Entrepreneurship

Scribenote, an AI-powered medical scribe that saves veterinarians up to two hours a day by transcribing their notes, has raised $8.2 million in seed funding. The investment round was led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with additional participation from Inovia Capital, the Velocity Fund and a lineup of angel investors.

Scribenote was co-founded by University of Waterloo alumni Alina Pavel (BASc ‘21) and Ryan Gallagher (BASc ‘21), veterinarian Dr. Katie Gallagher and veterinarian student Emily Merry.

Traditionally, the faculties at Waterloo can seem quite siloed in terms of their organizational structure, but last year the faculties of Environment, Engineering and Math teamed up to break the mold. Together, they offered the first interdisciplinary undergraduate capstone project at the University of Waterloo.

“It looks like a hallmark movie!”

For many, Hope Christmas Tree Farm is not just beautiful but a cherished holiday destination. It is a place where families gather to select the perfect tree and create lasting memories. Yet, behind this picturesque farm is a story of resilience, passion and a deep-rooted love for the land, embodied by its owners, Rebecca and Dan Hope (BES ’97).

The University of Waterloo has long been renowned for entrepreneurship and innovation and for providing co-operative education (co-op) and work-integrated learning at scale with impact.

Margaret Dalziel, professor emerita and Nada Basir, professor of strategic management at Conrad School of Business and Entrepreneurship

The University of Waterloo is proud to welcome a new cohort of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) students through the Schulich Leader Scholarship program. Out of 350,000 potential candidates, 100 high school students across Canada have received this award, and 10 are joining Waterloo this fall.

Students pursuing an engineering degree will receive $120,000, while students in science, technology or math will receive $100,000. The scholarship will cover university expenses and allow students to focus on their studies, research projects and entrepreneurial ventures.

The University of Waterloo has again been ranked the best amongst Canadian universities for producing successful entrepreneurs with undergraduate degrees, according to the 2024 PitchBook university rankings.

If you believe in an idea, you can build it. Every term, Velocity engages undergraduates, graduate students, staff and faculty from across the University of Waterloo through advisory, builder spaces and events to help you bring even the smallest idea to life.   

Find out how to work with Velocity and check out events and programs this fall term.  

Overwhelmed with credit card options and obscure information, four young co-founders started Eclipse, which just released a new product to help users manage their finances and maximize rewards.

Co-founder, Mingchung Xia, a third-year computer science student at the University of Waterloo and his high school friends, Krish Kodali, Luke Wang and Nathan Chao, created a smart digital wallet that recommends the best card to use at every payment and provides personalized card suggestions, like Apple Pay but with more advanced features.

The Summer 2024 Velocity Pitch Competition saw a big turnout for the eight finalist teams who showcased their innovative solutions in front of a live audience and a panel of judges.

On July 25, the University of Waterloo community rallied around the final teams, vying for more than $20,000 in grants. The startups — Automax AI, Brewtrack, ComedySet, Doro, InnSight, MyPharmacist, PyroGuard, and Talk & Order — each delivered a three-minute pitch about their startup and path to market.

A University of Waterloo partnership with the Accelerator Centre (AC) will further advance our commitment to creating social change through innovation with the launch of the Global Impact Creator Program.