November update: A Month of Microbots, Doing The Things, and Growth in Waterloo
Microbots hackathon injected a busy month with 36+ hours of buzzing 3D printers and talkative AI robots. Socratica had a film festival. Velocity opened its new building.
The busiest month yet! Students injected some wildly creative energy with their Microbots Hackathon, Socratica hosted a film festival, then they hosted a night at the museum! These are all powerful examples of just doing the thing. It is not about chasing attention and/or funding but becuase you have this creative energy. Keep doing things. Then see where it leads.
That, to me, is what Waterloo is built on. We are lucky because we have a huge group of people with fresh ideas and energy enter our community every year who iterate each term, three times year.
A special thanks to Den 1880, Communitech, Accelerator Centre, and Catalyst for embracing students in our community this term. It makes a difference. Lots of fantastic Instagram shots of Den1880!
At The Builders Club
Builders came together to raise over $5000 for the Working Centre in Kitchener! We hosted our first annual holiday party for those who work and/or build remotely.
Non-Technical Wednesdays gets rolling
Non-Technical Wednesdays continued to draw a crowd, offering a safe and creative space for builders without technical backgrounds to discuss challenges, share ideas, and learn together. The diversity of perspectives has made these sessions a highlight of the week for many.
Podcasts and Doing the Thing
Transformer Lab, featured on the Monday Club podcast, is an open-source platform revolutionizing AI accessibility. By enabling users to train and customize AI models on their own devices, it eliminates reliance on costly cloud services. With a focus on transparency and community-driven innovation, Transformer Lab empowers developers to create tailored AI solutions, fostering a more inclusive and collaborative future for AI.
In the latest Monday Club podcast, James from JS Consulting explores the rapidly evolving world of ad tech and AI, highlighting real-time ad auctions and the importance of trust in the ecosystem. He discusses both the opportunities AI brings for targeting and customization and the risks of AI-driven content scraping that harm smaller publishers.
“Just Do the Thing” emphasizes the importance of taking action to overcome hesitation and build momentum. It highlights how starting, even without perfection, fosters progress and creates opportunities for learning and growth. The core message is a call to focus on consistent effort, enabling individuals to achieve their goals and amplify their impact.
Conestoga College celebrated Global Entreprenuership Week
Huge thanks to Camelia and my fellow panel members for a great discussion. We hosted Conestoga College in Builders Club to chat about the power of education. Thankful to have had an opportunity to discuss an important topic with a great group of people.
In the Community
Velocity officially opened it’s new building with a number of events and gatherings. It was a lot fun seeing today’s students and alumni legends mix to celebrate a new chapter.
Programs team at Communitech has put together a great BootCamp for startups, lead by Angela Bruce. The curated weekly program provides early stage folks with a load of information and a peer group to connect, learn, and grow.
Lots more in Communitech’s update for November.
A Very Special Thanks to Kevin Hood
For those that have built a B2B company in the Waterloo Region or wanted to over the last 20+ years, you probably had some help from Kevin Hood — directly or indirectly as he influenced so many. His willingness to help founders build their companies is much appreciated. Enjoy retirement!
Stay Connected
Don’t forget to check our community calendar for all the latest events. Have something to share? Add it to the calendar and help grow the community!
For more insights, check out our monthly newsletter for in-depth updates and stories.
For weekly updates and podcasts as they come out, check out the Monday Club.
Let’s make this month a time to celebrate, connect, and give back! See you at the events.