The University of Waterloo is well represented in the most recent cohort of companies accepted into the Y Combinator (YC), one of the biggest and most prestigious startup accelerators in the world.
The mission of FIRST Robotics Canada is to promote robotics alongside science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects to Canadian youth. To do this FIRST organizes robotics competitions for students from elementary to high school. Students design, build and program robots to compete in a variety of fun challenges, from shooting balls into hoops to stacking boxes. FIRST provides resources, mentorship and support to participating teams, giving them the foundation to work together and use their ingenuity to solve problems.
Velocity startup Setori, developed an artificial intelligence companion to improve Gen Z’s focus and guard against procrastination and raised $1 million USD in pre-seed funding.
Setori is co-founded by two University of Waterloo engineering alum Logan Jeya (BASc ’14) and Marc Simard (BASc ’14) and solely staffed with Waterloo co-ops and graduates.
Following a successful first test of 200 users across five countries in North America, Europe and Asia, the startup is launching a beta test of its browser extension, Tori.
A group of researchers at the University of Waterloo and the University of British Columbia have discovered a potential “cosmic glitch” in the universe’s gravity, explaining its strange behaviour on a cosmic scale.
The field of quantum information and technology is rapidly advancing and changing. Equipping Canada’s quantum workforce with hands-on, real-world experience is critical.
The Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo continues to be a world-leader in building and studying quantum technologies. The institute also partners with leading tech companies to help expand their research and has recently signed an MOU with Xanadu., with the intention to help further develop Xanadu’s educational programming.
The build-up of ice on an airplane in flight can seriously impair its ability to fly and, in extreme cases, lead to catastrophe. In Dr. David Del Rey Fernández's lab, algorithms and software are being developed to understand these processes and enhance future aircraft designs to prevent negative outcomes.
“Across sectors, whether you work in government, industry or academia, we need to rethink how we work,” said the University of Waterloo’s Chancellor Dominic Barton in his opening remarks at the Waterloo Innovation Summit on April 25.
The former head of McKinsey & Company elaborated that, “as I get older, I’m convinced that the changes we are seeing in the world today are truly historic.” Barton pointed to the economic power shifts playing out globally, as well as technological transformations and climate change that are fundamentally shaping the way we will live and work.
On April 18, Transformative Quantum Technologies (TQT) awarded six research teams and their design ideas for the Quantum for Environment (Q4Environment) Design Challenge, whose green-tech solutions address global environmental issues. Ideas included using quantum computing to improve medical devices, and sensors that can detect microplastics and toxic nanomaterials in our oceans.
From transforming peacebuilding with technology to developing AI-powered tools for mental well-being and championing inclusivity in STEM, these innovators illuminate new paths to joy.
Velocity, the University of Waterloo's largest entrepreneurship program, has released its first edition of Momentum. The publication showcases strong engagement from entrepreneurially minded students and the achievements of those students and other startup founders.