Monday, November 27, 2017

Show Waterloo some love this Giving Tuesday

A message from the Office of Advancement.

You survived Black Friday, you’re making the most of Cyber Monday, and tomorrow it’s Giving Tuesday!

If you’re not familiar with it, Giving Tuesday is a global movement that encourages people, charities, and businesses to come together to celebrate giving.

In honour of Waterloo’s 60^th anniversary, we’ve asked a small group of Waterloo champions for their help in matching gifts that come in tomorrow. What that means is your gift to Waterloo could potentially make twice the impact.

Our proud Waterloo champions are:

• 7:00 - 8:00 a.m. - Cindy Forbes (BMath ’79), EVP & Chief Analytics Officer at Manulife Financial, and Chair of the University of Waterloo Board of Governors
• 11:00 a.m. - noon - Steven Woods (PhD ’96), Senior Engineering Director at Google
• 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Paul Salvini (BMath ’92) Chief Executive Officer at the Accelerator Centre
• 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Jay Shah (BASc ’11) Director of Velocity

We hope you’ll celebrate Giving Tuesday and make a gift to Waterloo during one of these hours. Each of our champions will match your donations (up to a personal maximum) during their hour, so follow them on social media and double your impact!

Matching gifts are only available during the champion’s outlined hour and until their personal matching cap is reached. Only one-time, online gifts are eligible for matching.

Velocity Fund Finals this week

The 20^th Velocity Fund Finals will take place this Thursday, November 30^th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Waterloo students and alumni will pitch their innovative startups for the chance to win funding to grow their businesses, and to receive workspace in the Velocity Garage, the largest free startup incubator in the world.

Ten companies will compete for four prizes of $25,000, and judges will present one company with an additional $10,000 for the top hardware pitch. Another ten startups will compete for one of three awards of $5,000.

The judging panel for the Velocity Fund $25K competition includes:

• Eva Lau; Managing Partner, Two Small Fish Ventures
• Karamdeep Nijjar; Partner, iNovia Capital
• Christopher Reid; CEO & Founder, Sortable
• Jennifer Smith; Senior Business Executive

The judging panel for the Velocity Fund $5K competition includes:

• Steven Fyke; Creative Director, SnapPea Design
• Heather Galt; VP Marketing and Head of Advanced Programs, Communitech
• Zoran Hristov, Quality Manager, AirBoss Rubber Compounding

The $25K finalists are:

• A-Line Orthopaedics , a med-tech startup focused on developing innovative products for spine surgery, improving patient outcomes and surgeon confidence through safer, faster and lower cost procedures;
• Avec has partnered with restaurants to offer you access to buy one, get one free deals when eating out;
• Avra Technologies, which is developing eye-tracking glasses for people who have trouble using keyboard and mouse, allowing them to control computers with their eyes;
• Envoi, which offers retailers infrastructure for same day delivery in order to meet consumer demand that is not currently fulfilled by traditional courier services;
• GrowXY, which is developing automation technology to increase the economic viability of large scale, indoor, vertical farming;
• NanoCnet, which has developed Nanosilvex, a highly flexible, conductive, and cost effective nanomaterial for use in conductive thin films, unlocking the future of electronics, including touch panels, displays, and wearables;
• ShiftRide, an on-demand mobility platform, giving people access to cars shared by car owners nearby;
• ShopSimply, a mobile app that lets you buy clothing from popular brands such as H&M, Zara, and Nike;
• SpurDeal, a mobile app that replaces printed coupons by allowing restaurants to post real-time deals on meals;
• Tabnex, which helps businesses make smarter and faster hiring decisions, by providing real-time data and predictive intelligence on candidates who have applied to job opportunities.

The $5K finalists are:

• 1Mentor, a gamified collaborative educational platform that connects companies to emerging talent at universities;
• GreenSorbs, which is designing a sorbent boom to clean up oil spills using a material made from landfill waste;
• ENVR, which is developing technology that adds physical feedback to enhance virtual reality experiences;
• HoloFab, which uses augmented reality to improve modular fabrication in the construction industry.
• HolyGrail, a beauty content, community, and e-commerce platform that leverages the eruption of influencer marketing;
• Natural Interest, which is establishing a fund that offers debt financing only to sustainable food enterprises in Ontario;
• PolyGone, which is developing washing machine products to capture microfibres as they are released from synthetic textiles;
• QALM, a smart steam trap monitoring solution that makes the invisible leaks visible.
• SannTek, which is developing a nanotechnology based sensor to quantify marijuana intoxication.
• TenderTool, which makes the tendering process between building managers and contractors seamless and transparent.

The pitch competition will take place in the Student Life Centre, Great Hall. The $5K competition starts at 11:00 a.m., and the $25K competition starts at 1:00 p.m., with the event wrapping up at 3:00 p.m. Register to attend here. Can’t make it in person? There is also a live stream.  

Waterloo makes AI a cornerstone of Hong Kong partnerships

In addition to signing an historic agreement with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to develop teaching, research and experiential exchanges last week, the University is engaging in industry and government discussions on its cutting-edge operational artificial intelligence concept: Waterloo.ai Alpha.

Over the next two years, Waterloo will work with partners in industry, government and other organizations in creating an artificial intelligence research centre in Hong Kong focused around three themes: the AI School, translational research, and AI entrepreneurship. This will complement and accelerate Hong Kong’s drive into the artificial intelligence space, fuelling initiatives across key areas such as healthy aging, robotics, smart cities, and more.

“We are proud of our entrepreneurial DNA where we are continually pushing the boundaries.” says President Feridun Hamdullahpur. “As one of the top global innovation universities, we are fuelling our democracies through new technologies, inventions and businesses that create a better world.”

The University is currently in dialogue with potential partners, including Hong Kong’s universities, statutory bodies, alumni, foundations and companies to raise the significant resources and support required for these initiatives. In addition to tremendous industry and societal impact, the developments will provide the local innovation industry with a number of employment opportunities from inventors and researchers to administrative staff.

Waterloo.ai is the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute, made of up professors and researchers from five of the University's six faculties, is focused on research into foundational and operational AI. 

Monday's notes

The Library’s annual Toy Box campaign is currently running through to Friday, December 15. New and gently-used toys for all ages will be accepted at drop boxes in Dana Porter next to the Circulation Desk and in Davis Centre Library near the front doors. Donations will be taken to the KW Christmas Bureau. "Thank you in advance for your generosity!" says a note from the Library.

“Merry Christmas to all and to all a good meal!” says a note from the University Club informing campus that the Club's annual Christmas Luncheon Buffet kicks off today and runs until Friday, December 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. daily.

“At this time of the year we like to remember those whose Christmas is a financial hardship by donating toys to the Salvation Army," says a note from the University Club. "In past years the Club has, with the assistance of our clients, donated approximately 500 toys for needy children in our community. If you would like to help us by donating a toy or book to our tree this year, we will be giving a gift certificate to the UC for each giving person. Thanks to all who have donated in the past and to those who will join us this year.”

On Wednesday, December 13, the University Club will host its Christmas Dinner Buffet from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

To make your reservation, call extension 33801.

Fresh lines will be painted at eight campus crosswalks around the ring road on Tuesday, November 28, weather permitting.