News

When Will Paskar graduated from the University of Waterloo with a degree in mechanical engineering, he knew he wanted to do more than design technology. He wanted to shape how it was used to create value. His career path from engineering graduate to technology and business leader reflects exactly the kind of transformation the Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) program was designed to support.

The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business recently hosted the Quantum Valley Investments Problem Pitch Competition Winter 2026 Finals, bringing together student teams to present innovative solutions to pressing real-world challenges across health, technology, and society.

When Krishna was first considering graduate school, she faced a familiar crossroads: pursue a traditional engineering path or follow a conventional business degree. Neither fully matched her ambitions.

She knew one thing with certainty: she wanted to build something of her own.

The Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) program offered a different path. Designed around venture creation and real-world experimentation, MBET gave Krishna the space to test ideas, make mistakes, and develop the interdisciplinary mindset that continues to shape her work today as a product manager and author.

Five Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) teams from the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business had a strong showing at the 2026 BMO Apex Startup Challenge, with three advancing to the graduate finals.

CELLECT Laboratories Inc. earned second place in the graduate track and first place in the elevator pitch competition, while Jtcipher secured third place.

The results highlight the impact of MBET ventures and the program’s emphasis on venture creation, pitching excellence and experiential learning.

Professor Nada Basir, with co-authors Jamie Ladge and Serena Sohrab, has had their paper, “Disrupted selves in transition: How women navigate fertility treatments in the context of work” (Basir, Ladge, and Sohrab, 2026), named an Editor’s Choice by the Journal of Applied Psychology.

The study examines how women balance fertility treatments with professional responsibilities, shedding light on work-life transitions and organizational support. This recognition highlights Basir’s ongoing research into complex workplace experiences and its impact on both scholarship and practice. 

The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business is proud to host and sponsor the Problem Lab’s Winter 2026 Problem Pitch Competition Finals, where Waterloo students showcase their research-driven approaches to tackling today’s most pressing challenges. For the 2026 academic year, themes will align with the Global Futures themes as outlined by the University.

Finalist teams will present their research to a panel of industry leaders and alumni for a chance to win $7,500 in R&D.

The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business is proud to announce the launch of the Academy of Research Commercialization (ARC), a new initiative designed to empower University of Waterloo doctoral students in turning deep-tech discoveries into investor-ready ventures.

Her retirement marks the conclusion of an extraordinary chapter, and the Conrad School community extends its sincere gratitude and best wishes as she begins this next stage. As reflected by founding Director Howard Armitage, Tracie’s steady leadership, good humour, and problem-solving ability made her a foundational presence at Conrad.

Her retirement marks the conclusion of an extraordinary chapter, and the Conrad School community extends its sincere gratitude and best wishes as she begins this next stage.

After the closure of his first venture during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kamal Lutfi entered the Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) program seeking a structured path to relaunch as a founder in Canada’s innovation ecosystem. MBET provided the clarity, community, and disciplined approach he needed to rebuild his entrepreneurial foundation.

Kamal credits the program with reshaping his leadership, strengthening his customer-development discipline, and teaching him to leverage Waterloo’s innovation network. He learned to treat each iteration as a hypothesis and to view failure as valuable data.

Today, Kamal is building a purpose-driven venture grounded in validated opportunity and long-term impact. He continues to stay connected to the Conrad School through mentorship, sharing real-world experience, and creating opportunities for future founders. His journey reflects MBET’s core mission: transforming setbacks into strategy and empowering resilient, evidence-based entrepreneurship.