Waterloo News - Economic Futures

Tasting the legacy of five Waterloo foodie founders

Angelica Sanchez — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 18:21:24 +0000

From bubble tea to craft beer and delicious bites, Waterloo entrepreneurs are serving up success stories of passion, purpose and community, one food venture at a time

Many of the world’s most vibrant culinary and food innovation scenes are rooted in strong academic communities and the University of Waterloo is no exception. Known for its legacy of entrepreneurship, Waterloo has also helped cultivate a new generation of food innovators who are transforming how we grow, prepare and experience food.

Across the Waterloo-Wellington area, alumni-founded food shops, cafés and breweries are redefining what it means to eat local. These five ventures are more than just places to grab a bite; they’re creating jobs, supporting local food producers and drawing visitors to vibrant, community-driven spaces that offer everything from handcrafted ice cream to bold Egyptian street food.

Elora Brewing Company

Jim Murphy (BASc ’95)
Alum, Faculty of Engineering
> CEO, chairman and co-founder, Elora Brewing Company

In 2015, Jim Murphy (BASc ’95) joined fellow Waterloo Engineering alum, Jonathan Laurencic (BA ’10), along with Matt Lawson, Don Smith and Alex Nicols, to turn a shared passion for home brewing into Elora Brewing Company. Housed in a 160-year-old limestone building, the brewery blends their love of craft beer and locally sourced food with a welcoming community space that’s alive from morning to night.

Murphy, now co-founder, chairman and CEO, has spent more than 25 years driving innovation — building exceptional teams, launching cutting-edge products and shaping the technology landscape. After selling his software design firm, Boltmade, to Shopify in 2016, he led their Waterloo office as director of Engineering.

In a spirited celebration of 100 years of the Iron Ring tradition, Elora Brewing Company partnered with Waterloo Engineering to release the limited-edition Ring Road Lager, with proceeds supporting future engineering students through the 100 Years of Canadian Engineering Fund.

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Four All Ice Cream

Ajoa Mintah (BASc ’01)
Alum, Faculty of Engineering
> CEO and founder, Four All Ice Cream

Ajoa Mintah (BASc ’01) studied chemical engineering at Waterloo and went on to explore different careers from product developer to consultant before becoming an entrepreneur. After 15 years in engineering, she followed her creative instincts and founded Four All Ice Cream, becoming its chief ice cream maker.

Her journey began during a 2003 heatwave, when she bought an ice cream maker instead of an air conditioner — saving money and discovering a passion for hand-crafted, all-natural ice cream. Today, with two scoop shops in Kitchener-Waterloo, Mintah crafts ice cream made with locally sourced ingredients that’s both delicious and health conscious. Four All uses A2 milk — a natural and easy-to-digest option — and offers flavours in four categories: classic, vegan, childhood and foodie, delivering on its mission to bring “a taste of joy for everyone.”

For nearly a decade, Four All has partnered with local farmers and makers to invent fresh and seasonal flavours that celebrate the best of Waterloo region. In 2022, Four All received the Small Business of the Year award from the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.

LenJo Bakes

Lenore Johnson (BA ’13)
Alum, Faculty of Arts
> Owner and cake maker extraordinaire, LenJo Bakes

Lenore Johnson (BA ’13) earned a degree in economics before training as a pastry chef, gaining experience in five-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in London, England. She started LenJo Bakes in 2017 as a pop-up boutique on Waiheke Island, New Zealand, before establishing her bakery in Kitchener.

Since 2020, LenJo Bakes has created local jobs, sourced ingredients from regional suppliers and supported fellow small businesses. With locations in midtown Kitchener and St. Jacobs, the bakery offers bespoke cakes, artisanal pastries and savory dishes that reflects their deep commitment to quality and creativity.

Rooted in values of sustainability, inclusivity and community, LenJo Bakes exemplifies how small businesses can drive both economic and social impact. She also served as a venture coach for the Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region's LiftOff Program, the region’s first Black-led incubator supporting early-stage and growth-focused Black entrepreneurs. She is currently a venture coach with Conestoga College's Entrepreneurship Collective.

Photo credit: Julie Baxter, JD Photography.

Sweet Dreams Teashop

Jin-Hee (Jinny) Song (BA ’02)
Alum, Faculty of Arts
> Founder of Sweet Dreams Teashop

Founded by Jin-Hee (Jinny) Song (BA ’02) while still a fourth-year student, Sweet Dreams Teashop quickly became Waterloo’s original bubble tea hotspot — known for its authentic Taiwanese tea flavours and East Asian bites. But Song’s vision went beyond drinks; she wanted to create a space where students and locals could relax, connect and feel at home.

Now surrounded by more than 20 bubble tea spots in the region, Sweet Dreams still stands out. Loyal customers — including generations of Waterloo grads — return for the warm atmosphere, nostalgic memories and community spirit.

Since 1999, Sweet Dreams has proudly championed local makers, becoming a go-to spot for thoughtful gifts — from handmade goods to baked treats crafted by small businesses across the region. It’s also become a creative hub, hosting live music, spoken word and DJ nights that transform a cozy teashop into one of Waterloo’s most unexpected — and unforgettable — cultural hotspots.

Tut's Egyptian Street Food

Amr Elmazariky (MASc ’11)
Alum, Faculty of Engineering
> CEO and founder, Tut's Egyptian Street Food

After more than a decade as an electrical engineer, Amr Elmazariky (MASc ’11) traded circuits for spices to pursue his passion for food and hospitality. Founded in 2020 in downtown Toronto, Tut’s Egyptian Street Food brings the vibrant flavours of Cairo to Canadian streets, offering high-quality Egyptian dishes made fresh daily.

Despite launching during a global pandemic, Elmazariky’s resilience and innovation helped Tut’s grow rapidly, expanding to seven locations across Ontario — including a return to Waterloo, the city that helped shape his journey.

While students were adapting to online learning, Elmazariky was taking his own crash course — learning to bake traditional Egyptian bread over Zoom with guidance from an Egyptian consultant. Today, every item on Tut’s menu is made using authentic recipes and served on house-made bread, staying true to its roots while enriching Canada’s culinary landscape.

Photo credit: Amr Elmazariky.

Next time you’re craving something delicious, look no further than our alumni community — where Waterloo founders are not only feeding communities, but are also fueling local economies and tourism, celebrating culture and building a more sustainable future, one bite at a time.

WatSPEED brings industry leaders together to advance Canada’s AI readiness

Angelica Sanchez — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:51:04 +0000

From hype to enterprise implementation: How the University of Waterloo and the iSchool are helping executives lead in the age of AI

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape the global economy, WatSPEED is helping Canadian business and technology leaders strategically position themselves for the future.

The University of Waterloo’s professional, executive and corporate education arm recently convened senior leaders from across sectors for a one-day, in-person course: Operationalizing Generative AI: Executive Insights and Applications. Delivered in partnership with the iSchool Institute at the University of Toronto, the program offered attendees a practical exploration of how generative AI tools can be implemented to drive real value in their organizations.

From left to right: Dr. Jimmy Lin, co-director of the Waterloo Data and AI Institute, Eily Hickson, head of global data and AI strategy at Sanofi, Dr. Ali Vahdat, director of Applied AI Research at Thomson Reuters Labs, and Javed Mostafa, professor and dean of Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto.

From theory to application

Led by Dr. Jimmy Lin, co-director of the Waterloo Data and AI Institute and one of the world’s most cited AI scholars, the course examined how large language models (LLMs) can enhance productivity, support data-driven decision-making and improve client and employee experiences.

Lin’s sessions framed prompt engineering as an emerging essential skill, comparable to the early days of digital literacy.

“At some point, you had to learn how to search Google,” says Lin, who is also the Cheriton Chair in Software Systems at Waterloo’s Cheriton School of Computer Science. “Today, it’s exactly the same thing for prompt engineering.”

Throughout the day, Lin emphasized the need for a culture of adaptability and lifelong learning as generative AI transforms how organizations structure work, evaluate talent and plan for the future.

“The transformational impact of LLMs will be no less than that of the steam engine, than electricity, than the internet,” he notes. “In fact, it will probably be more.”

Building executive AI literacy

With participants from health care, finance, technology and government, the course fostered rich dialogue around the practical realities of AI integration, including enterprise-scale deployment, regulatory compliance and responsible implementation.

Eily Hickson, head of global data and AI strategy at Sanofi, shared use cases spanning pharmaceutical research and development, accessibility technologies and clinical diagnostics. She highlighted how AI could help detect cancer earlier, alleviate long-term pain and enhance independence for people with disabilities.

“If you live in the ‘scary,’ you’ll never get to the ‘good,’” Hickson says. “I’m cautiously optimistic about the benefits — from curative medicine to quality-of-life improvements.”

She also emphasized the importance of executive alignment and storytelling in ensuring long-term AI success.

“If you don’t have executive buy-in, you can have the best strategies, but if the mindset isn’t ready to receive them, it will fall flat,” Hickson says. “AI has to be wrapped into every layer of your business, from how you run a portfolio to how you tell your story to investors.”

Eily Hickson shares use cases spanning pharmaceutical research and development, accessibility technologies and clinical diagnostics.

From hype to implementation: Leadership that drives change

Designed to move beyond AI hype and focus squarely on real-world implementation, Operationalizing Generative AI equipped leaders with the frameworks needed to evaluate tools, assess cost–performance trade-offs and identify both opportunities and risks across business functions.

In a closing panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Javed Mostafa, dean of the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto, panelists explored organizational models for AI adoption, building internal capability and managing the tension between innovation and accountability.

“LLMs are like a bright student that hasn’t done the reading,” Lin says. “At a glance you think, ‘this isn’t bad,’ but then it completely falls apart under closer evaluation.”

Supporting Canada’s innovation ecosystem

“Generative AI is not just a trend,” says Aaron Pereira, executive director of WatSPEED. “It represents a fundamental shift in how organizations operate and compete. This type of programming is tailored to helping industry leaders prepare for what’s next, ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to lead through disruption.”

WatSPEED continues to support Canadian organizations in preparing for the future of work through professional and executive education tailored to the realities of rapid technological, societal and economic change. By working closely with industry partners and drawing on Waterloo’s renowned research expertise, WatSPEED helps organizations stay competitive, resilient and future-ready.

To learn more about WatSPEED’s innovative AI programming, visit watspeed.uwaterloo.ca.

Technological Futures

Keep calm, adapt and carry on

Sam Charles — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:10:09 +0000

University of Waterloo economist breaks down the current economic situation in Canada, and says there is light at the end of the tunnel

After emerging from the pandemic on a relatively strong footing, the Canadian economy is now dealing with considerable trade and investment uncertainty because of U.S. policies, including tariffs.

“Coming out of the pandemic, our economy was already facing a cost-of-living crisis, labour market struggling to adapt to demographic and immigration changes, business under-investment and slow-growing productivity, in addition to high inflation,” says Dr. Horatiu Rus, a professor of Economics who specializes in international trade, political economy and the environment. “Starting early this year, and due to policy changes in our largest economic partner, Canada’s challenging economic outlook has become substantially more challenging.”

Faced with this economic instability, Rus says individuals would be well-advised to take a precautionary stance when planning all spending, investments and savings, and should consider in the short to medium run potentially significant swings in prices, interest rates, the exchange rate and employment opportunities economy wide.

There are indications that all sides will renegotiate the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the successor of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was already set to be reviewed in 2026. “Limiting the amount of tariffs faced by Canadian exporters to the U.S. is the focus of these negotiations, but more importantly, so is reducing the massive levels of uncertainty dragging down investment and thus economic growth.”

According to Rus, American protectionism is making it even more imperative for Canada to diversify its trade relations to reduce its reliance on the U.S. “On the policy side, the government is taking steps to find a negotiated solution, while, simultaneously promising to cushion the blow for exporters experiencing sharp declines in their main export market due to tariffs and working to diversify Canada’s international trade flows.”

“As a trade economist, I do not support a policy of broad tariffs,” Rus says. “The academic literature is clear on the effects of protectionism – tariffs increase prices for consumers, make intermediate goods more expensive for businesses, diminish the efficiency gains from specialization and production at scale, decrease product variety and ultimately reduce the economic potential of the economy over the long run.”

Canada and the U.S. have one of the largest economic partnerships in the world, and this latest economic squabble may have additional implications. Rus says the significant U.S. policy shift is building further divides between the two countries, including in the environmental realm. “Based on my research that investigates the interaction between trade and pollution, and trade and renewable resource exploitation, I believe there are many sustainability-related policy areas in Canada — many of them in fact under provincial jurisdiction — which will have to adapt to the new policy regime south of the border.”

The economic relationship between Canada and the U.S. has fluctuated throughout its history. More recently, the border thinned following NAFTA in the 1990s then thickened following September 11, 2001. “Like a marriage, the relationship between Canada and US will continue to weather its ups and downs, but the North American economy is highly integrated and geography dictates close trade ties going forward: it's hard to fight gravity.”

Natural disasters are increasingly putting the value of properties at risk

Sam Charles — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 11:45:00 +0000

Experts say homeowners and governments need to be more proactive as they face the increasing risk of wildfires and flooding

Whether it’s flooding in Toronto or forest fires raging in Alberta and Manitoba, climate change is pushing natural disasters into populated areas and having a dire impact on communities.

The threat to many homeowners extends beyond property damage and risk of life. The value of their homes and properties could be at risk.

“In Canada right now, few property owners actually know if their property is exposed to any type of climate risk, whether flooding, wildfires or landslides,” says Dr. Jason Thistlethwaite, professor in the Faculty of Environment and co-lead of the Climate Risk Research Group at the University of Waterloo. “We very much like to keep our heads buried in the sand on this. But information and data are powerful tools that can help us direct our community resources towards prevention and preparedness.”

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Recent events around the world, including the fires in Los Angeles and the flooding in the North Coast of Australia, should serve as a further reminder that Canada is not immune from the catastrophic impact of major climate influenced events.

While governments around the world have put in place response teams and protocols, according to researchers there has not been a focus on preparedness. Governments are also off-loading responsibilities to regional and local governments.

“Every dollar governments spend building a community to withstand a disaster like a flood or wildfire has a tremendous return on investment, but it is not rewarded with voters,” Thistlethwaite says. “It’s the opposite in the aftermath of a disaster when a government knows it will lose votes if it doesn’t spend enough on recovery to help people get back on their feet.”

Thistlethwaite says there are many similarities within health care. He says our health-care systems struggle to allocate resources, policy and people to preventative medicine, but when someone gets sick or injured the system responds well.

“Canada is about 10 to 15 years behind its G7 counterparts when it comes to pro-active disaster management,” Thistlethwaite says. “The U.S. has the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which, despite its critics, has a huge budget and tends to be a lot more proactive and experimental than Canadian authorities. The U.K. even has a property address lookup to measure your risk.”

Waterloo researchers from across disciplines are collaborating to analyze and innovate in the areas of preparedness, mitigation and recovery. In the most recent survey conducted by Waterloo researchers about natural disaster awareness in Canada, it was found that only six per cent of Canadians who live in a high-risk flood area were aware of the danger. Insurers and governments have the tools to inform Canadians about these risks, but are reticent to do so because of a fear of influencing property values.

According to Thistlethwaite, it comes down to a lack of data. “I’m working on a project to improve the efficiency of risk assessment so it doesn’t take a bunch of supercomputers or expensive consultants for a municipality to understand whether they can safely build needed housing near a floodplain or wildfire zone safely,” he says. “This involves collaboration with engineers, geospatial specialists, actuaries and policy people.”

Thistlethwaite says you should be able to use your address to access comprehensive information on your property’s exposure to any type of risk.

“You should be able to access the implications for insurance related to that risk and disaster recovery systems in place in your area, and you should know about subsidies and local services that could support you in making informed choices to help protect your property.”

Currently, none of that information is readily available.

He has also explored other policy approaches, including whether or not government-initiated buyout programs would be an effective approach to reducing the flood and fire risk for people and property.

“It is imperative that we consider every option when it comes to resiliency, preparedness and mitigation, so that our communities stay safe.”

It can be challenging to look beyond the fear of disaster and what it can mean to one’s business and property values, but according to Thistlethwaite, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“We need to start treating property owners as adults, by providing clear and transparent information about disaster risk, then we can start coming up with solutions to protect and prepare for what’s ahead.”

Technological Futures

Waterloo represents within BetaKit Most Ambitious List of 2025

Sam Charles — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 19:38:24 +0000

More than 20 founders from Waterloo highlight the newly unveiled list that celebrates those making the biggest impact inside Canadian tech and innovation

As a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation, it’s no surprise that companies and founders linked to the University of Waterloo have a noticeable presence among those featured within BetaKit’s Most Ambitious List.

Waterloo ranks as the top university in Canada for startup founders and 21st in the world according to the Pitchbook University Rankings. Recently released data shows that Velocity, Waterloo’s core entrepreneurship incubator, has more than 500 companies with a combined enterprise value of $40 billion.

The Most Ambitious List includes several categories including the “Moon Shots” (Canadians reaching for the stars), “Deep Tech,” “World Savers,” “Category Challengers,” “Expats,” “The Products,” and “The Next Generation.”

From student leaders to established founders and companies, the BetaKit list featured some of Waterloo’s best and brightest. Of the four organizations listed among the next generation of Canadian tech was Socratica. The social entrepreneurship collective recently hosted an event in Waterloo that brought together nearly 2500 people to collaborate and share ideas.

"We’re proud to show how when we bring people in, hand them real responsibility and resources, and believe in them, we can do more as an ecosystem," says Jake Rudolph, an engineering student and one of the Socratica’s organizers.

Jetson recognized in the “World Savers” category

Co-founded by Stephen Lake (BASc ’12), Aaron Grant (BASc ’12) and Matt Bailey (BASc ’12), Vancouver-based Jetson is a climate tech product manufacturer that is developing new ways to install heat pumps in residential buildings and homes.

Challengers are breaking open markets and making Canada more competitive

Rachel Bartholomew (MBET ’14), Float, and MappedIn are listed as challengers for reshaping Canadian markets. Bartholomew is the founder and CEO of Hyivy, a company focused on creating therapeutic and remote monitoring devices for gynecological conditions. She is also the founder and lead advisor for Femtech Canada, an advocacy organization for women working in the innovation space.

Former engineering student Hongwei Liu co-founded MappedIn’ while at Waterloo along with Toby Gu (BASc ’15), Mitch Butler and Leander Lee (BCS ’13). Waterloo alum Edward Wei (BCS ’06) is MappedIn’s CTO. The Velocity-linked company is an indoor maps wayfinding platform.

Another Velocity-linked company to make the list is Float which is making waves in the corporate credit card market. Last year, Float co-founders Ruslan Nikolaev (BCS ‘20) and Griffin Keglevich secured $50 million to expand its financial products and innovate business-to-business financial services.

Wealthsimple also made the challenger category. Its Chief Legal Officer is Waterloo arts alum Blair Wiley (BA ’04).

Most ambitious products that have people talking

Among the list of ambitious products are Able Innovations. Able Innovations is a Velocity company that develops solutions for lifting and moving patients within health care settings.

"Being recognized in BetaKit's Most Ambitious list is a great affirmation that Canadian innovation can compete on the global stage when we're willing to take calculated risks and push boundaries,” says Jayiesh Singh, CEO of Able Innovations. “This recognition isn't just about what we've accomplished, it's about the responsibility we have to continue driving solutions that are improving lives and creating better systems."

Rounding out the list are Core Devices, Ideogram, Wave View Imaging and 1Password. Smartware company Core Devices was founded by Eric Migicovsky (BASc ’09). The company recently announced a pair of new smartwatches that run on open-source PebbleOS. Ideogram, a text-to-image platform, was co-founded by William Chan (BASc ’11) in 2022. The following year, it received $16.5 million in seed funding. Wave View Imaging, a non-intrusive imaging system designed to enhance early detection, was co-founded by Elise Fear (BASc ’95) who now serves as CSO.

The CEO of the Waterloo-led unicorn, 1Password, is Jeff Shiner (BMath ’92). The global cybersecurity company protects more than 150,000 businesses and millions of consumers around the world.

The moon shots reaching for the stars

Two companies with Waterloo connections were featured for their Canadian-made innovations that are literally reaching for the stars. Canadian Space Mining Corporation (CSMC) is led by COO Adam Gryfe (MBET ’11). CSMC is an infrastructure and technology company focused on filling key gaps in future space exploration in areas that address Earth’s immediate challenges. The CEO of MDA Space is Mike Greenley (MSc ’97). The space mission partner supports communications satellites, Earth and space observation, space exploration and infrastructure.

Deep tech working on the next big breakthrough

Photonic and Xanadu were among the companies included within the deep tech category. Photonic was founded by Stephanie Simmons (BMath ’08). Today, she serves as the company’s Chief Quantum Officer. The company is building one of the first scalable, distributed, fault-tolerant and unified quantum computing and networking platforms based on optically-linked silicon spin qubits.

Xanadu recently unveiled the world’s first scalable, networked and modular quantum computer. The company’s CTO is Nathan Killoran (PhD ’12, physics).

Since its founding, the University of Waterloo has always been bold and unconventional. It continues to be a place where ambitious innovators and ideas take root. Through transformational research and inspired learning, Waterloo is helping to identify and solve the complex challenges facing humanity and our planet.

The Betakit’s Toronto Tech Week Special Issue also includes an interview with Waterloo professor Larry Smith.

Technological Futures

More than 1,200 founders and counting

Sam Charles — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Newly released data shows Velocity companies have an enterprise value of $40-billion

The University of Waterloo startup ecosystem has long been a driver of innovation across its campuses, in Waterloo region and around the world. Entrepreneurship is woven deep within the Waterloo DNA and continues to grow and prosper because of a solid foundation of support and resources.

At the core of the Waterloo ecosystem is Velocity. The organization is more than an incubator. It is a community of founders dedicated to supporting the entrepreneurial aspirations of students and researchers by providing the advisory services, industry connections and investor relations required to accelerate their business traction.

Momentum, the recently released publication from Velocity highlights that their founders are connecting to capital. Velocity’s more than 500 companies have a combined enterprise value of $40 billion.

John Dick, Velocity’s senior director of Founder Development, says its work, and that of the companies it supports, are becoming increasingly important given the current economic landscape in Canada. “At Velocity, we know that startups are the key to unlocking Canada’s potential. Founders are not just building companies; they’re building the future of Canadian competitiveness.”

Every year, more than 1,400 students step into Velocity and many walk out as startup founders. In 2024, 395 student-led teams were actively building on campus and moving from idea to pre-seed startup.

“We’re encouraged by the growing progress and impact of our community of students, founders, builders and innovators,” Dick says. “Velocity not only prepares startup founders, but it trains the leaders and changemakers of tomorrow.”

PatientCompanion, founded by Christy Lee (BASc ’24) and Ethan Alvizo (BASc ’24) joined Velocity in Fall 2023, and completed a successful hospital pilot in 2024. The platform improves communication between patients and care teams, helping reduce nurses’ workload.

In less than one-year, PatientCompanion launched CAN Health commercialization projects in three Ontario hospitals; Waterloo Region Health Network (WRHN) Midtown and Brightshores Health System in Owen Sound and Southampton, focusing on women’s and children’s care, childbirth and acute units. The company is now preparing to scale across Canada. They are an example of Velocity founders who are getting traction early.

“We’ve built a support model that goes beyond traditional incubation and helps founders move faster, reduce risk and succeed sooner,” says Moazam Khan, director at Velocity. “By opening doors to customers, capital and connections, we’re de-risking startups across team, technology and traction. Ultimately, we’re accelerating founder success and driving real gains in Canadian productivity.”

Within the last year, Velocity received more than 300 applications, resulting in 41 promising new, pre-seed and seed startups joining its program located at the Innovation Arena in downtown Kitchener. Already, 83 pilot projects have been unlocked with companies securing $62 million. Collectively, they have generated $12 million in revenue and acquired 136 customers.

The Momentum publication also showcases the wide variety of startups originating through Velocity. From health technologies to finance and robotics, founders are contributing to nearly every sector.

“Velocity empowers thousands of student founders to turn innovative ideas into real-world solutions,” Dick says. “When students have the right tools, community network and coaches, they can build impactful solutions — and they do.”

There are plenty of Velocity founders to watch in 2025 including:

Airfairness – A platform that helps passengers around the world receive fair compensation after experiencing flight disruptions.
Doro – AI-based psychotherapy tools for early and subclinical mental health needs thereby preventing conditions from escalating into a disorder.
Entangled Vision – An early-stage macular degeneration screening test allowing for earlier treatment options to prevent vision impairment.
Foqus Technologies – Technology that enhances the sensitivity of magnetic resonance technology (MRI), resulting in scans that are 10 times faster with higher-resolution for earlier disease detection and is less expensive than hardware upgrades.
Gale - Visa application platform that accelerates applications, frees up lawyers to focus on strategy and ensures ongoing compliance for applicants and businesses throughout the visa lifecycle.
Movarion - Power-assisted carts and dollies that make it easier for health-care workers to move equipment and supplies while reducing the risk of injury.
Liquid Energy - Turnkey green data centers solutions that store renewable energy and recovers waste heat to produce heating, cooling and electricity.
Page - A real-time government relations platform that turns government noise into a competitive advantage featuring personalized insights, effortless tracking and a suite of AI-powered tools.
Phantom Photonics – Quantum-based sensors that are used both underwater to monitor equipment and in space, to prevent satellite collisions.
Real Life Robotics - Autonomous and teleoperated ground cargo and delivery robotics.
Swish Solar - Self-cleaning solar technology designed to actively keep solar panels clean in snowy and sandy regions, eliminating inefficiencies and maximizing energy output.
Upside Robotics - Autonomous robots that match fertilizer to crop needs, leading to better yields, lower costs and healthier soil for farmers.

Velocity continues to support founders who are unlocking economic impact in Waterloo region and beyond. As Canada continues to navigate uncertain economic times, Velocity supported companies will play a pivotal role in ensuring its continued success.

Technological Futures

WatSPEED and Vector Institute collaborate to accelerate AI adoption in Canada

Stephanie Longeway — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 14:47:51 +0000

Strategic partnership brings cutting-edge AI training to today’s workforce

WatSPEED, the University of Waterloo’s professional, executive and corporate education arm, has partnered with the Vector Institute on a new pilot program to help professionals turn AI ambition into meaningful business results.

“This collaboration unites WatSPEED’s strength in professional education with the Vector Institute’s AI expertise to address a critical skills gap in the market,” says Aaron Pereira, executive director of WatSPEED. “By equipping professionals to lead AI initiatives more effectively, we’re helping Canadian organizations turn their AI investments into real competitive advantage.”

Running on June 19, Managing AI Projects is a one-day, live online course is designed for project managers, team leads and functional experts responsible for driving AI initiatives forward. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in business operations, professionals in non-technical roles are playing a part in shaping and steering adoption efforts — ensuring that emerging technologies translate into real-world impact.

The pilot program represents an important step in advancing AI adoption in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. It recognizes that traditional project management tools and approaches must evolve to meet the realities of AI technologies. By equipping participants with actionable strategies to plan, lead and deliver AI projects, they can effectively bridge the gap between innovation and organizational success.

“Vector Institute is committed to accelerating the safe and effective adoption of AI across Canada,” says Craig Stewart, executive director of applied AI programs at the Vector Institute. “By equipping leaders with the right tools and frameworks to drive their AI initiatives forward, we’re helping organizations unlock this technology’s potential and translate AI ambition into real-world results.”

The Vector Institute — an independent, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence — works with a broad network of academic experts, corporate partners and subject matter experts to develop cutting-edge research, training programs and projects that help organizations harness AI to drive productivity and foster economic growth. They are funded by the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada through CIFAR Pan-Canadian AI Strategy and industry sponsors across Canada.

As Canada looks to strengthen its position in the global innovation economy, the need for skilled professionals who can confidently lead AI projects and adapt established practices to new technological concepts has never been more urgent. The collaboration between WatSPEED and the Vector Institute signals a shared commitment to making advanced AI training more accessible, helping organizations overcome adoption challenges and build a future-ready workforce equipped to lead in the digital economy.

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Talent

Economic Futures

Technological Futures

Redefining physics to roll a ball vertically

David George-Cosh — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Waterloo researchers discover how to make a soft ball roll – not fall, slide or tumble – down a vertical surface that “challenges our basic understanding of physics”

Researchers from the University of Waterloo have achieved a feat previously thought to be impossible — getting a sphere to roll down a totally vertical surface without applying any external force.

The spontaneous rolling motion, captured by high-speed cameras, was an unexpected observation after months of trial, error, and theoretical calculations by two Waterloo research teams.

The soft sphere is shown rolling down the vertical surface during laboratory tests. (University of Waterloo)

“When we first saw it happening, we were frankly in disbelief,” said Dr. Sushanta Mitra, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering and executive director of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology.

“We double-checked everything because it seemed to defy common sense. There was excitement in the lab when we confirmed it wasn’t a fluke and that this was real vertical rolling.”

The discovery hinged on finding just the right balance of elasticity, or softness, between a pea-sized sphere and a vertical slide about the size of a cellphone screen that was used in experiments.

If the spheres were too soft, they stuck to the surface or slid down it. If they were too rigid, the spheres fell straight down through the force of gravity.

But when researchers hit on just the right combination of elasticity — with a sphere the approximate consistency of a gummy bear and a surface that would feel like a spongy mouse pad — the sphere slowly rolled down at a rate of about one millimetre every two seconds.

Soft spheres like these may be useful in space exploration, inspecting pipes or exploring cave systems. (University of Waterloo)

“The key is that as it rolls, the sphere slightly changes shape at the contact point,” Mitra said. “The front edge acts as a closing zipper, while the back edge acts like opening it. This asymmetry creates just enough torque, or grip, to maintain rolling without either sticking or completely falling off.”

The academic journal Soft Matter, which published a study on the work, Spontaneous rolling of a soft sphere on a vertical soft substrate, said in a summary that the discovery “challenges our basic understanding of physics.”

In practical terms, Mitra said, the finding could be used in the development of soft robots to inspect pipes, explore cave systems, or assist in the manufacturing of better equipment for missions to Mars or other space exploration endeavors.

“This opens up a whole new way of thinking about movement on vertical surfaces,” said Mitra. “Currently, robots and vehicles are limited to horizontal or slightly inclined surfaces. This discovery could change that.”

The research teams also included Dr. Boxin Zhao, a professor of chemical engineering at Waterloo, and post-doctoral fellows Dr. Surjyasish Mitra and Dr. A-Reum Kim.

Technological Futures

From discovery to impact: Celebrating our PhD graduates

Darren Mc Almont — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 04:15:00 +0000

Six Waterloo graduates share their stories of perseverance, innovation and advocacy as they prepare to cross the stage at convocation

The path to earning a PhD is rarely straightforward. It demands not only intellectual depth through rigorous coursework and research, but also creativity, resilience and interdisciplinary thinking.

Throughout their doctoral journey, candidates push the boundaries of conventional knowledge — developing innovative approaches to address some of the world’s most complex challenges. Their research opens new frontiers and contributes to solutions that can shape a healthier, more sustainable future. As we celebrate our PhD graduands at Spring 2025 Convocation, we invite you to learn more about a few of their stories as they prepare to cross the stage and step into the next chapter of their journey.

Dr. Tasneem Alsayyed Ahmad, PhD in Philosophy

While pursuing a master’s degree in philosophy, I was introduced to feminist philopsophy and social epistemology and wanted to apply these ideas to contexts familiar to me.

As a woman from a Muslim background, I noticed a troubling gap in scholarship on the topic since the literature was either Islamophobic or contained very strict and narrow views of Muslim women’s experiences. This motivated me to address the marginalization of Muslims in academic discourse.

My doctoral research critically examined hijab debates and veiling practices with a focus on how these discourses are manipulated to marginalize Muslims. Specifically, I explored how both Western imperialist narratives and Islamic right-wing politics exploit hijab-related discourse, reinforcing colonial ideologies while obstructing solidarity among Muslim women.

My work reveals how dominant narratives about the hijab silence diverse Muslim voices and perpetuate epistemic and social injustices.

I chose the University of Waterloo to work specifically with my supervisor Dr. Jennifer Saul and was happy to find a department supportive of my focus on Islamophobia and gender. Having taken up a position as assistant professor at the University of Canada West, my goal is to grow as an educator, to challenge colonial knowledge and to continue my research on the social and epistemic oppression of marginalized groups.

Dr. Nicole Sandra-Yaffa Dumont, PhD in Computer Science

Six years ago, during my master’s degree, I started learning more about artificial intelligence (AI) at a time when the field was evolving quickly. While I found AI fascinating, I kept wondering, ‘What — if anything — do artificial neural networks reveal about real brains? Can we use models to reverse-engineer cognitive processes?’

Those questions pulled me toward theoretical neuroscience, where my PhD research, under the supervision of Drs. Chris Eliasmith and Jeff Orchard, focused on building biologically plausible neural network models of spatial cognition. I was interested in how the brain represents space and the neural mechanisms behind navigation — and what those mechanisms can tell us about cognition more generally. 

I hope the findings of my research will not only advance our understanding of navigation in the brain but also push the field to rethink how we model cognition more broadly — from memory and planning to social behaviour.

Looking ahead, I’ll be pursuing postdoctoral research since I would like to extend my expertise to understand how computations underlying spatial navigation may apply to other domains like navigating a social landscape.

Dr. Muzi Li, PhD in Astrophysics

At five years old, I was captivated by the vastness of space and time, during a visit to the Beijing Planetarium with my grandmother. I knew shortly after that visit that I wanted to become an astronomer, but never imagined a childhood fascination would one day lead me here.

My PhD research how the energy released by supermassive black holes at their centers can precisely offset cooling in the surrounding hot gas, keeping the system in balance.

I was drawn to the University of Waterloo after a visit to the Perimeter Institute in 2018 where Dr. Brian McNamara — who later became my supervisor — gave a talk on finding the missing cooling gas in galaxy clusters. That brief visit and talk also gave me a strong impression: Waterloo is a young, vibrant and intellectually exciting place to be.

As I head back to China to continue my astrophysics research as a postdoctoral fellow, I hope my contribution to the field can be tested and refined by more precise observations in the future, helping to complete a small part of the puzzle in our understanding of galaxy clusters.

Dr. Arlene Oetomo, PhD in Public Health Sciences

I have always been a nature lover and a bit of a technology nerd. In 2018, during the heatwave in Ontario and Quebec, I thought, “What could we do to prevent individuals from dying indoors from extreme heat, especially if they don’t have air conditioning?”

That question was the impetus for my doctoral research at the University of Waterloo where I explored indoor temperatures of low-income homes across British Columbia and Ontario. Importantly, my research intersects with climate science and technology and demonstrates how interdisciplinary action is key to tackling the climate crisis.

My research, under the supervision of Dr. Plinio Morita, supported heat response efforts like checking on vulnerable tenants in person or via phone by using smart thermostats and creating a system to provide real-time temperature alerts.

While the thermostat is a ubiquitous device, it also demonstrates how there are solutions to our biggest problems, including the climate crisis, all around us.

The findings of my research will empower my advocacy efforts to protect vulnerable populations via policy, legislation, and awareness building of the dangers of extreme heat.

Dr. Ade Oyegunle, PhD in Sustainability Management

As the world faces increasingly complex challenges including climate change, my research helps to bridge the gap between climate science and financial decision-making.

Having worked as a sustainability professional in the financial industry, I was motivated to pursue this area of research after realizing that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but also a systemic financial risk.

My PhD research explored the intersection of climate policy, financial risk and banking regulation, with a focus on how climate transition risks like carbon pricing affect the credit risk exposure and financial stability of banks.

My research found that as carbon prices rise, the risk of financial distress increases for companies with high carbon footprints. This, in turn, increases the risk to banks that lend to them.

I chose to pursue this research at the University of Waterloo because of its strong reputation for interdisciplinary research, innovation and applied problem-solving. The School of Environment, Enterprise and Development offered a unique platform to explore the intersection of climate change, finance and policy, something that few other institutions could provide in such an integrated way.

Looking ahead, I want to help translate my research into action, ensuring that financial systems evolve to meet the demands of the climate transition.

Dr. Fatima Suleiman, PhD in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering

After completing my undergraduate degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, I dreamed of designing the next revolutionary product. In 2015, I attended a conference in Lagos, Nigeria, where Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple was asked, “Who represents the future of engineering innovation?” His answer on the transformative power of an interdisciplinary background stuck with me — and ultimately led me to pursue a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and Graduate Diploma in Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo — renowned for its commitment to interdisciplinary research.

My PhD research focused on improving temperature measurement for advanced high strength steels (AHSS), which helps the automotive industry produce lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I was drawn to this area of research after taking a course on heat transfer with Dr. Kyle Daun, who later became my supervisor.

At the start of this research project, I hoped to eliminate pyrometry errors entirely. I hope my research will contribute meaningfully to the much larger collective effort towards mitigating climate change, specifically by enabling more precise thermal control during AHSS processing, which in turn supports more sustainable vehicle production through improved manufacturing efficiency and reduced emissions.

Technological Futures

Waterloo connections run deep within 2025 Narwhal unicorn list

Sam Charles — Fri, 23 May 2025 11:45:00 +0000

The 2025 Narwhal list highlights top Canadian tech companies poised for big growth

Tech companies with University of Waterloo connections continue to climb the annual Narwhal list of Canadian unicorns.

The list assembled annually by the Narwhal Project, a group that monitors and analyzes the technology sector, offers companies supports to become more efficient and adopt best practices. Each year they evaluate close to 1,000 Canadian technology companies. The total number of unicorns in Canada has grown from only three in 2020 to 26 this year.

Among the 2025 list of Canadian unicorns are seven companies with Waterloo connections: 1Password (3), Assent (11) eSentire (13), ApplyBoard (14), Clearco (19), Axelar Network (22) and Dapper Labs (23).

1Password’s global cybersecurity leadership protects more than 150,000 businesses and millions of consumers, enabling safe online experiences around the world. Jeff Shiner (BMath ’92) is the CEO of 1Password and credits his co-op experience at Waterloo as being a launching pad for his career success. Under his leadership, 1Password has grown to more than 1,400 employees and a valuation of $9 billion.

Assent Compliance, a software-as-a-service company, was co-founded by Andrew Waitman (BASc ’87, electrical engineering). Based in Ottawa, the company has a valuation of more than $1 billion and grown to more than 1,000 employees.

eSentire Inc., started by Edmund Dengler (BMath '91, MMath '94, Computer Science) and Eldon Sprickerhoff (BMath '91, Computer Science), is a multi-signal managed detection and response cybersecurity service. The company has a valuation of more than $1 billion based on investments it received in 2022.

ApplyBoard, an educational technology company co-founded by Waterloo alum Martin Basiri (MASc ’13) along with his brothers Meti and Massi Basiri, provides an online platform for international student recruitment. It has been featured within the top 10 unicorn companies every year since the Narwhal list was established.

Clearco, a financial technology company, was co-founded by Andrew D’Souza (BASc ’08). The company uses AI to evaluate small businesses and early-stage startups to determine their financial prospects. Clearco achieved unicorn status in 2021.

Co-founded in 2020 by then-Cheriton School of Computer Science Professor Sergey Gorbunov, who also serves as CEO, Axelar offers a decentralized network that connects application builders with blockchain ecosystems, applications and users. In 2022, it earned $35 million in Series B funding which brought it to unicorn status.

Video game developer, Dapper Labs, was co-founded by Dieter Shirley (BMath '96, Computer Science). Based in Vancouver, the company specializes in creating blockchain-inspired games. It reached unicorn status in 2021.

Three unicorns call the Region of Waterloo home. The same number as Montreal, and just ahead of Ottawa with one. Rounding out the list are Vancouver with eight and Toronto with 12.

The Narwhal Project also develops an annual list of scaleups to watch. Their 2025 Narwhal Scale Ups list focuses on three sectors in particular: computer, health and clean technology.

Alumni startup Tailscale Inc, founded by Avery Pennarun (BASc ’01) and David Carney (BASc ’01) along with David Crawshaw, is the top ranked University of Waterloo-connected computer tech Narwhal on the list. Also on the list is Float, a company co-founded by Griffin Keglevich and Ruslan Nikolaev (BSc ’20) who met while attending Waterloo’s Cheriton School of Computer Science. Float offers corporate credit card and accounting services.

While not all companies on the Narwhal Scaleup list have a direct Waterloo connection, nearly all the companies employ Waterloo co-op students.

From start-ups to scale-ups to unicorns, innovation across Canada is making big strides and the University of Waterloo is helping power it. According to the Narwhal list, Canada ranks eighth in the world at producing unicorns. The United States leads all nations with 782. When comparing unicorns per population, Canada improves to fifth place, ahead of countries like Germany and France.

Technological Futures