University Of Waterloo Gets New Innovation Arena To Engage Researchers, Entrepreneurs

The Innovation Arena at the University of Waterloo will help strengthen the region's growing health tech sector.

Study in Canada: The University of Waterloo has established a new Innovation Arena to empower founders, businesses, and community partners by engaging entrepreneurs and researchers in solving national, local and global health challenges.

Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo said, “The Innovation Arena is the new home for entrepreneurship at Waterloo and will be a nexus for health innovation. Building on the momentum from Waterloo startups like Intellijoint Surgical and KA Imaging, and with resources for advanced technology startups and access to partners in the healthcare sector, the facility will accelerate Southwestern Ontario’s drive to become Canada’s epicentre of health innovation and entrepreneurship.”

University of Waterloo's Innovation Arena Details

It is located on the university's Health Sciences Campus and it will be new home to the University of Waterloo's flagship startup incubator - Velocity. The Arena will facilitate enhanced business support for collaboration spaces, manufacturing equipment, state-of-the-art product development labs and founders.

The Innovation Arena is built on recent partnerships such as CareNext Coalition - a collaboration between the University of Waterloo and local hospitals to improve patient experiences by bringing health tech innovations to hospitals.

Velocity’s Executive Director Adrien Cote commented, “The Innovation Arena will streamline commercialization pathways for businesses, fast-track the delivery of health technologies and drive Canada’s next wave of economic growth. As the world of startups undergoes rapid transformation, the Innovation Arena is poised to create tangible social and economic opportunities. Founders are excited, University of Waterloo students and researchers are excited, and the Velocity team is excited about scaling up our support for new talent and ideas getting to market faster.”

University Of Waterloo Faces Climate Challenges With Hope, Community

The university co-hosted a thought-proving event on climate challenges which explored the intersections of reconciliation, Indigenous healing, climate change, and Land Back.

Dr. Kelsey Leonard, a member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation and a professor in the Faculty of Environment said, "It is great to come to the University and get a degree. But that is only half of your education. The other half is actually going out and connecting to the land. By connecting to the land, people will develop a sense of love for the land, and what people love, people will protect — that is the idea that brought the Healing Forest to this campus."  

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