Entrepreneurship

Millions of scrap tires are generated every year and only a fraction of the discarded rubber is ever recycled. Now, a University of Waterloo startup is taking its technology global by offering manufacturers around the world a cheaper  - and greener - way to recycle old tires.

With support from the University’s Waterloo Commercialization Office (WatCo), Tyromer Inc. is commercializing an invention by Chemical Engineering Professor Costas Tzoganakis. The technology chemically breaks down – devulcanizes – tire rubber so it’s suitable for reuse.

Long before Clearpath Robotics was a multi-million dollar operation with a global reputation it was a humble Waterloo startup with a space issue.

Matt Rendall had a dream of building robots. But almost five years ago — ancient history in the life of a startup — there came a point when his robots would no longer fit under his desk.

Two years after setting up at the University of Waterloo’s startup incubator Velocity, mobile software company PumpUp is successfully launching from the program and moving into their own offices in downtown Toronto.

Two years after setting up office at the University of Waterloo’s startup incubator Velocity, mobile software company PumpUp is successfully launching from the program and moving into their own offices in downtown Toronto.

Calvin Chu and Ashish Bidadi built the first prototype for their startup Palette in the machine shop at the University of Waterloo. Within months, the team was in China at HAXLR8R, one of the world’s top hardware startup incubators.

“We learned a lot about manufacturing, prototyping and electronics in Shenzhen,” says Chu, Palette co-founder. “It’s a great spot for electronics and makers.  Some people call it the electronics capital of the world. There are so many suppliers and inventors.”

Want a crisp cool white light to wake you up in the morning and a warm yellow glow to wind you down at night? How about a spray for your windows that will let sunlight in during the day but illuminate your living room at night?

Scientists at the University of Waterloo are working to actually give consumers these options with a new nanotech light bulb that could revolutionize energy-efficient lighting.

Peter Harder (right) moderates a panel discussion on Managing Global Connectedness featuring Torsten Kolind, Abdallah Al-Hakin, Ricardo Sodre and Prashant Pathak (left to right).

Every business, every idea and every product being created right now, is being “born global.”

That’s the takeaway from the Waterloo Innovation Summit, which ended its two-day run Tuesday at the University of Waterloo.

Reach for opportunities and don’t be afraid to take risks: It was a message that clearly resonated with the 200 audience members, speakers and panelists taking part in the first day of the 2014 Waterloo Innovation Summit.

The ability to combine technological creativity with business prowess was fundamental to messages delivered by presenters at the second annual gathering of entrepreneurs, investors, government officials, students and academics, taking place at the University of Waterloo on April 14 and 15.

Hacking government files and helping people usually don’t go together.

But that’s exactly what Carlos Saavedra and his partner did when they built newRoots - an app that matches new immigrants with Canadian cities that offer the greatest opportunity for success.