A quick glance at Anne Swift’s resume could make even the token coffee-addled over-achiever in the front row of the class feel like a couch potato. Recently named one of Glamour magazine’s Top 10 College Women, Swift was pegged by the magazine as “The Visionary.”
Swift, a fourth-year U of T student studying political science and economics, was chosen from among 800 applicants around North America. She stood out as the founder of Young Inventors International, a non-profit organization that provides young inventors and innovative entrepreneurs with the resources they need to succeed professionally.
Swift’s inspiration came during her first year of university when conceiving an idea for a flexible keyboard. When trying to figure out where to go with her invention, she found that the information available was very scattered, and that there was nothing catering to her as a young person. “If there was nothing like it, I thought there might be a need for it, and that I should start it,” said Swift. “I tend to be a little entrepreneurial,” she added, “and I couldn’t bear to have the thought just sitting there.” And from there an international organization that now has a membership base of more than 300 was born.
The goal of Young Inventors International is to help young inventors move forward with their ideas, and into the market. It helps them with the commercialization aspect of their inventions. Many young inventors “don’t know how to move forward,” says Swift. YII hosts conferences, offers workshops, has a mentorship network of professionals, and publishes a quarterly journal and monthly newsletter.
Women have a strong presence these days at Young Inventors International, marginally out-numbering the men. Swift says it’s encouraging to see so many women coming out to YII events. When Swift ran her very first workshop for YII in her second year of university, she walked in to a room full of men. “It was the first time I’d encountered an entirely male audience,” says Swift. She adds that there are “a lot of very entrepreneurial women, but they’re not always as visible as the men.”
Swift has run a small business of her own for as long as she can remember. Right now she works in corporate communications, working with small and medium businesses to prepare their internal and external communications campaigns. She also keeps a notebook of ideas she hopes to eventually patent.
The fashion magazine “is one place I never thought I’d see my face,” admitted Swift. She stressed that Glamour has been great about inspiring young women and providing a link to a wider audience. The magazine flew her and the nine other winners to New York for four days of fun and a chance to meet with a variety of professional women.
Swift is kept going by her passion for what she does and is interested in innovation in general, not just invention. “Seeing that I’m able to help people, even if it’s a small amount, is very inspiring,” she says. She’s also passionate about social change, and believes that not-for-profit organizations can really contribute to society at large. Even Swift’s methods for relaxation sound active: in her spare time she windsurfs, downhill skis, and writes short stories.
For students out there who dream of being the next Benjamin Franklin or Ruth Wakefield (inventor of chocolate chip cookies), Swift had the following advice to pass on: “Think about what your goals are, make sure they’re realistic, think of a way to get there, and move forward.” If you come across obstacles, “you might have to rethink your plan about how to get there,” says Swift, “but you can always find a way-the passion and interest in what you’re doing will provide the impetus for you to move forward.” Swift cautions that “it takes a lot of persistence,” but students “need to keep going forward and remember what they’re passionate about.”
