Melvins@sfu.ca.

Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue