For years, Waterloo Ontario has been considered the region to work in for tech startups, with over 1,800 initiatives presently underway. Recently it was even acknowledged by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as an “extraordinary hub for innovation”, and thanks to a $150 million venture fund awarded to the many initiatives occurring in the area from the Business Development Bank of Canada, entrepreneurial activity within innovation has only increased.
Companies in the seedling stages of their business have been given the resources to grow into larger enterprises, and compete with those working on a larger scale; some have even reached a worldwide level of recognition.
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Canada’s Tech Industry And Boom Of Innovation
The work being done by local companies in Waterloo and its sister cities is steadily helping to build foundations for Canada’s tech industry, which is why so many entrepreneurial minds gravitate towards the tri-city region to develop their ideas. The easiest way for these emerging businesspeople to get their foot in the door is to pursue an MBA in the area, as the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics offers many opportunities for their graduate students to get involved in this rich, innovative culture.
Visit Lazaridismba.ca for more information on how MBA candidates at the school receive access to programs such as Laurier University’s LaunchPad which provides unparalleled support, mentorship, and resources to startups founded by its students. Students are awarded access to Waterloo’s Communitech Hub, Kitchener’s Accelerator Centre and Brantford’s Market Darling Centre to get their initiatives off the ground.
Furthermore, those who’ve completed the first phase of the program or who already have a project they’re prepared to expand can apply for the second tier of the program and scale up their business.
[pullquote]Pursuing the degree fulltime with co-op also gives candidates the chance to work with esteemed companies at various points throughout their study while getting paid to help off-set tuition fees.[/pullquote] Participating in such a co-op among other internship opportunities helps students to build an essential professional network while still at school, and can even open doors to full-time work in the future.
Alternatively, doing the MBA with a focus in Entrepreneurship is designed to foster a candidate’s budding business idea while at school, where they can mingle, develop projects, and learn from like-minded people in their program, this program can be pursued part-time or full-time depending on the student’s needs.
There’s also the option of applying for a part-time MBA in the evenings, designed for working professionals interested in applying the concepts they learn in the classroom to their job during weekdays, all while working towards an esteemed designation. This is an excellent option for those already working for expanding businesses in the region and looking to gain extra knowledge and support.
Studying in Waterloo offers many benefits, not only does it give aspiring businesspeople important knowledge and experience, but it immerses them in a culture of innovation upheld by startups, entrepreneurs, techies and like-minded thinkers. What’s more, there are resources available here that don’t exist other places in the country, allowing emerging initiatives to form a stable foundation for themselves, only increasing their chances of success.
If you are interested in even more education-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels then we have a lot to choose from.
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