The University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Engineering is renowned for its entrepreneurial graduates. No surprise then that the Waterloo region is home to a number of successful startups with global reach and local impact.
Alchemy, Avidbots and Miovision are just three examples of local businesses that were founded by Waterloo Engineering alumni— namely, Chong Shen (BASc ’13) and Khanjan Desai (BASc ’13); Pablo Molina (BASc ’11) and Faizan Sheikh (BASc ’11); and Kurtis McBride (BASc ’04, MASc ’07), respectively. All three have contributed to putting the Waterloo region on the map as Canada’s tech capital.
Alchemy
Chong Shen and Khanjan Desai, both nanotechnology engineering graduates, developed Alchemy from their Capstone Design project in 2013. The company is based in Kitchener and develops cutting-edge nanotechnology products for the automotive and defense industries.
Avidbots
Pablo Molina and Faizan Sheikh, both mechanical and mechatronics engineering graduates, co-founded Avidbots in 2011. The company is revolutionizing the cleaning industry with the world’s smartest autonomous floor scrubbing robots. An international success, Avidbots remains headquartered in Kitchener and connected to local talent.
Miovision
Systems design engineering graduate Kurtis McBride founded Miovision during his Master’s degree in 2005. The company addresses traffic problems by collecting traffic data and identifying actionable insights, helping municipalities optimize their road networks and improve traffic flow. Based in Kitchener, Miovision currently employs 400 people including Waterloo co-op students.
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