Waterloo News - Engineering

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.

Watch video on YouTube

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.

Resilience and research in motion

Angie Docking — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:29:17 +0000

After rebuilding her academic path in Canada, graduate student Kseniia Buzko is advancing AI in sport with award-winning research.

When war disrupted her studies in Ukraine, Kseniia Buzko faced an uncertain future.

Determined not to let her education be derailed, she built a new future in Canada — earning top grades, forging international research collaborations and producing award-winning work in sports analytics at the University of Waterloo.

A new beginning in Canada

Buzko’s journey to Canada began in 2022, when studying at her home institution in Ukraine became untenable. She applied and was accepted into the first cohort of the summer program for students from Ukraine whose studies had been disrupted by the war, a joint initiative between the Waterloo and the University of Toronto. Buzko spent her first summer at the University of Toronto, and through the program, began to build early connections with the Waterloo community — an experience she describes as life-changing.

“The summer program gave me the chance to resume my education after the war disrupted my life,” says Buzko. “It offered academic stability, helped me refocus on my future and introduced what could be possible for me in the Canadian academic system.”

She later transferred to the Waterloo to complete her final undergraduate year in computer science, graduating with top marks. An internship at Waterloo.AI followed, and under the guidance of Dr. Paul Fieguth, a systems design engineering professor and Waterloo’s associate vice president – academic operations, she led a joint research project bridging her home university and Waterloo. That work became her undergraduate thesis and set the stage for her graduate research.

Inspired by that early momentum and a strong sense of belonging, Buzko knew Waterloo was the right place for her to continue her studies.

Breakthrough research in sports analytics

Now a master’s student in the Department of Systems Design Engineering’s Vision and Image Processing (VIP) Research Group — which is focused on visual processing, perception and responsible AI for real-world applications — Buzko is conducting research under the supervision of Professors David Clausi and Yuhao Chen focused on action recognition in ice hockey broadcasts.

Generic AI models often struggle with hockey, where players are smaller on screen, wear bulky gear and use sticks that standard systems don’t account for.

To improve accuracy, Buzko developed a custom pipeline called CP-Hockey. It helps the AI system better interpret hockey footage by adjusting for differences in player size on screen and by adding important visual details — like head position and stick movement — that most models ignore. These improvements make it possible to tell apart similar actions, such as different skating directions, quick stops, stickwork and puck strikes.

“These contextual priors significantly improve recognition accuracy and enable more reliable analysis of game strategies and player performance,” Buzko explains. “While developed for hockey, the methods show promise for other equipment-heavy sports as well.”

In June, her work earned the Best Paper Award at the Linköping Hockey Analytics Conference for her publication Ice Hockey Action Recognition via Contextual Priors.

Kseniia Buzko with fellow members of the Vision and Image Processing (VIP) Research Group, where she develops AI models to improve action recognition in ice hockey.

Building a community

For Buzko, Waterloo has become much more than an academic home. It’s also a place where she’s found belonging and support.

“I love being part of the VIP Lab where I can engage in meaningful research and collaborate with brilliant peers and mentors,” she says. “Beyond academics, I’m grateful to continue here my lifelong passion for playing badminton. It’s helped me build close friendships that make me feel truly at home here.”

She is equally grateful for the space that Waterloo has offered for her to heal and thrive.

“The environment at Waterloo supports not only my academic development but also my personal well-being,” Buzko says. “I feel incredibly motivated here, and I look forward to continuing my journey at Waterloo as a PhD student.”

Former Waterloo dean named to Order of Canada

Pamela Smyth — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:17:42 +0000

Past engineering dean among honourees with ties to the University of Waterloo

Dr. Adel Sedra, Distinguished Professor Emeritus and past dean of the Faculty of Engineering, was named an Officer of the Order of Canada. He is among four people with connections to the University of Waterloo included in the list of new honourees.

Sedra served as dean of the Faculty of Engineering from 2003 to 2012. The Sedra Student Design Centre bears his name in recognition of his significant contributions to student learning at Waterloo. With Dr. Kenneth C. Smith, he co-authored Microelectronic Circuits, considered a definitive reference and textbook that has bolstered the education of more than a million students around the world.

“Adel Sedra has helped shape engineering education globally and here at Waterloo especially where students continue to learn from him and benefit from his legacy of leadership,” said Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo. “His influence extends to his research, which has informed important work in fields such as medical technology and wireless communications. Congratulations to him on this deserved recognition.”

The Honourable John Manley was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada. A member of Waterloo’s Board of Governors from 2005 to 2011, Manley was a member of Parliament who served in several senior roles in the Government of Canada, including as deputy prime minister of Canada.

Dr. Tom Chau, who earned a PhD in systems design engineering from Waterloo in 1998, is a professor and leader in the field of pediatric rehabilitation, whose work supports children with complex disabilities. The Hummer, an award-winning device Chau developed, captures the vibration of children’s vocal cords to operate computers and other communication tools. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

And Claudette McGowan, founder and CEO of the cybersecurity company Protexxa, was named a Member of the Order of Canada. McGowan, a global IT leader, received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Waterloo in 2023.

“It is rewarding and affirming for our whole community when Waterloo alumni lead transformational work, as Dr. Chau has done to improve the lives of children,” Goel said. “What’s more, Waterloo has been fortunate to work with exceptional leaders with global impact, like the Honourable John Manley and Claudette McGowan. I congratulate these honourees and thank them for their contributions to the University and beyond.”

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced 83 new appointments to the Order of Canada on June 30. Investiture ceremonies will take place in the future. For more information on the awards, please visit the website for the Governor General of Canada.

(Photo credit for banner image: Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall © OSGG, 2019.)

Campus

Engineering

Awards, Honours and Rankings

New horizons for Waterloo’s Canada 150 Chairs

Angelica Sanchez — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 20:18:02 +0000

Dr. Anita Layton and Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn complete their C150 terms but their research impacting the future of health and technology continue

Eight years ago, to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, the Government of Canada invested $117 million to launch a new initiative aimed at enhancing Canada’s reputation as a global centre for science, research and innovation excellence.

The Canada 150 (C150) Research Chairs program set out to attract top-tier internationally-based scholars and researchers to Canada – with two international researchers joining the University of Waterloo.

As their C150 terms come to an end, both Dr. Anita Layton and Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn who will continue as professors at Waterloo, look back at their terms fondly and ahead to the future.

As C150 Chair in Intelligent Robotics, Dautenhahn says the Chair was a tremendous opportunity to open the Social and Intelligent Robotics Research Laboratory (SIRRL) and relocate her family to Canada following her previous role in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

“This has worked out really well, and Waterloo is a great place. Collaboration across the University and with the faculties is encouraged, which is needed as my work is very interdisciplinary,” says Dautenhahn, who is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “I couldn’t have done these projects without Waterloo. It’s a place with a lot of opportunities.”

Since arriving at Waterloo, she has advanced and furthered her research in therapeutic and educational usage of social and intelligent robots. The robots have demonstrated the benefits and support that can be provided to children with speech and language challenges, along with helping children to learn about bullying and empathy.

Additionally, intelligent robots offer a tremendous opportunity to teach people without judgement, says Dautenhahn, making them highly suited for the role of a public speaking coach or a mental wellbeing coach, allowing students to practice skills and techniques.

“I really believe that there are many applications where robots can be beneficial, not replacing people, but taking advantage of the specific characteristics of robots,” she says.

For Layton, the C150 Chair in Mathematical Biology and Medicine, the different funding landscape in Canada meant more research prospects.

Dr. Anita Layton, professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics, cross-appointed to Computer Science, Pharmacy and Biology.

“With my research funding I was able to have a large group of students, branch out, collaborate, get more support — and do the things I found exciting,” Layton says. “I learned a lot about chronic disease and drug simulation — and was able to take my knowledge to the public through the media.”

She is a professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics, cross-appointed to Computer Science, Pharmacy and Biology, and this interdisciplinary lens is central to her research.

Her research team uses computational modelling tools to better understand health and disease, in an approach she describes as using mathematics as a microscope. Through the use of computer simulations and mathematical analysis, her research has revealed insights into the progression and treatment responses of chronic diseases, and how sex hormones may explain individual differences. One of her recent studies found adding more potassium-rich foods to a diet may have a greater impact on blood pressure than reducing or eliminating sodium. This work gained significant media attention for promoting a simple change that can make a difference to many people.

As her seven-year term as a C150 Chair comes to an end, she has been named a University Professor at Waterloo.

Her plans include working with collaborators and the community, supporting the advancement of faculty, guiding postdoctoral fellows in knowledge translation, and training students to become independent thinkers who initiate research direction and communicate research.

“I want to do more to elevate others,” Layton says.

Awards, Honours and Rankings

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

PODCAST: Revolutionizing baseball training

Jennifer Ferguson — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 18:59:45 +0000

Joshua Pope (BASc ’19) and Rowan Ferrabee (BASc ’19) are changing the game for professional baseball players with a pitching robot

Listen to this UWaterloo Alumni Podcast episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Buzzsprout or wherever you get your podcasts.

Joshua Pope (BASc ’19) came to Waterloo with a big idea to change how people play and train for sports. With the right support at Waterloo, the right partner — Rowan Ferrabee (BASc ’19) — and plenty of grit and perseverance, that dream is now a reality.

The Trajekt Arc is a pitching robot that replicates pro players and is being used by dozens of professional teams. Josh and Rowan came back to campus to chat about how they’re changing the game for professional baseball players.

Show notes

(2:04) What is Trajekt Sports?

(2:52) Getting started

(6:40) How they’ve grown and the first pro team

(11:23) Hitting big milestones

(12:51) Proudest accomplishments

(16:02) What’s next?

(22:05) Favourite student memories from campus

(25:39) Advice for students and alumni

Mentioned in this podcast

Read more about Joshua and Rowan in Waterloo Magazine.

Campus

Engineering

Community

How to suspend one liquid inside another

David George-Cosh — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Waterloo-led research team creates “programmable” droplets with potential usage in wastewater treatment and carbon capture

Researchers led by a team at the University of Waterloo have developed a way to create tiny droplets of one liquid inside another liquid without mixing the two together.

Known as droplet templating, the technique enables the creation of a new class of nanoparticle-based soft materials with potential applications in carbon capture and wastewater treatment.

The process involves assembling and jamming nanoparticles onto the surface of an aqueous-based droplet, forming a strong outer shell that keeps each droplet intact and distinct. These coated droplets can then be filled with a wide range of nanoparticles and dried to form lightweight, porous aerogel beads.

The aerogel bead droplets are filled with magnetic particles that can be used to shield against electromagnetic waves. A magnet under the Petri dish helps to attract the droplets into the 'C' position. (University of Waterloo)

“This technique allows researchers to create hybrid aerogels by filling each droplet or bead with specific nanomaterials for different targeted uses,” said Dr. Milad Kamkar, a professor in Waterloo’s Department of Chemical Engineering.

“Researchers can now control not only the composition but also where each droplet is arranged within a liquid, essentially making the droplets and the resulting soft materials and aerogels programmable.”

Kamkar added that the droplet templating process could have a significant impact on wastewater treatment. The aerogel beads could be loaded with different nanoparticles, each targeting specific contaminants, and strategically packed in a column to optimize treatment as wastewater flows through it.

In the fight against climate change, aerogel beads could be infused with metal-organic frameworks and other functional materials to capture carbon dioxide from the air. Potential applications also include sensors, electronics and the aerospace industry.

“This technique allows researchers to create layered, gradient or mixed aerogels, opening up new possibilities for designing multifunctional materials,” said Kamkar, who is also director of the Multiscale Materials Design Lab. “Scientists can now control the precise location of components and nanomaterials.”

Another potential use case for droplet templating is to shield against electromagnetic waves, which can interfere with sensitive equipment. Aerogel beads filled with magnetic and conductive nanomaterials could be strategically placed in buildings like hospitals to protect patients and equipment from electromagnetic interference.

“In the modern world, we’re constantly surrounded by electromagnetic waves from electronics such as cell phones, laptops and Wi-Fi, which can negatively affect the performance of sensitive equipment,” Kamkar said.

“These waves can also cause serious health issues, such as cancer. Removing this invisible pollution from our environment is a big challenge, and these aerogel beads could help address it.”

Kamkar and the Waterloo team collaborated on this research with researchers at the University of British Columbia and Drexel University in Philadelphia.

A paper on their work, Droplet-templating soft materials into structured bead-based aerogels with compartmentalized or welded configurations, recently appeared in Material Horizons.

Second image: A suspended droplet atop a generated interfacial layer of nanoparticle (CNC)-surfactant. The top phase is hexane-POSS, and the bottom phase is CNC suspension. (University of Waterloo)

Feature image: Dr. Milad Kamkar, a professor in Waterloo’s Department of Chemical Engineering, photographed in his laboratory where he developed the droplet technology that can contain one liquid inside another. (University of Waterloo)

Engineering

Research

Sustainable Futures

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

Congratulations, Class of 2025!

Darren Mc Almont — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:45:21 +0000

Waterloo welcomes more than 7,700 new graduates to its alumni club and celebrates their bold new journeys

Spring 2025 Convocation was a spectacular celebration of dedication, resilience and triumph. As graduates crossed the stage, their hard work and perseverance shone brightly after navigating some of the most challenging times in recent history, including beginning their degrees during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Across five days and 14 vibrant ceremonies, Waterloo’s campus came alive with the cheers of proud families, friends, faculty and staff — all gathered to honour the incredible accomplishments of our graduating students.

“I was truly inspired by the remarkable accomplishments of our graduates,” says Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “As each new graduate transitions to Waterloo’s remarkable alumni community, they are poised to tackle global challenges and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future for humanity and our planet.”  

Behind the scenes, the magic was made possible by a dedicated team of 207 staff and alumni volunteers, 94 student ambassadors and seven retirees. From ambassadors and ushers to stage support and accessibility assistants, these incredible individuals ensured that every moment ran smoothly for thousands of graduates and their loved ones.

A total of 230 PhD, 957 master’s and 6,155 undergraduate degrees were conferred to new alumni during Spring 2025 Convocation. Here are some of the memorable moments from the ceremonies.

‘Curiosity is my own superpower’

In the chancellor’s address to the Class of 2025, Dr. Jagdeep Bachher (BASc ’93, MASc ’94, PhD ’00) encouraged graduates to unlock new possibilities by remaining curious and embracing the changes occurring around them.

“Waterloo is a place of change, innovation and new, bold beginnings. ‘What supercharges new beginnings?’ Curiosity,” he said. “That means asking audacious questions of yourself and of others.”

Bachher further encouraged graduates to be steadfast in their values in the face of injustice and external pressures.

“What makes me proud to be your chancellor is your courage. The courage to stand up for what’s right, to challenge the status quo, to be kind when it’s easier not to be, and to choose inclusion, humility and decency … even when the world doesn’t reward those things. These are my Sikh values, these are Canadian values, these are human values,” he shared.

Watch the Chancellor’s full speech on YouTube

‘The perfect year to graduate’

On June 11, Faculty of Mathematics valedictorian Keeley Isinghood (BMath ’25) delivered a creative address on why 2025 is the perfect year to graduate from Waterloo. As her fellow mathematicians would appreciate, Isinghood used numbers, equations and percentages to inspire her peers.

“There is something special about the number 2025. 2025 is a perfect square — 45 times 45 gives you 2025,” she explained “Some of you may be thinking that this is not so special, but only those aged 89 or older were alive for the last perfect square year, 1936, and it will be 91 years until the next perfect square year, 2116,” she said. “So, for the majority of us in this room, 2025 is the only perfect square year we will live to see.”

Isinghood also encouraged the graduating class to make the most of every moment even when things don’t seem to add up.

“Our lives are the sums of all the events, the perfect and the imperfect.”

Watch Isinghood’s full speech on YouTube

Remembering Mana Mao (BSc ’25)

After passing away suddenly from a medical issue in December last year, Mana Mao (BSc ’25) was posthumously awarded a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, which was accepted by her mother, Anisa Mohamed and father Hussein Haji. Mao is remembered by her colleagues and professors in the Faculty of Health as a dedicated student and active member in university sports, who also served as a trainer for the women’s volleyball team. In a show of support, the audience stood and applauded for more than two minutes to honour Mao’s achievement.
Watch the moment her degree was awarded

‘You get to carve your own path’

Learning is continuous. This was the message Faculty of Engineering valedictorian Chinemerem Chigbo (BASc ’25) shared with his graduating colleagues on June 14.

“Real learning happens beyond the lectures and labs, in moments when you face problems that weren't listed anywhere on the syllabus,” he shared. “If at any point we stop learning, we stop growing. So don’t just think of yourself as a graduate of the University of Waterloo. Think of yourself as a lifelong undergraduate. Embrace each day with curiosity and a sense of adventure.”

Watch Chigbo's full speech on YouTube

A moment to remember

A proud Faculty of Science graduate celebrates convocation with a heartwarming selfie alongside his baby and the chancellor.

Sarah Dupuis (BA ’25), who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Development Studies (Honours), shares how the accessibility of online education at Waterloo connected her with opportunities she thought to be out of reach.

Together, we celebrated not just a milestone, but the beginning of your bold new journeys. Congratulations, Class of 2025 — your future is bright, and the world is ready for your brilliance.

Community by design

Angie Docking — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 14:36:14 +0000

Jocelyne Murphy, recipient of the 2025 Pearl Sullivan Emerging Global Leaders Award, is helping students around the world connect, create and lead with purpose

Jocelyne Murphy (BASc '25, systems design engineering) came to Waterloo with a vision that extended beyond her own academic journey.

What began as a focus on creating supportive spaces for curious, collaborative students — often overlooked in traditional tech settings — quickly evolved into building the tools, communities and systems that could support student-led change at scale. It was a natural extension of the grassroots organizing and network-building work she began in high school.

Murphy’s extraordinary leadership and lasting impact in building inclusive communities for the next generation of builders has earned her the Pearl Sullivan Emerging Global Leaders Award, one of the Faculty of Engineering’s highest student honours.

Scaling impact

Through student-led ventures, Murphy has helped shape a thriving, inclusive ecosystem for builders and collaborators on campus and beyond.

During her time at Waterloo, Murphy has played a key role in the expansion of Socratica, a student-led mentorship community that has since grown into a global network. With over 100 trained hosts leading weekly sessions, Socratica now connects more than 3,000 students across 30 cities, offering a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, peer support and early-stage project development. As part of that ecosystem, she co-founded UW Startups, a student-run initiative that helps Waterloo and Canadian students launch their big ideas.

In 2023, she also co-founded Wygo, a startup designed to support the next generation of community builders. Initially backed by Waterloo’s Enterprise Co-op program, Wygo is now gaining momentum as it prepares to make its first hires and welcome a new cohort of hosts this summer.

Building belonging

“Loneliness shouldn’t be the reason great people don’t do great things,” Murphy says. “We start every Socratica session with a pledge: if someone’s standing alone in the corner, we’ll go be their friend.”

Socratica’s low-barrier approach, with no applications or fees, has become a model of peer-led innovation and inclusive leadership. For three years, Murphy and long-time student collaborator Anson Yu (BASc ’25, systems design engineering) have been focused on sustainable growth and highlighting voices often left out of traditional engineering narratives, like beginners, artists, women, BIPOC students and others following non-linear paths.

Murphy credits Waterloo’s culture of collaboration, mentorship and experimentation for much of her success. She feels early believers not only made unconventional career paths possible, but instilled confidence and conviction that they’re worth pursuing in the first place.

“Waterloo Engineering demands hard work, but no one does it alone,” she says. “The support I’ve received from professors, alumni and my peers has kick-started my ability to build the things I want to see in the world.”

Members of Socratica celebrate on stage at their annual symposium.

A catalyst for change

Murphy’s voice has also shaped the broader tech landscape. At the 2024 BetaKit Town Hall, she called on Canadian companies to better support emerging talent. Her remarks prompted Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke to commit to hiring 1,000 interns in 2025 and have since led to increased sponsorship and support for student initiatives like Socratica.

“Jocelyne redefined what it means to support and uplift engineering students,” says Jesse Rodgers, founder and CEO of Waterloo’s Builders Club. “Her work inspired even seasoned alumni to re-engage with the community in meaningful ways.”

Murphy is joined by Wygo co-founder Christopher Oka (BASc ’25, systems design engineering) as she takes this work to the next level. “I want to support community builders right here in Canada,” she says, “so our smartest, kindest and most ambitious people can pursue greatness together.”

Explore the full list of 2025 finalists for the Pearl Sullivan Emerging Global Leaders Award.

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