Velocity Pitch Competition finalists ready for the spotlight

Eight student teams head to the finals November 30th

November 20, 2023

Chosen from a record number of applicants from across all University of Waterloo faculties, eight teams are headed to Velocity Pitch Competition Finals.

The eight teams will each have three minutes to pitch their business idea to a panel of expert judges to convince them of the potential and viability of their business idea for a chance to win one of four $5,000 grants.

Attend Velocity Pitch Competition Finals November 30th at Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages Building

Meet the finalist teams

ace it is an app that helps educators in k12 create gamified content in 30s or less. Submitted by by Pashan Sidhwa, undergraduate in Faculty of Engineering, and Jai Mansukhani.

Software product which automatically submits the required tax forms for contract construction companies, having been tested and accepted by the CRA. Submitted by Justin Du, undergraduate student in Faculty of Engineering.

Organizing and formalizing recreation and street cricket with the goal of reducing the barriers to entry & participation to the sport (cricket). Submitted by Wahaab Ali, undergraduate student in Faculty of Health.

A rapid web-based flood mapping solution. Submitted by Robert Chlumsky, PhD candidate in Faculty of Engineering, and Bryan Tolson and James Craig, professors in Faculty of Engineering.

A platform that connects food processors to small farmers and provides analytics for sustainable farming operations and traceability for the supply chain in Africa. Submitted by Kwaku Owusu Twum, PhD candidate in Faculty of Environment, and Daniel Buston Yankey.

PatientCompanion is a software application that improves communication between patients and nurses, allowing patients to specify their requests and nurses to prioritize alerts based on priority and departmental preferences. Submitted by Christy Lee, an undergraduate student in Faculty of Engineering.

Plantal Support offers innovative solutions to provide optimal plant care with minimal effort from plant parents. Submitted by Doris Wenbo Yi, undergraduate student in Faculty of Math.

A novel compliant support mechanism design for spinal implants to provide more natural motion and reduce adverse events. Submitted by Jonah Leinwand, undergraduate students in Faculty of Engineering, and engineering professor Stewart McLachlin.

Using Innovation For Positive Change

Kwaku Twum ,PhD candidate, Faculty of Environment, is driven by a belief in technology’s potential. Encouraged by his PhD supervisor, Prof. Jeremy Pittman, Kwaku collaborated with communities, farmers, and food processors to devise a solution that utilizes geoinformation systems to create a digital platform that enables real-time tracking of produce from farms to processors. This will allow small farmers with insights into market demands and efficient resource management, aiming to enhance not only their profitability but also sustainability while fostering trust in the supply chain.

A New Sport Emerges Through The Entrepreneurial Journey

During the summer of 2023 Wahaab Ali, undergraduate student Faculty of Health, attended the Velocity Pitch Competition just as he was envisioning a new sport – BatBall – a cricket-like game modified for indoor spaces. Wahaab had visualized himself pitching in the finals one day, and was motivated to work within Velocity’s spaces on campus. He is extremely passionate about being surrounded by like-minded entrepreneurs, and believes that once you have a goal or vision you just have to dive right in and enjoy the process.

See the eight finalists pitch to a panel of industry professionals, and to a live audience of their peers and the community on November 30 at 12-2:30PM at the Theatre of the Arts (Modern Languages Building.)

Attend Velocity Pitch Competition Finals November 30th at Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages Building