Space to
build your products

A busy networking event at the University of Waterloo's Velocity space, with people seated at tables and engaged in discussions. Groups of individuals, some standing and others sitting, interact in a bright, open room with large windows. The University of Waterloo and Velocity logos are visible on the wall in the background.

A modern open-office workspace with multiple desks lined up in rows, occupied by people working at computers. The ceiling features exposed pipes, ducts, and lighting fixtures, giving the room an industrial look. Large windows along one side bring in natural light, while whiteboards and partitions create a semi-private environment. The space has a minimalist design with a focus on functionality.

Person working in the hardware workshop room

Office

Enjoy offices designed for collaboration and extended working hours. Complete with the amenities and atmosphere of a modern tech office. 45,000 square feet abuzz with startups like yours creating the future.

Hardware

Make use of a range of resources, including laser cutters, 3D printers, electronic test equipment, and a well-equipped workshop. Get integrated into Kitchener-Waterloo’s community of builders. Prototype, assemble, ship and grow.

Labs

Get access to our world class lab with more than $1.5 million worth of analytical and testing equipment, and dedicated benches for your company. This space has been designed to be flexible. Whether you’re working on advanced materials, biotechnology, medical devices, or anything else, we have you covered.

Community of founders

Join a community that inspires innovation, creativity, and curiosity. Current founders learn from peers 0 to 18 months ahead and gain insights from experienced founders' growth mindset. Founders have access to a network of founders and startups that have launched from Velocity.

Professional Network

Whether you’re looking for capital, service providers, or customers, if we’re not connected to the people you need to talk to, we’ll tap our network to find you an intro. It’s not what you know… it is who you know. And now you know everyone we do!

Coaches who've been there

Our advisors bring industry-specific expertise across diverse sectors and, most importantly, have been in your shoes. Get empathetic and tailored advice based on where you are and what you need.

FAQs

What does it mean to be a Velocity founder?

It means you are part of our community.
This community of founders motivate each other, emotionally support each other, make introductions for each other, challenge and compete with each other, and are bonded through the shared experience of being in the trenches.
You also get the support of Velocity and the University of Waterloo through access to our space, our coaching and programming, and our professional network. ‍

How much does Velocity charge for its services, space, and community? How much equity does it take?

How do I get the most value out of Velocity?

Frankly, the founders that benefit the most never let us forget about them. They walk up to our desk several times a week to provide updates, engage with us and other founders on slack, and just constantly ask for help.
They benefit from always being top of mind and from us always knowing what is going on with them. They are the founders we reach out to first any time a funding opportunity, media opportunity, or other helpful initiatives come to our desks.

What time commitment do I need to make for Velocity coaching and programming?

Does Velocity run cohorts?

Do I need to move to Kitchener-Waterloo? Do I need to work out Velocity’s office to be a Velocity company?

Is Velocity only for founders that studied at the University of Waterloo?

Is Velocity a “coworking space”?

How long can I work out of Velocity’s space?

There is no official time limit for how long you can work out of Velocity. Instead, we cap the number of desks you have access to. However, given that space is a limited resource, if we recognize that we are approaching our capacity, we may ask some companies to begin looking for dedicated office space if they are more established or are not fitting the ambitious, fast-moving culture we are trying to establish.
Teams that are no longer in our space are invited to continue booking our boardroom or other resources in our office on occasion.

What is the office space like?

At any given time, Velocity is capable of holding 60-80 startups in our space. The bulk of the office area is separated into pods of desks for each company. Companies of similar stages are grouped together in this open-concept office because we strongly believe that you learn a lot from the people 0-18 months ahead of you.
Our office has dozens of call rooms and meeting rooms for team meetings, customer calls, and investor meetings. Our cafeteria and other common areas are great places for informal meetings or to meet other founders.

What is the hardware space like?

What are the chem/bio labs like?

Our lab caters to multiple scientific disciplines including Advanced Material Science, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Life Sciences, Proteomics, Genomics, and Plant and Cell Biology. Additionally, we boast a fully equipped and certified Biosafety Level 2 laboratory.
Startups have access to laboratory benches, monitored material storage (including cold storage and hazardous chemical storage), environmental and safety enclosures (such as fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, and flow hoods), specialized laboratory instrumentation for analytical chromatography, microscopy, and spectroscopy, and discounts with major laboratory suppliers.
Anyone that requests access to our lab must undergo thorough online and in-person training prior to gaining access to the laboratory. Our booking system only permits people trained on specific equipment to book it.

Can you connect me to VCs?

How does Velocity help me find customers?

How do I meet and engage with other founders?

"Velocity has been an invaluable partner in Evercloak’s startup journey. Their support in the early stages, when we were just a team of two, enabled us to quickly identify customer needs and validate key assumptions, saving us significant time and resources. With Velocity’s backing, we’ve been able to grow faster and smarter, setting the foundation for Evercloak's long-term success to disrupt how we cool buildings without further warming the planet."

Evelyn Allen

CEO & Co-founder, Evercloak

“Velocity is a wonderful opportunity to bring the ideas to life. The prototyping tools and additive manufacturing equipment and machine shop facilities pave the path to proof of concept. The in-kind resources available are invaluable and the advisory on different aspects of business growth plays an important role in the future success of the ventures.”

Atefeh Zarabadi

CEO & Co-Founder, AiimSense

“Velocity has significantly invested in building an environment in which early stage technology companies can achieve rapid growth and success.”

Tim Lasswell

CEO and Co-Founder, Cobionix

Founder-focus with no strings attached.

Space to build your products