Community

Canada’s largest student-led hackathon returned to the University of Waterloo for its annual weekend of intense innovation. More than 1000 student hackers from around the world gathered at the Faculty of Engineering to experience 36 hours of fast builds and fun games. 

In keeping with the Hack the North motto, Dream Big and Build, this year’s student organizing team added exciting new elements to pull people together and encourage more play. These included the inaugural Waterloo Tech Week, Goose Games and an attempt to break a Guinness World Record which succeeded! 

An eclectic mix of 30 students joined forces at the University of Waterloo to participate in this year’s Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship (SSEF) program, hosted by the Pearl Sullivan Engineering Ideas Clinic and developed in partnership with Halton Region.  

The annual, nine-week program challenges students from Waterloo and abroad to explore ideas for improved urban development and present innovative solutions that address the impact of climate change and mitigate further environmental damage.    

Homecoming has a long and rich history. The annual celebration has gone by several different names over the years including Wa-Wa-Wee (Waterloo Warriors Weekend), Reunion, Alumni Black and Gold Day and Rally Weekend. The festivities have been running since the early 1960s and have always been focused on bringing together the University of Waterloo community and building school spirit.

Founders from the University of Waterloo raised more than $14 billion USD in venture capital, according to the latest 2025 rankings by PitchBook, a company that tracks global venture capital and private equity markets. Waterloo’s entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to make an impact locally and globally with more than 639 founders launching 527 companies.

Service and generosity run deep in the Waterloo community, inspiring countless acts of impact both on and off campus. From participating in opportunities like the Environment Leadership Series to initiatives that reach well beyond Ring Road, alumni are making a difference for people and the planet. We caught up with Susan Brown (BES '08), Michael Hazell (BES '77), Maria Legault (BES '11; MES '14), Ryan Lo (BES '14) and Betty Rozendaal (BES ’83; MA ’87) to learn what motivates them to give their time and talents so generously through their work and volunteer activities.

Students and entrepreneurial researchers are drawn to the University of Waterloo for its distinctive innovation ecosystem. Whether you're committed to creating social change, developing early-stage inventions or launching a commercial venture that’s poised to make waves, Waterloo offers the right support at every stage of the journey. 

Since 1957, the University of Waterloo has been recognized for its rigorous research, entrepreneurial thinking and cross-disciplinary work. To support this mission, Waterloo is committed to fostering an environment that inspires engagement and belonging — brought to life through its beloved mascots.

The University of Waterloo is globally recognized as a leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation. With the world’s largest co-op and work-integrated learning program, Waterloo offers students unparalleled opportunities to gain real-world experience while earning a world-class degree. 

But at Waterloo, education goes far beyond academics. 

There’s nothing quite like anticipating the energy on campus in September. Friends, classmates and colleagues catching up and swapping stories from vacation and co-op placements in hallways and over coffee. New students meeting friends they’ll have for the rest of their lives.