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.  

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.