{"id":298285,"date":"2025-11-18T03:05:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T03:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/298285\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T03:05:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T03:05:11","slug":"10-waterloo-entrepreneurs-to-watch-waterloo-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/298285\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Waterloo entrepreneurs to watch | Waterloo News"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025 begins,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0spotlighting 10 standout entrepreneurs from the University of Waterloo \u2014 students and alumni who are challenging norms, redefining industries and building a better future. These innovators are not only making waves in their respective fields but are also setting the pace for\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0next for society, health, technology, the\u00a0economy\u00a0and sustainability.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Global Entrepreneurship Week is a worldwide celebration of innovation,\u00a0creativity\u00a0and the entrepreneurial spirit.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0also a\u00a0time to recognize the bold thinkers and builders who turn ideas into impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We\u2019re\u00a0proud to\u00a0showcase\u00a0ventures that exemplify Waterloo\u2019s enduring commitment to entrepreneurship that inspires global change through bold vision and relentless drive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"AileenAileen Agada-Davidson (BASc\u00a0\u201921, MBET \u201924):\u00a0BeBlended<\/p>\n

After being turned away from 15 hair salons due to a lack of\u00a0expertise\u00a0with Afro-curly hair, Aileen Agada set out to solve the problem for others facing the same challenge. With support from the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business\u2019 Enterprise Co-op program, she launched\u00a0BeBlended<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 an online marketplace that connects clients with freelance hairstylists trained in Afro-curly hair care. The platform also streamlines business operations for stylists by handling scheduling, payments, client\u00a0management\u00a0and bookkeeping. To date,\u00a0BeBlended\u00a0has\u00a0facilitated\u00a0thousands of transactions, supporting more than 1,500 clients and 150 stylists nationwide, with plans underway for global expansion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"NicholasNicholas Cheng (MSc \u201925): Evolv<\/p>\n

With a research background in biotechnology, Nicholas Cheng always wondered why sustainability seemed to be so costly, so he began to think like an entrepreneur. Supported by\u00a0GreenHouse\u00a0and Velocity \u2014 Waterloo\u2019s\u00a0centres\u00a0of entrepreneurship \u2014 Cheng launched Evolv<\/a>,\u00a0a\u00a0company dedicated to delivering advanced technological solutions that evolve to solve their client’s specific problems while suiting the industry\u2019s best practices. Its flagship project leverages enhanced chemical solutions to extract clean water from Alberta\u2019s oil sands tailings ponds. \u201cEvolv bridges the gap between financial and environmental responsibility, so that corporations can meet consumer demands while saving the planet,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"CharlieCharlie Frise (BASc\u00a0\u201923):\u00a0TinyBox<\/p>\n

With a background in construction and a degree in Architectural Engineering from Waterloo, Charlie Frise knew that\u00a0to solve the housing supply crisis, one solution would be to develop scalable manufacturing of homes that can be quickly assembled with their own utilities. This led him to collaborate with like-minded individuals to develop and launch\u00a0Tinybox<\/a>,\u00a0a revolutionary company using aerospace technology to build homes in as little as\u00a048 hours\u00a0\u2014 anywhere you want. \u201cI’m leveraging my skills as an architectural engineer to grow the adoption of our innovative building system,\u201d he says.\u00a0\u201cTinybox\u00a0delivered for its first seven customers in 2025 and is gearing up for more deliveries in 2026, including a new two-bedroom home model.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"ChristyChristy Lee (BASc\u00a0\u201924):\u00a0PatientCompanion<\/p>\n

After volunteering at hospitals and long-term care homes, Christy Lee found that the current communication call system could be improved to manage patient requests according to priority. This led her to\u00a0develop\u00a0PatientCompanion<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 an intuitive app that allows patients to articulate their needs clearly using icons,\u00a0words\u00a0or voice-to-text functionality. The revolutionary patient-nurse communications tool ensures nurses receive prioritized alerts on their devices, enabling them to manage and respond to patient needs efficiently. After conducting pilot projects at\u00a0Brightshores\u00a0Health System and Waterloo Regional Health Network,\u00a0PatientCompanion\u00a0has been adopted by\u00a0Brightshores\u00a0as a seamless integration into existing workflows, enhancing care quality\u00a0and\u00a0improving nurse retention, while\u00a0maintaining\u00a0privacy compliance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Sadegh\u00a0Raeisi\"Dr. Sadegh\u00a0Raeisi\u00a0(PhD \u201914):\u00a0Foqus\u00a0Technologies<\/p>\n

During his PhD at the University of Waterloo, Dr. Sadegh\u00a0Raeisi\u2019s\u00a0research focused on the applications of quantum technologies. In 2021, he co-founded\u00a0Foqus\u00a0Technologies<\/a>, an innovation transforming magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by cutting scan times from more than 45 minutes to just five. Leveraging quantum algorithms and machine learning to enhance MRI,\u00a0Foqus’ solution significantly improves access for medical imaging by increasing MRI throughput and reducing MRI wait-times, which average around\u00a090 days\u00a0in Canada. The first version of the software has been successfully\u00a0validated\u00a0by radiologists in a pilot study and has received FDA clearance and\u00a0Health\u00a0Canada\u00a0approval for commercialization in the U.S.\u00a0and Canadian markets.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"RishardRishard Rameez:\u00a0Zown<\/p>\n

While pursuing a PhD in nanotechnology at the University of Waterloo, Rishard Rameez developed a mindset for\u00a0leveraging\u00a0technology to solve real-world problems. That foundation led him to co-found\u00a0Zown<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 an AI-powered real-estate platform designed to disrupt traditional brokerage models by putting homebuyers\u2019 interests first. Drawing on his academic training, Rameez applied analytical rigor and platform thinking to create an affordable, transparent alternative in the housing market. His initiative reflects the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation-driven culture cultivated at Waterloo.\u00a0Zown\u00a0was listed in Time Magazine Best Inventions of 2025, has now helped\u00a0more than\u00a0$300 million in transactions\u00a0and\u00a0more than\u00a0500 people transition from renting to owning.\u00a0Zown\u00a0has expanded from Canada into the U.S., expecting to reach $14 million in revenue by the end of 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Rastin\u00a0Rassoli\"Rastin\u00a0Rassoli\u00a0(BCS in progress): Doro<\/p>\n

After a long wait to see a psychotherapist for care,\u00a0Rastin\u00a0Rassoli\u00a0was driven to create Doro<\/a> \u2014 a mental wellness chatbot. With traditional therapy costing around $100 per hour, Doro was designed to offer accessible support at just $26 monthly. Combining advanced computer science with psychology research, the app helps individuals\u00a0experiencing\u00a0mild to moderate anxiety,\u00a0stress\u00a0or low mood. Through conversational AI and personalized activities, Doro delivers immediate, tailored support. Since its official launch in 2025, the Velocity startup has been adopted by the University of Waterloo\u2019s Campus Wellness and 30 mental health clinics across Ontario and Alberta.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"MazharMazhar Shahen\u00a0(BSc \u201922,\u00a0MASc\u00a0in progress): NewGen Health<\/p>\n

Approximately four million Canadians live with kidney disease, often undetected until late stages. Early, accessible screening could prevent thousands from requiring dialysis and improve lives nationwide. Driven by a passion for\u00a0equitable\u00a0health\u00a0care, Mazhar Shahen co-founded NewGen Health<\/a> to make routine\u00a0monitoring\u00a0simpler and more human-centered. \u201cWe\u2019re\u00a0modernizing the decades-old dipstick into an automated, digital solution that lets patients\u00a0initiate\u00a0testing and gives clinicians instant insights. This enables accessible quality care even in remote communities,\u201d he says. The Velocity-backed startup has won several pitch competitions, filed\u00a0patents\u00a0and is scaling its production process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"KwakuKwaku Twum\u00a0(PhD in progress):\u00a0Mapkot<\/p>\n

Born and raised in Ghana, Kwaku Twum began his career working with European agribusinesses that\u00a0acquired\u00a0farmland for industrial use and sourced crops from local farmers through exploitative\u00a0middlemen. Witnessing firsthand how this opaque, cash-based system left farmers earning barely $2,000 a year while multinational food corporations profited in the billions, Twum was determined to create change. He founded\u00a0Mapkot<\/a>, a digital platform that connects international food companies directly with smallholder farmers in Africa. By replacing cash transactions with a transparent, data-driven system,\u00a0Mapkot\u00a0empowers farmers to negotiate fairer prices and\u00a0participate\u00a0more equitably in global value chains.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"NaimahNaimah Venezia\u00a0(GBDA \u201925):\u00a0CoinWa<\/p>\n

Naimah Venezia\u2019s passion for finance began early \u2014 she read\u00a0Rich Dad, Poor Dad\u00a0in Grade 1 and launched her first handmade jewelry business at age seven. As she grew older, she noticed a gap in financial literacy among her peers and set out to change that. Through the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business\u2019 Enterprise Co-op program, she founded\u00a0CoinWa<\/a>, a gamified app that teaches teens essential financial skills before adulthood. \u201cCoinWa\u00a0covers core concepts like budgeting, saving, credit and investing through bite-sized modules, challenges and rewards,\u201d she explains. \u201cIt feels more like a game than a lesson, which makes it fun and engaging.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025 begins,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0spotlighting 10 standout entrepreneurs from the University of Waterloo \u2014 students and alumni…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":298286,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[28,158],"class_list":{"0":"post-298285","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entrepreneurship","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-entrepreneurship"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=298285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298285\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/298286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=298285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=298285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=298285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}