A Flourishing Technology Hub, Close to Home
Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
Written by:
Jamie Fernandez, Client Manager.
NorthBridge is proud to maintain its head office in close proximity to a growing technology hub in Ontario’s Kitchener-Waterloo area. Named Canada’s Most Innovative University in 2014 for the twenty-third year in row, the University of Waterloo invests in advanced research within science and engineering fields to create innovative technologies that impact everyday life. The Region of Waterloo also boasts organizations that actively assist start-up businesses by providing the resources needed to achieve financial growth. Two such organizations are Communitech and Velocity.
Communitech was established in 1997 by a group of
entrepreneurs looking to support tech companies at all
stages of growth and development, ranging from start-ups
to large corporations. As a member of the Ontario Network
of Excellence and a founder of the Canadian Digital Media
Network (CDMN), Communitech plays an active role in the
digital media sector by providing entrepreneurs with the
mentorship and equipment needed to run their businesses.
As of 2015, Communitech’s tech hub consists of 1,000
companies, including tech giants such as Google, Open Text,
and Blackberry. Communitech is currently assisting new startups
achieve growth throughout Canada.
Established by the University of Waterloo in 2008, Velocity
provides students with the support they need to turn their
innovative ideas into successful start-up businesses. At Velocity
Residence, created in 2008, students live in an entrepreneurial
environment and are given the opportunity to network with
business professionals and other students to engage in
overcoming challenges associated with running a business.
Since the creation of Velocity Residence, Velocity has added
six additional branches, which assist students with funding
opportunities, provide students with additional networking
opportunities by connecting them with industry mentors, and
supply the equipment necessary to run their start-ups.
