Entrepreneurship

The University of Waterloo is partnering with a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm to provide a new entrepreneurship program for students that includes access to a $2 million venture capital fund and expertise from the world’s leading startup ecosystem.

Starting this June the Waterloo Engineering | Spectrum 28 Student Venture Program will provide senior students with early-stage venture support through pop up classes and expert mentorship in addition to the opportunity to compete for funding.

Sonya Wach has always been fascinated with how nanotechnology is used to make things better.

As part of a Nanotechnology Engineering fourth-year project at the University of Waterloo, she investigated how to apply that principle to agriculture and LeafGenius, a revolutionary plant care solution employing nanotechnology, was born.

If you ask the Governor General of Canada if he has any advice for young entrepreneurs, he will tell you this: “Minds, like parachutes, work best when open.”

A critical partner in Waterloo’s entrepreneurial ecosystem marks 10 years of startup support on May 17 and 18, with an open house and gala.

Located on the University of Waterloo’s north campus, the Accelerator Centre opened its doors on May 18, 2006. Originally launched by the University, federal, provincial, regional and city governments, the centre now counts Wilfrid Laurier University, Conestoga College, University of Guelph and several economic development and technology organizations as partners.

For young people facing a competitive economy, it’s tempting to learn a skill and build a career around a “safe” job, rather than following their passion. But the “safe” route may actually be the risky one, according to a new book by Larry Smith, No Fears, No Excuses: What You Need to Do to Have a Great Career.

Police officers regularly encounter people in crisis and for those suffering a mental health crisis, they need help immediately.

A new software tool that guides police officers through on-scene risk assessments to connect people in crisis with necessary health care and community services could make a big difference for police and people in need.

To some people, a TV set is an object associated with wasting time. For Mike Volker, video terminals represented an opportunity to boost the productivity of computer science students and technology professionals around the world.

A robot designed to safely defuse landmines without an explosion was one of six major winners at the 2016 Norman Esch Capstone Design Awards competition for University of Waterloo engineering students.

Landmine Boys’ five founders are mechanical engineering students who will graduate this spring. Their impressive pitch won them $10,000 to help cover startup and other costs.

Velocity is an entrepreneurship program at Waterloo, providing the knowledge, space, community, and funding that startups need to thrive. In addition to receiving a share of today’s $125,000 in funding, today’s winners will be admitted to the Velocity Garage, the largest free startup incubator in North America.

The 15 finalists competing in the third-annual Norman Esch Entrepreneurship Awards for Capstone Design have 90 seconds make the case for their projects. Judges selected them from a field of applicants who participated in the Capstone Design symposia recently held at Waterloo. More than 700 senior engineering students spent months designing and building the more than 150 projects showcased at that event.

Date: Wednesday, March 30, 2016