St. Francis Xavier University celebrated student innovation and environmental leadership as third year Gerald Schwartz School of Business student Jona White from Vancouver, BC was announced as the 2026 recipient of the Social Entrepreneurship Fund (SEF) during the annual Impact X Summit.
The Social Entrepreneurship Fund, founded in 2023 by StFX alumnus and entrepreneur Alex Dorward '11, was created to support students who are building ventures that deliver meaningful social or environmental impact. The initiative, delivered in partnership with StFX DiscoverBox, the Schwartz School of Business, and StFX Advancement, provides students with $5,000 in seed funding, along with mentorship from faculty, alumni, and innovation leaders.
Mr. Dorward, who was in attendance at the November 2025 event, was recognized for his vision and generosity, both for his own contribution and his success in galvanizing support from fellow StFX alumni, which helped establish SEF and sow the seeds for what eventually grew into the Impact X Summit itself.
Organizers say this year’s award attracted strong, well-researched applications from across campus.
Mr. White’s venture, Pikl Glasses, rose to the top for its innovative response to one of the fastest-growing environmental challenges in recreational sport.
With more than 500 million pickleballs produced annually in North America (and most cracked balls ending up in landfills due to limited recycling options), Mr. White identified a significant and growing waste problem.
His venture, Pikl Glasses, tackles this issue by collecting broken pickleballs from community courts and pickleball clubs, then transforming them into sustainable sunglasses and pickleball safety glasses through a recycling and injection-moulding process.
Mr. White’s idea not only diverts waste from landfills but also engages the pickleball community in a circular recycling model that celebrates sustainability and sport culture, the organizers say. Early partnerships with local clubs in Antigonish and Halifax have already positioned the project for a successful pilot year.
“Pikl Glasses represents the best of what social entrepreneurship can be—creative, community-driven, and rooted in real-world impact,” said the SEF selection committee. “Jona has demonstrated strong research, clear feasibility, and an inspiring commitment to environmental innovation.”
Mr. White will receive 70 per cent of the funds in January to begin prototype development and operational testing, with the remaining 30 per cent awarded in May upon completion of progress milestones and a final impact report.
As the Social Entrepreneurship Fund enters its third year, it continues to serve as a catalyst for student-led change at StFX. Its influence is already evident: the Impact X Summit, now a flagship event for youth innovation in Atlantic Canada, was originally born out of the momentum created by SEF’s launch in 2023.
For Mr. Dorward, the fund’s founder, watching the program evolve has been a meaningful experience.
“SEF was created to empower students to solve real problems in their communities,” he said. “Seeing ventures like Jona’s take shape shows what’s possible when you give young innovators the resources and encouragement they need.”
Pikl Glasses is expected to begin its first collection and recycling pilot in early this year.
