Entrepreneurship

Ceragen, a startup that optimizes fruit and vegetable production, has raised US$2 million in a seed funding round that will help expand its operations and develop its technology in additional countries.  

The startup, based out of Velocity, University of Waterloo’s startup incubator, develops soil microbes that aid in the growth of fruit and vegetables grown in greenhouses. The financing round was co-led by Divergent Capital and existing investor 1517 Fund, with participation from Ajira Ventures. 

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion — and it’s pervasive.

In the U.S., 72 per cent of the workforce reports stress and anxiety affecting their daily lives, according to peer reviewed research published in the Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior.

Canada’s population could double in the next 50 years, and the population of people aged 85 and older could triple, according to the Statistics Canada data released earlier this week.   

Waterloo researchers, students and alumni approach challenges differently. They unlock barriers by working together to develop creative approaches across disciplines. The futures they are transforming are not independent islands but an interconnected landscape of opportunities representing a path for Waterloo to foster lasting, impactful global change.

The University of Waterloo is a leading global research-intensive university and home to transformational research and inspired learning. Waterloo researchers recently received more than $10 million as part of $693.8 million in funding awarded on June 14 to support discovery and applied research.

Taking your temperature can often help a healthcare practitioner figure out if you’re sick. A new University of Waterloo spinoff company aims to do something similar with your eyes.

ThermOcular AI, a company started by Waterloo vision science and engineering researchers, aims to bring a patented thermal imaging system to market that can measure in detail the temperature of the cornea, the transparent part of the eye that domes over the iris and pupil. The novel device could be used to screen for dry eye and potentially other ocular diseases.

Convocation is a time of immense pride and celebration across campus. This year, 13 outstanding students have been chosen to represent the graduating Class of 2024. 

Below they share parts of their academic journey filled with innovation, growth and resilience.  

Why did you choose to study at the University of Waterloo?   

Natasha J. Chen

This spring marks a significant milestone for WatSPEED, the University of Waterloo’s professional, executive and corporate education arm, as the team celebrates 1,000 days in operation.  

WatSPEED's journey over the past 1,000 days includes the launch of flagship courses in generative AI, data science and machine learning, as well as enhanced partnerships and impactful events that support the unit's commitment to equipping Canadians with essential skills to navigate the evolving workforce.  

To build artificial intelligence you need droves of data. But if your data isn’t clean, the intelligence it produces won’t be either. AI systems learn from the data they are trained on, so any errors or inconsistencies in the data can lead to incorrect or unreliable outcomes. According to IBM, data scientists spend around 80 per cent of their time cleaning and organizing data, highlighting the importance of clean data in AI development.  

Aspiring entrepreneurs have long benefited from the innovation ecosystem at the University of Waterloo, an environment where entrepreneurship and innovation excel amidst a unique blend of co-op, work-integrated learning opportunities and customized wrap-around supports. 

This traditional innovation ecosystem, however, wasn’t reaching the needs of aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs.