Global Futures

While founding Canada’s next tech startup or discovering a major research breakthrough are the impetus for some University of Waterloo changemakers, others use their curiosity and imagination to find ways to unlock social impact locally and globally.

In many cases, the first steps towards making a difference happen at Waterloo where students immerse themselves in a culture of curiosity, entrepreneurship and global stewardship. It’s at Waterloo where a sense of belonging and a responsibility for others can really take root.

The iron ring is small, sized to fit the little finger of an engineer’s working hand. Today it is more often made from stainless steel than iron. Though it doesn’t weigh much physically, it carries enormous symbolic weight, acting as a reminder to Canadian-trained professional engineers of the oath they took to do good, safe work that advances society.

Friendlier, a local startup tackling Canada’s single-use plastic problem head-on, recently closed a $4.5 million dollar funding round. The company, founded in 2019 by University of Waterloo alumni Jacqueline Hanton (BASc ’20) and Kayli Smith (BASc ’20), has raised a total of $10 million and kept almost 3.7 million food and beverage containers out of landfills.  

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.    

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.

How the brain is wired has been understood for a long-time, but how that wiring results in neural activity and cognition remains a mystery. Researchers like Dr. Travis Craddock are using quantum mechanics to gain new insights into the brain and how it works.

Craddock, a Science professor and the Canadian Research Chair in Quantum Neurobiology, bridges the disciplines of biology and physics to map out the physical and molecular processes within the brain.

A palm-sized device developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo could help save lives and reduce illness by rapidly and inexpensively detecting toxic bacteria in water supplies.

Contamination caused by E. coli, a bacterium commonly found in the gastrointestinal tracts of mammals, causes an estimated 230 deaths and three million acute illnesses globally each year, mostly affecting babies and young children, according to a study from the National Institute of Health.

In 2013, the global maker movement was gaining momentum as desktop 3D printers began appearing in offices, homes and classrooms, revolutionizing rapid prototyping with plastic materials. But when it came to printing circuit boards, the process remained slow, complex and largely outsourced.

Four University of Waterloo alumni, Jesus Zozaya (BASc ’13), Katarina Ilić (BASc '13), James Pickard (BASc '13) and Alroy Almeida (BASc '13) saw an opportunity to change that.