Societal Futures

University of Waterloo students and alumni are changing the game by launching companies with global impact for humanity and our planet. Their remarkable achievements have earned them spots on this year’s illustrious Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.  

The annual list highlights young entrepreneurs who are making a difference in their fields. Waterloo-linked founders were named in artificial intelligence (AI), green tech, education, food and drink and manufacturing categories. 

The University of Waterloo is strengthening its leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) education with two initiatives: an open online AI literacy course for its community and a Waterloo.AI workshop on generative AI in K-12 education. Together, these initiatives highlight the University’s commitment to fostering responsible AI knowledge and shaping a future where AI is thoughtfully understood and applied across all levels of education and society.

Agenek, a pioneering biotech company at Velocity, University of Waterloo’s startup incubator, unveiled a new RNA-based test that provides an unprecedented level of precision in recommending skincare products to consumers.

The skincare test offered by Agenek will provide people with a real-time biological snapshot of the needs of their skin and help them make educated choices, save time and money, and achieve better skin health.

Shahan Salim, a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences, continues to make strides in advancing air quality research and technology through his participation at the United Nations climate change negotiations, known as COP.

An interdisciplinary research team from the University of Waterloo is building systems that mimic the human brain to improve the power efficiency and performance of artificial neural networks like those used in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology.  

Since 1970, the University of Waterloo has hosted a thought-provoking public lecture series: The Hagey Lectures. This premier invitational lecture invites a wide range of celebrated scholars and artists to challenge, stimulate and enrich faculty, staff, students and members of the Waterloo community.  

For Global Entrepreneurship Week, we’re spotlighting some incredible University of Waterloo entrepreneurs making a difference for humanity and our world.

Julia Baribeau (BASc ’23) is advancing her career with a unique twist on entrepreneurship as part of her journey in tackling environmental challenges. Rather than jumping into creating her own company, she’s working as an intrapreneur, bringing an entrepreneurial approach to her role within an existing organization.

On November 14, the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment and Waterloo Climate Institute co-hosted Walking the Path of Hope: Climate Anxiety and the Healing Forest, a thought-provoking event that explored the intersections of climate change, Indigenous healing, reconciliation and Land Back. 

For Global Entrepreneurship Week, we’re spotlighting some incredible University of Waterloo entrepreneurs making a difference for humanity and our world.

Sukh Singh (BASc ’12) co-founded Ground News, a media platform designed to offer users a comprehensive view of news coverage across the political spectrum.