INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
WATERLOO REGION
Waterloo Region is an Information Communication
Technology powerhouse and is home to a growing
ecosystem of over 30,000 ICT professionals and 1000
tech-related companies, including Canada’s largest tech
company, largest software company, largest satellite
company, largest eLearning company and one of the
world’s top producers of visual technology displays.
Our tech sector generates more than $22 billion in
annual revenue and the growth continues with 1900
new startup companies established since 2009.
Companies such as Google, Intel, SAP, Netsuite,
Motorola, Square and EA have chosen to operate
alongside home grown players BlackBerry, Christie,
COMDEV, OpenText, Descartes, Maplesoft, Thalmic
Labs, Teledyne DALSA , Clearpath Robotics,
Desire2Learn, Kik and Vidyard.
Fast Facts
•• The University of Waterloo is home
to the most significant concentration
of mathematical and computer
science talent globally
•• All IP is inventor owned at the
University of Waterloo
•• Canada’s largest engineering school
which operates the largest post-
secondary cooperative program of
its kind in the world, graduating
“workplace ready” individuals
•• Waterloo Region generates over 11
times the national average in terms
of patents granted per 10,000
•• 16th among Top 20 Global Startup
Ecosytems
•• Canada’s first Google for
Entrepreneurs hub
INNOVATION

Top Businesses
BlackBerry • Christie • Desire2Learn • Google • SAP • OpenText • Teledyne DALSA

Culture of Collaboration
Waterloo Region is home to numerous business & technology initiatives which further the development of
technologies created within this rich entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Communitech is the regional hub for the ICT industry. It assists entrepreneurs
The Communitech to commercialize innovative technologies, and supports tech companies
Hub at all stages of their growth and development – from startup companies, to
rapidly growing SMEs, to leading global players.

A first-of-its-kind sales accelerator for startups that have already

developed products and are ready to scale revenue. Rev takes no equity
Rev in its companies, but will match their current capital up to 60,000.
Successful graduates of the six-month program will also get a chance to
pitch to an investment panel.

The AC provides an essential combination of in-house mentorship,

Accelerator Centre educational programming, facilities, networking, and access to funding
and facility services, with a goal of building successful companies. Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis
Quantum Nano Centre
CDMN is dedicated to establishing Canada as a world leader in digital
The Canadian media (ICT + mobile) by creating and enabling connections and
Digital Media collaboration between entrepreneurs, companies, research institutes,
Network (CDMN) government and intermediary organizations.

The Velocity Program at the University of Waterloo supports

entrepreneurship by connecting student innovators with the newest
VeloCity technology, mentors and a collaborative community. Velocity includes
the Campus, Residence, Garage and the Velocity Venture Fund.

The $100 million Quantum Valley Fund was established to provide

Quantum Valley financial and intellectual capital for the further development and
Fund commercialization of breakthroughs in quantum information science.

Centre for CIARS is a world-class electromagnetic device and communication/

Intelligent Antenna sensing system development-characterization facility at the University of
& Radio Systems Waterloo. It consists of an anechoic chamber, four interconnected indoor Perimeter Institute for
labs, one outdoor lab, and a highly advanced computational facility. Theoretical Physics
(CIARS)
OUR STRENGTHS
Software
•• More than 70% of the world’s GDP runs on software
created by companies in Waterloo Region
•• Large breadth of software developed including content
management, business intelligence, e-learning, flight
operations, logistics, mathematics, cyber security, traffic
management, geographic info systems (GIS), military
and encryption
•• Significant footprint in search, health informatics,
imaging, cloud management and embedded software
Mobile
•• Of all Canadian areas, Waterloo Region is best positioned
to become a permanent force in mobile app development,
thanks to its abundant resources – both talent and research
•• Extensive application development for the top 3 mobile
platforms in the world – Apple iOS, Android and BlackBerry OS
•• Strong presence in mobile app development for instant
messaging, online banking, social networking, mobile
games and entertainment
Hardware
•• Expertise in mobile devices, wearables, medical
devices, automation, satellites, vision systems, flat
screen displays and hearing solutions
“
Waterloo is different…it’s got this amazing
university which has long been one of our
top three recruiting universities for Google as
a whole, worldwide.”
Steve Woods,
Director of Engineering, Google
”
Digital Media & Games
•• Games Institute: Focus is on the future of game-related
and game-driven design and development across a range
of current and upcoming technologies and markets
•• Unique Master of Digital Experience Innovation (MDEI)
offered by the University of Waterloo
•• Laurier University & Conestoga College offer a Game
Design & Development degree
Quantum & Nanotechnology
•• The Quantum Nano Centre at the University of
Waterloo houses over 50 researchers, 100+ graduate
students and 500+ undergraduate nanotechnology
engineering students, also the largest concentration
of quantum information scientists in the world
•• In the Institute for Quantum Computing’s state-of-
the-art laboratories, researchers explore quantum
information through experiments in optics, nano-
electronics, nuclear magnetic resonance, quantum
sensors and more
•• Quantum research has already led to commercial-
ization of quantum technologies for oil exploration
and scientific devices
•• Waterloo and Canada are becoming known as
“Quantum Valley” – the epicentre of the next
information revolution
Skilled Workforce
•• Over 65,000 post-secondary students including
24,000+ co-operative education students at the
University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University
and Conestoga College
•• Canada has the highest rate of post-secondary education
among the OECD countries
•• Top recruiting ground for Microsoft, Google, Facebook,
Yahoo, BlackBerry and OpenText
 WHY WATERLOO REGION?
Location
•• With a population of 563,000, Waterloo Region boasts a
vibrant and diverse community with urban amenities yet an
“
It’s obviously something
easy going small town feel
•• One of Canada’s fasting growing communities with a about your great engineering
population projected to reach 729,000 by 2031 school, combined
•• Canada’s 10th and Ontario’s 4th largest urban population with the resources and
•• Along Hwy 401, Canada’s superhighway
encouragement to start
•• Region of Waterloo International Airport with direct flights to
Chicago & Calgary building and creating stuff
•• Multiple bus and train services to Toronto daily while you’re still in school,
•• Close to six Canada-U.S. border crossings that positions Waterloo
founders so well to be
Business Advantages starting companies.
•• Corporate tax rate lower than G8 and G20 average, and U.S.
•• Canadian ICT labour costs are the lowest among the G7
Alex Ohanian,
Co-Founder, Reddit
•• Ontario’s R&D tax program reduces every $100 in R&D

”
spending to about $56, or $38 for SMEs
•• Generous Ontario digital media and computer animation tax
credits
•• Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED)
federal tax incentive program
•• StartUp Visa Canada, first of its kind immigrant entrepreneur visa Contact us
•• University of Waterloo‘s one-of-a-kind inventor owned
intellectual property policy Tel: +1-519-747-2541
Toll Free: 1-866-233-5133
Email: info@techtriangle.com
www.techtriangle.ca

*Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication
at the time of writing; however, the programs referred to and the data cited are subject
to change. All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.