Two finalists of the 2013 Ontario Entrepreneur Of The Year Award are Waterloo Engineering alumni, John Baker and Matt Rendall. John Baker is a graduate of Systems Design Engineering, and Matt Rendall is a graduate of Mechatronics Engineering. Rendall holds a Master of Business and Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) from the University of Waterloo's Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre.
John Baker, Desire2Learn
John Baker, the founder of Desire2Learn Inc. based in Kitchener, Ontario, is a finalist in the category of Software and Technology.
Desire2Learn is a global leader in cloud-based (SaaS) learning solutions with over 750 clients and 10 million learners in higher education, K-12, health care, government and the corporate sector.
Matt Rendall, Clearpath Robotics
Matt Rendall, the CEO of Clearpath Robotics based in Kitchener, Ontario is a finalist in the Young Entrepreneur category.
Clearpath Robotics is a global leader for unmanned vehicle systems, dedicated to automating the world's dullest, dirtiest, and deadliest jobs. The Company serves leading researchers in over 30 countries worldwide in academic, corporate, and military environments.
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award
Ernst & Young has been honouring entrepreneurship and innovation in Canada for 20 years. Award finalists are determined by vision, leadership, financial success, and contributions to social responsibility.
Winners To Be Announced
The Ontario winners will be announced at the Ernst and Young Awards Gala in Toronto on October 24, 2013. The overall winner will represent the region at the national gala held in Toronto on November 27, 2013.