Tim Lichti (BA ’14)
Alum, Faculty of Arts
> Co-founder and CEO, Swap Robotics
> Velocity
Nain Abdi
Undergraduate student, Faculty of Engineering
> Co-founder, Colare
> Co-op and Experiential Education
> Velocity
Michael Volovyk
Undergraduate student, Faculty of Mathematics
> Co-op and Experiential Education
At Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), a new step using artificial intelligence (AI) is showing how technology can strengthen employee efficiency. And a Waterloo co-op helped build it.
Hoang Do
Undergraduate student, Faculty of Environment
> Co-op and experiential Education
Growing up in Vietnam, Hoang Do was interested in economic development in developing countries, and the need to combine economic considerations with environmental issues.
Dr. Leia Minaker
Professor, School of Planning
Faculty of Environment
> Future Cities Institute
Alex Maierean (MMath ‘24)
Faculty of Mathematics
> PhD student, Institute of Quantum Computing
> CEO and co-founder, Phantom Photonics Velocity
As commercial interest in quantum technologies accelerates, entrepreneurial minds at the University of Waterloo are not waiting for opportunities — they are creating them.
Mark Schaan (BA ’02)
Alum, Political Science
Faculty of Arts
> Associate Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere — hailed as a revolution, feared as a disruption, but ultimately defined by how thoughtfully we choose to use it.
Waterloo students, researchers and alumni are at the forefront of unconventional innovation, shaping industries and increasing productivity.
This year brought countless reasons to celebrate as Waterloo students, alumni and researchers took bold new steps to innovate and create solutions for a complex future.
As we wrap up 2025, we reflect with pride and share just a glimpse of student success, on-campus initiatives and groundbreaking research of our Waterloo community.
A new documentary is shining the light on Waterloo Region as a global innovation hub. A constant linkage between the region’s many entrepreneurial and technology success stories is the University of Waterloo.
Since its founding, the University of Waterloo has emerged as a leading global research-intensive university renowned for entrepreneurship and innovation. Initially inspired to champion co-operative education, the University continues to pair rigorous research with real-world work experience and entrepreneurial thinking to deliver bold, future-focused solutions.