We work with young companies who are watching their culture evolve. They are identifying the values that will drive leadership decisions and ultimately help them build a company that succeeds. They know that the greatest tech companies are those where brilliant people deliver incredible results. But how do you motivate and engage the best in tech? Getting this right is critical but not simple.

Nick Oddson is the CTO at D2L, one of Canada's leading high growth software companies focused on improving the education of millions. With Nick's guidance, D2L has gone through some incredible transformations over the years to move to a continuous cloud delivery model and scale the platform for their continued global growth.  Nick is known as a key leader in the region and has a unique ability to manage people, business and technology. He's not only passionate about technology, he also plays an active role in supporting the local Arts community.

There is a wave of change coming and it is going to have a big impact on how we manage our businesses. What was a general push towards diversity in 2017, is now heated conversations around safety, respect and accountability, most publicly as part of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. And while the conversation has centred around women, it points to a need for change in the level of basic respect for our colleagues and employees.

Abbey Gilhula was the Chief of Staff for both BlackBerry and Quantum Valley Investments, and Head of Ops for a startup that had a successful exit. She’s lived many lives and been a true witness to the evolving tech landscape in the region. She’s the co-founder of 1989 Creative Co. - a boutique brand that specializes in executing the vision and ideas for tech startups that are starting to scale.

The Fierce Founders Accelerator is a 6-month Waterloo-based program designed to give companies that have at least one female founder the tools necessary to transform their idea from an MVP to a scaleable business. We're excited to feature the Fierce Founders of the latest cohort and share their inspiring stories!

Sherryl Tarnaske is the Chief Experience Officer at Focus21, a young Waterloo-based tech company that combines deep experience in human and animal health and data science, developing custom solutions that provide rich experiences and insights.

The Waterloo Region has been gaining momentum as a destination for both talent and for global companies looking to tap into our entrepreneurial culture, university research, and highly capable workforce. But as a community full of people with small town roots, and with a dedication to the success of our home-grown companies, corporate newcomers will only be embraced if they demonstrate shared values. Amazon’s call for bids to build out a second HQ (#AmazonHQ2) has sparked passionate opinions about whether this would be really good or really bad news for our community. With our unique view on the talent pool, I have some thoughts on how Amazon, or any newcomer, can ensure a welcome and become a valuable corporate citizen.

The Artemis Update

What does the ideal workplace look like?

Katarina Illic is the Co-Founder and Head of Research and Development at Voltera - she and her team have developed a disruptive additive manufacturing technology that will change hardware innovation. With customers that include NASA, Intel, and Apple, this team is starting to see their hard work pay off. Kat graduated  from the University of Waterloo with an Honors Nanotechnology Engineering degree and worked with international establishments including the Federal Materials Institute of France, IBM Germany and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL).