Waterloo’s next wave
As BlackBerry fades to a shadow of its former self, a new generation of entrepreneurs is rising out of the Waterloo region. At its centre is an indispensable institution, talented inventors and a dedicated group of community leaders co-operating to support the hub’s ambition to become a world-class technology centre
On a sticky August Saturday in 2008, Steven Woods got a call on his cellphone. The Saskatchewan-native had just moved from Silicon Valley to Waterloo, Ont., to serve as Google Inc.’s site director for an outpost of engineering excellence in the mid-sized Canadian city. He was surprised to get a call while he was unpacking boxes in his new house, on a phone he’d received that day. On the line was Iain Klugman, the CEO of a local organization called Communitech, a private not-for-profit company devoted to supporting startups, inviting him out for dinner. Still reeling from the stresses of the move, Mr. Woods suggested they talk Monday and figure something out. Mr. Klugman was in more of a hurry, and suggested the next night, a Sunday. [Read more]