Meet The Velocity $5K Semi-finals Teams

Will Muir Campus news

Teams pitch their innovative business ideas live to panel of expert judges

Twenty-five teams of innovative students are gearing up to pitch their high-potential business idea live at Velocity’s $5K semi-finals.

The Velocity $5K pitch competition takes place every term, providing a platform for early-stage student ventures to present their ideas live and vie for one of four $5,000 grants. This term saw applicants from all University of Waterloo faculties, from undergraduate students to PhD & beyond. Twenty-five teams were selected and will be pitching over the course of two semi-finals events on July 5 and 6th at QNC 0101, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Each semi-finalist team will have three minutes to pitch and captivate a panel of expert judges, convincing them of the potential and viability of their business idea.

Meet the Spring 2023 Semi-Finalists

Pitching on Wednesday, July 5:

A need exists to cross flats seamlessly on a snowboard, and Team1 Sports Innovators believes that a better design is the solution. Submitted by graduate students Jean-Édouard Lecours and Jianan Qu, Design Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.

Arami Health is building the world’s first personalized fertility assessment test for black women under 30. Submitted by graduate student Olajumoke Ogbeide, Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, Faculty of Engineering.

Entangled Vision’s fast, easy-to-operate screening test which can detect macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in Canada, with the click of a button before vision loss occurs. Submitted by PhD candidate Connor Kapahi, Physics – Quantum Information, Faculty of Science.

EverLeaf aims to revolutionize packaging by replacing traditional cardboard boxes with Eco-friendly boxes made from plant leaves, reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability. Submitted by graduate student Dhaval Sureshbhai Kakadiya, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; and Meet Kachhadia, Dhrumil Tailor, and Maulik Thummar.

HeadFirst TBiD is a revolutionary lateral flow device utilizing saliva for accurate and non-invasive concussion screening in athletes. Submitted by graduate students Andrew Cordssen-David and Kade Truman, Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, Faculty of Engineering.

I Deserve is a unique subscription box business which connects customers to products and services provided by small businesses in the wellness industry. Submitted by graduate student Mikhailla Matthias, Management Sciences (MASc) Faculty of Engineering.

Nitron is a novel personality engine that emphasizes user behaviour rather than dialogue and NLP, enhancing the human-like quality of video game NPCs or personal assistants. Submitted by undergraduate students Dhruv Bhatia, Software Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; Hargun Mujral, Software Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; and Zac Waite, Software Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.

Second Wind is a collaborative suite of AI-powered tools to empower creators to improve their ability to ideate, plan, and deliver world-class video experiences. Submitted by undergraduate student Vidyut Ghuwalewala, Business, Faculty of Arts; undergraduate student Hokyung (Andy) Lee, Computer Science, Faculty of Mathematics; undergraduate student Andy Wu, Computational Math & Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics.

Sensablee is an IoT product that provides retail stores with the real-time inventory data they need to reduce their shrinkage and keep shelves stocked. Submitted by graduate student Christianna Ioannou, Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, Faculty of Engineering.

Trinity Robotics is building programmable robots enabling users to create hands-on robotics projects with machine learning applications. Submitted by undergraduate student Aadi Chaudhary, Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; undergraduate student Ridham Goyal, Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; undergraduate student Stanley Hao, Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; undergraduate student Shaheer Rana, Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; undergraduate student Bruce Wang, Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; and undergraduate student Jennifer Yan, Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.

UniConnect is a social media platform that focuses on facilitating and securing in-person interactions, boosting user participation in events and communities, and maintaining, managing, and segmenting different social circles. Submitted by undergraduate student Ruiwen Hu, Cheriton School of Computer Science, Faculty of Mathematics; undergraduate student Yunjie Zhang, Information Technology Management, Faculty of Mathematics; and Giovanni Marcolla.

Vida is an asset management platform, allowing users to exchange, repair, or recycle assets at the end of their life cycle. Submitted by PhD candidate Ali Mohammadnejad, Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; and Mahsa Khoshnam.

Pitching on Thursday, July 6:

Quinproc is a pregnancy monitoring belt providing expectant mothers with real-time information about their pregnancy. Their belt tracks and monitor various aspects of pregnancy such as fetal heart rate, uterine contractions, and maternal activity. Submitted by graduate student Tanmayi Jandhyala, Master of Applied Science (MASc), Faculty of Engineering; and graduate students Seshan Rajaraman, and Shwetha Saravanan, Faculty of Engineering.

BetwoBe creates a marketplace connecting startups with Untapped clients globally through freelance sales representatives for commissions. Submitted by undergraduate student Aryan Sureka, Computer Science, Faculty of Math; and Samhith Vaidya.

MISO3D develops lab-on-a-chip systems for rapid high-throughput screening of drugs, therapeutics, and biomaterials. Our unique approach in microfluidic chip fabrication utilizes a combination of innovative technologies and engineering methods from four main disciplines: (1) 3D printing, (2) microfluidics, (3) cell culture, and (4) computer imaging technology. Our simple-to-use lab-on-a-chip is designed with ease of use and robustness in mind while striving for the highest level of accuracy and throughput for scientific R&D. The innovation lies within our chip fabrication methods, utilizing a combination of advanced 3D printing techniques, proprietary post-processing and coating methods, and sophisticated cell culture techniques. We also integrate imaging technology that can automatically analyze and quantify the on-chip assays. Submitted by post-doctoral researchers Dr. Brandon Ho, Dr. Kaya Wong, and Dr. David Wulff, Centre for Ocular Research and Education, Faculty of Science.

Gradient Composition is trying to optimize the production of gas sensors so electronic noises can be produced in one fabrication step. Submitted by graduate student Agosh Saini, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.

Kazibridge is a digital platform connecting skilled vocational graduates in Uganda and Nigeria with customers seeking reliable and high-quality services, addressing frustrations related to poor quality, and service delivery. Submitted by graduate students Ernest Mwesigye, Chinazom Uwaoma, Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, Faculty of Engineering; and Jamiu Shile.

Pragmatica offers a VR speech therapy solution targeted toward people with communicative disorders to supplement or provide an alternative for those who cannot access or afford dedicated speech therapy. Submitted by PhD candidate Emily Shiu, Psychology, Faculty of Science; graduate student Karthik Prasad, Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering; and Thomas Mastantuono.

Reccs is a personalized dance coach offering engaging guidance, enabling individuals to confidently explore their body movements through step-by-step instructions, dance challenges, lessons, and constructive feedback comfortably at their convenience. Submitted by undergraduate student Langan Bansal, Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; undergraduate student Matthew Lam, Computer Science, Faculty of Mathematics; and Alumni Eric Kim, Faculty of Mathematics.

Siteability is a platform that compiles a property’s financial feasibility, site analysis, and sustainability potential in an user-friendly format, empowering users to make knowledge-based decisions quickly. Submitted by undergraduate students Asjad Khan and Talina Sen Smet, Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.

SkyWalker is a novel lightweight robotic rollator designed to provide active support for walking on various terrains and assisting elderly individuals in performing Sit-to-Stand (STS) and Stand-to-Sit transfers. Submitted by PhD candidate Anas Mahdi, System Design Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.

Student Must-Stash simplifies student moves by providing packing supplies, storing belongings on a per-item basis, and delivering them back after co-op periods and summer terms. Submitted by undergraduate student Santiago Bohorquez Alvarez, Global Business and Digital Arts, Faculty of Arts; and Felipe Bohorquez Alvarez.

Swish are developing a cost-effective product to clean solar panels in a sustainable and economical way without the use of water or expensive cleaning robots. Submitted by graduate student Miswar Syed, Management Sciences, Faculty of Engineering; and Asaad Alduais, Abdulrahaman Javaid, and Jhonathan Rojas.

The top 8 teams will progress to the Velocity $5K finals on July 19 at 12PM at the Theatre for the Arts — a new venue for the Finals — where four winning teams will each receive $5,000 in grant funding to fuel the growth of their ambitious and innovative business ideas.