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University of Waterloo Commercialization Framework launches
A message from the Office of Research.
A new agency created by the Government of Ontario, Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON), will provide Intellectual Property (IP) knowledge, advice, and services to support innovators, researchers, businesses, and entrepreneurs in Ontario. The agency was created under the recommendation of the province’s IP Action Plan.
The government has also introduced its Commercialization Mandate Agreement (CMA) framework, which applies to all publicly assisted colleges and universities, including the University of Waterloo. Under the CMA framework, affected institutions are expected to establish practices that support the proactive management and commercialization of IP for the socio-economic benefit of Ontario.
Read about the University of Waterloo’s Commercialization Framework for information about engaging in IP and commercialization activities.
Voting opens for GreenHouse People's Choice Awards
A message from GreenHouse.
Each term, the GreenHouse social impact incubator at St. Paul’s University College hosts its Social Impact Showcase. It celebrates the amazing work GreenHouse students accomplish through their journeys of social innovation and entrepreneurship, while also providing an opportunity for students to acquire seed funding for their ideas.
While the initial adjudication decisions have already been made, there is still time to vote for your favourite social venture in the People’s Choice Awards.
The People’s Choice Award will be given to the social venture with the most online votes, alongside an additional $1,000 in funding. Some of the problems the 6 ventures pitching this term aim to address include: the 3D printing waste problem, medical miscommunications, and climate-related emergency readiness.
Voting opens today, July 7 and closes Sunday, July 10 at 11:59 p.m. The winners of the People’s Choice Awards will be announced on Thursday, July 14 at 5:00 p.m. via the GreenHouse Instagram account and in person at the Social Impact Showcase.
Learn more about the 6 ventures and vote for GreenHouse’s People’s Choice Awards today.
For the first time in over 2 years, the Social Impact Showcase is now widely open to the public. Please register if you are interested in attending and share this event with others.
Celebrating one year of WatSPEED
A message from WatSpeed.
Over the past year, the WatSPEED team has been working to build a solid foundation to support the University of Waterloo’s strategic goal to develop a unique approach to support learning at various stages of individuals’ professional lives. With nine certificate programs, including new courses launching this fall, WatSPEED offers upskilling and reskilling opportunities to help professionals keep pace with the evolving world of work.
To mark this one-year anniversary, we’re celebrating the new and enhanced partnerships we’ve made across campus, the connections we’ve strengthened with industry, and the growth of our team.
For more information, contact watspeed@uwaterloo.ca for details.
Shad kicks off this week
A message from the Department of Knowledge Integration.
Shad Waterloo will be running from July 3 to July 29 for 48 grade 10/11 students this year.
We have been proudly hosting the Shad program on Waterloo’s campus since 1983. This pivotal experience has a profound impact on these bright and curious students. Many students love the Shad Waterloo program so much, they decide that Waterloo is where they would like to pursue their undergrad studies.
At Shad students participate in hands-on learning, collaborate in design groups, explore post-secondary institutions, engage with academic and entrepreneurial mentors, experience vulnerability training, and meet some of the most passionate peers in the country. There are close to 20,000 alumni from this competitive-application program.
We will be delivering the 2022 program with workshops, lectures, and mentoring from Waterloo faculty across the campus that focus on STEAM-learning, design thinking, entrepreneurship, all while building some exceptional community.
The Department of Knowledge Integration (KI) is the home to Shad Waterloo. Rob Gorbet, Associate Professor and Chair of KI, has been involved with Shad since 2008 and believes “it is amazing that Shad gets more female applicants than male applicants given that it is a mostly STEM-focused program.” Every year, for the past 40 years Shad has consistently been majority female.
This summer Shad will be hosted at 18 campuses across Canada including Laurier, McGill, McMaster and UBC.
Each year Shads take on a group design challenge to solve a social and economic issue with a STEAM lens. Each campus tackles the same real-world problem in designated design groups, with assigned mentors, and they develop STEAM-based solutions. This is an entrepreneurial experience with a social impact twist. And one of the most loved aspects of Shad’s program.
This year the design project theme is “How might we improve the well-being of Canadians?”
Shads will hold a public open house to show off their achievements, including creative ideas they have come up with to tackle this year’s design project theme, on the afternoon of Thursday July 28, in the Great Hall at Conrad Grebel University College.
Concept 5K finals set for July 14
20 hopeful student teams pitched during two nights of competition at Velocity’s Concept $5K Semi-Finals and nine have advanced to the finals on July 14.
The pitch competition offers the opportunity for University of Waterloo student-led teams with innovative solutions and high potential business ideas to showcase their hard work and compete for grant funding. In past $5K events only eight teams have moved on to compete in the finals. This term, after lengthy deliberation by Concept's panel of judges, it was found to be impossible to make the cut to eight, forcing a nine-team final.
"We are thrilled to present to you the teams that will take to the stage in two short weeks’ time," says a note from Concept.
New to Velocity on campus and first time pitching at the Concept $5K semi-finals was Faculty of Engineering student Adanna Amechi, founder of The President Braids. The President Braids is a project aimed to provide quality, reliable and accessible day long customized hair care services to people of colour across Ontario.
Amechi proudly shared her thoughts with us following the semi-finals. “Concept was an amazing experience and one that’ll be embedded in me forever. Whether or not we advance, it’s a milestone for our brand as we were able to share such a delicate problem with people and have them relate to us. I wouldn’t have done anything differently and will continue to speak on this issue until inclusivity in this industry becomes a norm. Everyone deserves to feel and look their absolute best.”
Adanna Amechi at the $5K semi-finals.
Her focus on Chemical Engineering will be placed on hold as she preps for the $5K finals and what will be her second stage appearance with Velocity.
Read the full story on Concept's blog.
Thursday's notes
"Join us on July 7 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm for the next IBPOC WCC workshop, Revision Basics," says a note from the Writing and Communication Centre (WCC). "The IBPOC Writing and Communication Workshops are spaces where graduate students identifying as Indigenous, Black, and people of color can come together to form a supportive community of writers. This is an intentional IBPOC-only virtual space. You can join the IBPOC writing groups channel through WCC’s Teams."