Waterloo News - Entrepreneurship

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.

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.

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

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.

Engineering

Awards, Honours and Rankings

Community

Entrepreneurship

Shaping the financial future for the next generation

Wendy Philpott — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 14:26:57 +0000

How Global Business and Digital Arts prepared Naimah Venezia for the multiple disciplines required to be a founder

At the age of seven, Naimah Venezia (BGBDA ’25) was reading highlighted portions of the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” that her older brother had given her. While other kids were playing, Venezia was planning to profit from her passions – selling custom-made, repurposed jewellery and baked goods door-to-door. “If I had a sibling that was closer to my age, I might not be the way I am because I'd probably be playing,” noted Venezia, who attributes her foundation in finances to her brother. “He would teach me a lot of things about money, like saving, what assets are, what liabilities are, and how credit cards work.”

As Venezia grew older, she realized that her peers did not have the same understanding of finances that she did. “I realized that not everybody's families teach these things, and most importantly, schools don't teach us about [personal finances]." This insight, paired with her entrepreneurial drive was what Venezia needed to begin building CoinWa – a gamified financial literacy app for teens. “I know it’s a pretty intimidating topic for some people, so I wanted to make an interactive and fun way for kids to learn about finances.”

Fit for a founder

When it came time for Venezia to choose a university, she ultimately chose Waterloo for its entrepreneurial ecosystem and reputation in technology. Venezia saw that the Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA) program combined business, technology and design into one degree, and thought it was the right mix for her. “I liked how there were some Computer Science courses as well, since it’s more like a mix of business, with tech and design.”

GBDA prepared Venezia for the multiple disciplines required to be a founder, including building business models, pitching effectively, understanding market needs, applying design thinking to create human-centred experiences, and communicating effectively with technical fluency to developers and investors.

“I feel the program is made perfectly for anyone who wants to start a brand or startup – whether it’s in tech, or fashion or anything”.

During her studies at Waterloo’s satellite campus, the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, Venezia participated in activities that further connected her to industry, such as attending uXperience Design Jam, the BLEND Conference, and presenting at local female entrepreneur networking events.

Venezia accessed the Ginny Dybenko Experiential Learning Fund – a Stratford specific initiative that supports students in pursuing real-world learning experiences beyond the classroom, to attend TechWeek in Miami, where she hosted an exclusive founders’ brunch to foster connections among young female entrepreneurs.

The Coinwa Co-op continuum

As Venezia was building CoinWa, she used many of the supports available to her as a student at Waterloo. Instead of taking the conventional co-op pathway, she chose the Enterprise Co-op (E-Co-op) program, which allowed her to build, test and grow her own venture, with full support from Waterloo’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. E-Co-op provided Venezia, access to experienced mentors, guiding everything from product development to pitching. As CoinWa grew, Venezia employed students through Co-op to continue the platform’s development.

As Venezia graduates with her class in June, she has big plans. CoinWa currently employs three engineers and one designer, as Venezia strategizes to have CoinWa be a tool that prepares Grade 10 students for the financial literacy graduation requirement. “I want younger people to grow up with more financial literacy.” And she is not alone.

Banner graphic by Noah Pratt. Images supplied by CoinWa.

Arts

Entrepreneurship

Creating belonging, opportunity and momentum

Elizabeth Rogers — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:27:25 +0000

“I’m excited to be in a place where I’m adding value, learning fast and living up to the Waterloo reputation of pushing boundaries.”

From fostering student engagement on campus through the Arts Student Union to winning an interdisciplinary Velocity pitch competition, Sehaj Raj Singh has spent five years at Waterloo driven by a passion for connection and a desire to improve himself and the world around him. He’s excited to graduate this spring with an Honours degree in Economics and Business and a minor in Entrepreneurship.

What drew you to Economics and Business at Waterloo?

What sealed the deal for me was Waterloo’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. There’s an energy here, a startup mindset to experiment, build, fail fast and bounce back faster. I knew if I was going to hustle, this was the place to do it.

Economics was a discipline I genuinely enjoyed, not just because it made sense, but because it made everything else make sense too. It’s one of the most transferable subjects out there. It trained me to think clearly, act rationally and break down complex problems, and that’s a skill set that quietly wins in any room.

Between the Model UN Club, the UW Entrepreneurship Society, and the Arts Student Union, you’ve done a lot of work in student engagement. Why is that important to you?

The drive to be in the room, to contribute, to shape things, is what first pulled me into student engagement. Over time, I realized these roles were about something much bigger. The little things – organizing events, rebuilding societies, showing up for students – they add up. They create belonging, opportunity and momentum.

I’m proud to say that I was part of the leadership when two of these student societies went from completely dormant to thriving. From “no budget, no buzz” to becoming real communities for like-minded people to grow, share and lead. It might sound cheesy, but I say this with real humility – maybe my own hustle gave or will give someone else a platform. Maybe someone found their voice in something I helped build. That thought? It stays with me.

You recently won the Velocity Future City Innovation Challenge. What made you decide to enter the competition, and what was the process like of collaborating with an interdisciplinary team?

This was hands down one of the most fulfilling moments of my undergrad. I used to sit in the audience at Velocity pitch competitions, completely inspired by students turning bold ideas into real solutions. In my final year, I stumbled upon the Future City Innovation Challenge. No pre-existing team or startup required, just ambition and a good idea.

I met three incredible teammates – one in architecture, one in urban planning and one in computer science. We came up with the idea of Permitly, a platform to tackle Canada’s housing crisis by fast-tracking planning and building permits. Tech, policy, design and business all coming together.

That didn’t just get us to the finals. I got to pitch to two mayors … and we won. One of the judges, a huge home developer in Ontario, even invited us to Ottawa to explore making it real. Standing there, pitching Permitly, felt like the perfect full-circle moment. From being in the crowd to being on stage, I’m just glad I bet on myself.

What are you most excited for post-graduation? What’s next?

My family is here from India for my convocation, so I’m looking forward to spending time with them. I also just accepted an offer from Caivan Communities where I’ll be working as an Analyst in their Land Development Engineering team. Their CEO, Frank Cairo (UW BES '05), was one of the Velocity judges who we visited in Ottawa, so in many ways Permitly led me to this opportunity. And so that drive to be a part of something bigger sparked conversations, opened doors and gave me a taste of what it means to turn ideas into action.

I’m excited to be in a place where I’m adding value, learning fast and living up to the Waterloo reputation of pushing boundaries.

Serving up a taste of robot food delivery

David George-Cosh — Thu, 29 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Velocity-based Real Life Robotics partners with Skip for robot delivery offering in Markham with three-month deployment

Real Life Robotics, a pioneering robotics and automation company at Velocity, University of Waterloo’s startup incubator, today announces a first-of-its-kind robot-powered delivery partnership with Skip, Canada’s homegrown delivery network.

Through an initial three-month deployment in Markham, Ont., the initiative will pave the way for enhanced innovation within the Canadian delivery ecosystem with the potential to expand across additional Canadian cities.

Velocity-based Real Life Robotics has partnered with Skip for a robot-powered delivery pilot in Markham, Ont. (University of Waterloo)

Building on a successful trial pilot in March — the first municipally approved sidewalk delivery pilot in Canada — Real Life Robotics and Skip have introduced four supervised delivery robots operating within a two-kilometre radius of participating restaurants on Skip’s network.

“We’re building a modern Canadian robotics company grounded in practicality, not hype. Our mission is simple: save time for people and make local delivery more economically and environmentally sustainable for Canadian families,” said Cameron Waite, CEO of Real Life Robotics.

Skip customers within Markham will be able to select the “Robot Delivery” option when placing an order from participating local restaurants. Deliveries are conducted by supervised robots featuring secure compartments that unlock upon scanning a QR code and entering a unique order code to ensure a secure and quality delivery experience for all customers.

Several restaurants in Markham, Ont. have partnered with Skip and Real Life Robotics for its delivery pilot service. (University of Waterloo)

The robots are equipped to carry up to 50 kilograms per delivery and are operational daily between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m., ensuring deliveries are fulfilled in all weather conditions.

“This pilot gives customers in busy urban centres like Markham even more last-mile delivery options, enabling us to explore new technologies in a way that’s safe and accessible, putting the unique needs of each community we serve front and centre,” said Paul Sudarsan, vice president of retail and new verticals at Skip.

“Innovation is core to who we are at Skip – we’re a Canadian tech company built by Canadians for our communities – and our partnership with Real Life Robotics is an exciting step toward shaping the future of delivery.”

The robot-powered delivery pilot will be tested in Markham, Ont. over a three-month deployment with the potential to expand across additional Canadian cities. (University of Waterloo)

In addition to Skip, Real Life Robotics partnered with global robotics platform Robot.com (formerly Kiwibot), which developed the autonomous-capable robots and tele-operation driving, and the Remington Group, which supports smart city integration in Markham.

“We’ve been impressed by the experience and leadership that the Real Life Robotics team has in the Canadian robotics market, and we think Skip is exactly the right innovative player to lead this new era in robotic meal delivery,” said J. Kim Fennell, chief business officer at Robot.com.

Early results of the pilot have proven robots to be an efficient means of delivery, generating lower carbon emissions than traditional delivery methods.

“This is about rethinking last-mile delivery in a way that serves local businesses, supports cities, and gives customers a choice,” said Sharif Virani, head of growth at Real Life Robotics.

“By working hand-in-hand with Skip, we're showing that sidewalk delivery isn't science fiction, it’s a practical tool that can help Canadian merchants innovate and stay competitive.”

The three-month deployment intends to lay the groundwork for potential future expansion of Real Life Robotics’ robot delivery services nationwide. The company plans to expand its delivery efforts to operate as many as 500 robots nationally within three years.

Feature image: Sharif Virani (left), head of growth at Real Life Robotics, and Cameron Waite, CEO of Real Life Robotics. (Company Supplied)

About Velocity
Velocity accelerates entrepreneurs' growth from idea to early-stage start-up and beyond. These founders have access to unmatched resources, collaboration space, funding, and an expansive and experienced network made possible only by the University of Waterloo — Canada's top university for founders. In the 15 years since its inception as a University of Waterloo residence, more than 400 Velocity companies have netted more than US$26 billion in enterprise value.

Campus

Entrepreneurship

Societal Futures

Alumni, staff and students named Women of the Year

Jennifer Ferguson — Mon, 26 May 2025 14:16:56 +0000

The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Rogers Women of the Year awards recognize leaders for outstanding community contributions

University of Waterloo alumni, staff and students are among the winners of the 2025 Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Rogers Women of the Year awards.

For 50 years, the organization has recognized exceptional leaders for their contributions to the local community. The awards were given out at a ceremony on May 22, 2025, and several of the recipients have connections to the University.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM): Dr. Charmaine Dean (MMath ’84, PhD ’88)

Dr. Charmaine Dean is an acclaimed academic leader, statistician and advocate for equity with more than 35 years of impact. As vice-president, Research and International at the University of Waterloo, she has led nearly $1 billion in research funding and forged transformative partnerships. She chaired the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce, embedding systemic change through 88 strategic recommendations. Internationally recognized with honours like the SSC Gold Medal and France’s Order of Academic Palms, Dean’s legacy lies in bridging research excellence with bold, inclusive leadership. Her career exemplifies the highest standards of impact, service and lasting contribution to Canadian society and beyond.

Arts & Culture: Dr. Kathryn Ladano (BA ’99)

Dr. Kathryn Ladano is a visionary Canadian bass clarinetist who has redefined the instrument through a blend of traditional and experimental techniques. With degrees from the University of Waterloo, University of Calgary and York University and mentorship from renowned musicians, Ladano has captivated audiences worldwide. A dedicated educator, she’s served as artistic director for NUMUS, taught at Wilfrid Laurier University and currently instructs at the University of Waterloo. Her discography includes three solo albums and one duo release. After a traumatic brain injury in 2020, Ladano now uses her music to raise awareness about brain injuries and advocate for fellow survivors.

Community Service: Marjorie Knight (BSW ’17)

Marjorie Knight has dedicated her time as an anti-poverty advocate and community outreach worker for more than 24 years. She has represented Cambridge three times as the MPP candidate. In addition to her work as a family outreach worker with the House of Friendship in Cambridge, she serves on the boards of The Cambridge Shelter Corp. and the AIDS Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Area (ACCKWA). A collaborator at heart, Knight is also the founder of Rhythm and Blues, an organization that advocates for the Black community in Cambridge.

Lifetime Achievement: Joan Fisk

Joan Fisk is a longtime supporter of the University and a respected community leader and current chief executive officer of United Way Waterloo Region Communities. Her career includes executive roles at Gore Mutual, Greater K-W Chamber of Commerce and Tiger Brand Knitting Company Ltd. Fisk has served on numerous boards, including the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network, Lang School of Business and Economics Dean's Advisory Board, Wilfrid Laurier University, Conestoga College and the College of Physicians and Surgeons. Her many honours include the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, YMCA Woman of Distinction and the 125th Confederation Medal. Fisk’s lifelong dedication to public service, equity and community development makes her a truly deserving recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Young Adult (14-23): Jessica Quinn

Jessica Quinn is a dedicated leader, advocate and community builder from the Waterloo Region. Through her work, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to improving the lives of others, particularly in the areas of sport development, inclusivity and youth empowerment. After experiencing the devastating loss of her father in 2023, Quinn went on to make the historic first Team Canada Woman’s Box Lacrosse team. At the same time, she also managed to maintain exceptional grades in the Legal Studies program at the University of Waterloo. Quinn embodies compassion and resilience, leveraging her personal experiences to inspire and motivate those around her.

Group Achievement: Women in Communications & Technology (WCT) Mentoring Circles

Women in Communications & Technology (WCT) Mentoring Circles is a nine-month program that provides like-minded professionals in any industry the opportunity to form strategic partnerships in a supported group to achieve their personal and professional goals. Since the inception of Mentoring Circles in 2019, after the WCT volunteer team identified a mentorship gap for women in the Region, nearly 500 participants of all career stages have received support. The initiative was scaled nationally by WCT in March 2024 to foster mentoring relationships across Canada. Board members have included Lauren Kwan (BA ’22), Andrea McLean (BMath ’96), Patricia Nielsen (BA ’04), Sherry Shannon-Vanstone and Alfie Scozzaro (BA ’94).

More than 140 exceptional women were nominated for awards this year. The nominee list included many University of Waterloo alumni, students, staff, faculty and other women connected to campus. Here are some of those nominees:

Rose Aydin, undergraduate student, Faculty of Health
Jacqueline Beckford-Henriques, head coach, swimming
Stephanie Boutari (BAS ’11, MArch ’14)
Stefanie Bruinsma (BASc ’15, MBET ’21)
Claudia Martin Calderon, PhD student, Faculty of Health
Jennifer Haas, head, Information Services and Resources, Davis Centre
Yessenia Guerrero (BA ’16), associate director, response, Office of Equity, Diversity and Anti-racism
Sarah Larochelle, undergraduate student, Faculty of Health
Dr. Laura Mae Lindo, assistant professor, Department of Philosophy; director of programs in Black Studies
Dr. Lili Liu, dean, Faculty of Health
Camelia Nunes (BA ’05, MBET ’13), sessional lecturer, Department of Economics
Sloan Stark, undergraduate student, Faculty of Health
Isabella Stefanescu (BMath ’81)
Amy Tai, PhD student, Faculty of Engineering

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. Your accomplishments are a testament to the strength and talent of our University community.

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

How to deliver on the powerful promise of quantum computers

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

New tool estimates real-world costs of quantum computing so businesses can become quantum ready

Quantum computers promise more than code breaking. They could unlock commercial value in areas like banking, automotive and optimization industries. Businesses need to not only prepare for quantum attacks, but also ready their organizations to tap into the economic benefit of adopting quantum technologies.

Now, researchers at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo and quantum software provider softwareQ have developed one of the world’s first quantum resource estimation tools to calculate the realistic costs of quantum attacks and how to use quantum computers effectively.

The potential threat of someone breaking the RSA code, the encryption scheme that underpins secure online banking and e-commerce, motivated Dr. Michele Mosca, co-founder of IQC and softwareQ, and Dr. Vlad Gheorghiu, softwareQ’s co-founder and CEO, to develop a framework to estimate quantum attacks so that industries can be prepared.

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“We can’t be one day late, and part of that calculus is knowing how big of a computer is needed,” says Mosca, professor in the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization. “But beyond that, if you want to derive commercial value from quantum computers, you have to know what they are good for and how powerful a quantum computer you are going to need. That’s a moving target as hardware and algorithms continue to improve.”

The new tool is a blueprint for businesses to calculate the realistic costs and resources needed to run a quantum algorithm. If a city were to repave a road, they would have to estimate all materials, labour and equipment needed to get the job done. This softwareQ tool is a breakthrough for estimating quantum computing resources because running large quantum algorithms, like those that break cryptography, is complex and requires significant overhead beyond just counting qubits — the quantum equivalent of a computer bit.

Gheorghiu, who is also an IQC research affiliate, says a breakthrough demonstration is needed to practically showcase quantum computers’ potential. Like how ChatGPT shows the impact of generative artificial intelligence. For now, it’s unlikely that industry is developing technologies as assertively as they could which is where resource estimation comes in.

“Many companies are going to be too late,” he says. “Our framework allows businesses to start thinking about quantum computing practically and gives them an idea of the landscape and what they need. And accelerate research and development of quantum technologies in general.”

Mosca says it’s difficult to accurately predict when the most secure encryption codes will be compromised. Timeline estimates for when that size quantum computer will be operational range from up to five years (14 per cent likely) and 10 years (34 per cent likely.)

“It’s very risky to assume it won’t happen,” Mosca says. “We are already at a point where quantum hardware can do stuff we couldn’t realistically do with classical hardware. That wasn’t true five years ago.”

Quantum computers are complex, and a quantum resource estimation framework is not a trivial tool, Mosca says.

“Because of the algorithms, layers of techniques, computer architecture, error rates, error correcting codes from the bottom up, if someone asks how many physical qubits a certain task requires, it’s hard to know without a resource estimation tool.”

Read more about their findings, Quantum resource estimation for large scale quantum algorithms.

Technological Futures

Quantum-Nano Revolution