Driven to thrive
We exist to help you actualize your venture, accelerate its growth, and watch it thrive.
Full-Stack
We provide customizable opportunities, because we know your business doesn’t fit in a box.
At the AC, we exist to help ambitious dreamers like you impact global change through your business. We’re your hub for action that provides an extensive selection of customizable opportunities for you to tap into—allowing you to rapidly bring your innovation to life.
Over the past year we have supported over 300 startups, provided mentorship, access to capital, networks, and platforms to scale. These startups have gone on to achieve remarkable success, generating millions of dollars in revenue, creating jobs, and making significant contributions to our community. Download our Annual Report for more.
Entrepreneurship for Everyone
We're committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community for entrepreneurs from all backgrounds.
Diverse teams perform better. Inclusive communities foster the entrepreneurial drive that propels the innovation economy. Our vision is to build the #1 full stack startup hub in the world. To achieve that, a full range of perspectives, experiences, and passions are essential.
In 2022, we launched our 2-year EDI action plan — our roadmap to creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive AC community.
In support of our vision to create an inclusive community for tenacious entrepreneurs from all backgrounds, we commit to the Government of Canada’s 50 –30 Challenge and to transparently reporting on our progress towards our EDI goals.
Why Waterloo?
Waterloo Region has the second highest startup density on the planet
And it shows. Innovators in Waterloo Region daily create products and services that make waves on a global scale.
Waterloo has been known for innovation practically since its inception as a region. The likes of Bauer Hockey Skates, BlackBerry, IMAX, and so many more industry-disrupting ideas all came from this city that is solidified as the place to build a startup.
There’s an infectious hustle here that means entrepreneurs are supported and celebrated. And from the world-renowned University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier, tech multinational headquarters like Google, SAP, and BlackBerry, and our thriving incubator ecosystem, founders are given every single component they need to strengthen their businesses. Waterloo is the most robust and impactful tech business ecosystem in Canada. We can’t wait to help you become a part of it.
Our Team
Staff members
We’re made up of experienced leaders that are full of entrepreneurial spirit and share your passion to change the world. Our team is a major part of what makes the AC world-class.
Jay Krishnan
CEO
Tabatha Laverty
Vice President, Marketing and External Relations
Benjamin Matthews
Vice President, Operations
Leanne Henderson
Director, Programs and Client Experience (Parental leave)
Beatriz Zanatelli
Director, Programs and Client Experience
Mario Escoto Damas
Manager, Acceleration Programs
Sneha Punwani
Manager, Corporate and International Partnerships
Ben Richmond
Manager, Coworking and Facilities
Olivia Rogalla
Manager, People and Operations
Shelly Xie
Manager, International and Community Programs
Shabab Chowdhury
Senior Associate, Investments and Advisory
Meghan Gervais
Specialist, Events and Community Engagement
Tessa Uez
Specialist, Marketing
Adam Dougall
Coordinator, Programs and Client Experience
Garrett Jacobs
Coordinator, Programs and Client Experience
Stephanie Jenner
Coordinator, Office and Administration
Parisa Fataei
Coordinator, Programs and Client Experience
Sofia Man
Accountant
William Wybrow
Coordinator, Programs and Client Experience
Our Team
Core Mentors
Our startups work with our core mentors one-on-one for their full time in the program. Many of our core mentors are founders themselves, meaning they’ve been there and done that. They are experts in their fields and know exactly what it takes to make it in the startup world.
Lisa Dakin-Bartels
Sales and Customer Experience Enablement
Kevin Elop
Finance
Rob Farnham
Lead Generation and Growth
Steve Fyke
UX, UI, and Product Design
Kevin Hood
B2B Sales
Hannah Lau
International Marketing
Jackie Lauer
Leadership, HR & Culture
Bob Mathers
Customer Experience
Stu McCrory
Sales Strategy
Tricia Mumby
Direct to Consumer Business Strategy
Devashish Sharma
Product and Growth
Don Thompson
Product Management
Ellyn Winters-Robinson
Marketing and Communications
Our Team
Specialist mentors
Sometimes, you need a little extra support. Our specialist mentors are all industry experts and provide intensive, tactical support in their respective areas of expertise. You’ll learn from the best at the AC.
Tony Brijpaul
Entrepreneur and Product Strategy
Joseph N. Amritha De Croos
Medical Devices and Regulatory Affairs
Dave Ellis
Pilot Project and Wastewater Expert
David Perston
Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management Specialist
Melissa Durrell
Pitch Coaching
Landon Steele
International Business
Rick Findlay
Entrepreneur and Environment Consultant
Brandon Moffatt
Cleantech Specialist Mentor
Ingrid Polini
Alumni Mentor
Victor Salinas
Alumni Mentor
Lucas Oldfield
CRM and Sales Specialist
Andrea Houle
Recruiting and Performance Management
Hugo Fuentes
Alumni Mentor
Aaron Barth
Alumni Mentor
Michael Becker
Alumni Mentor
Lisa Cashmore
Scaling and Ecosystem Partnerships
Dumitru Olariu
IP Strategy
Board of directors
Julie Barker-Merz
Regional President - Greater Toronto Region, BMO Financial Group
Maija Michell
Senior Vice President, Human Resources at Descartes Systems Group
Rod Regier
Commissioner of Planning - Development and Legislative Services, Region of Waterloo
Bruce Brown
Chief Commercial Officer, Kenota Health
Ruth Casselman
Entrepreneur
Charmaine Dean
Vice-President of Research, University of Waterloo
Claudia Krywiak
President & CEO at Ontario Centre of Innovation
Jonathan Newman
Vice President: Research, Wilfrid Laurier University
Karim S. Karim
Associate Vice President, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship
Patricia Nielsen
Sales Leader, Startups at Amazon Web Services
Benton Leong
Archangel Funds; Investor, Golden Triangle Angel Network
Angela Larraguibel
Senior Vice President of Founder Services, Communitech
Michelle Chretien
Associate Vice President, Research & Innovation at Conestoga College
Cody Hines
CFO at Alert Labs
Radhika Vaidyanathan
Partner at Gowlings WLG LLP
Careers
Your next
adventure awaits
We help dreamers actualize their businesses every day. Come be a part of the AC team.
Get in touch
Interested in getting involved?
It’s time to activate your ambition by tapping into the opportunities that help you create, continue to think big, and actualize your business. We can’t wait to hear from you.