Cisco Increases Commitment to Innovation in Waterloo Region

New Cisco Incubation Centre to help develop region’s best and brightest young innovators

TORONTO and WATERLOO, ON – November 1, 2012 − Cisco, in conjunction with the University of Waterloo, today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Cisco Incubation Centre to nurture Canada’s next generation of entrepreneurs. The ceremony, which also marked the announcement of a Cisco Research Chair in Smart Grid at the University, was attended by representatives from the Kitchener-Waterloo region, the University, and Cisco Canada.

The Cisco Incubation Centre, located in the University of Waterloo’s David Johnston Research + Technology Park, will primarily focus on providing local start-ups and students with the opportunity to take advantage of Cisco’s collaboration technology, expertise and global partner ecosystem.  Researchers and entrepreneurs will have valuable access to the diverse Cisco® technology portfolio, including collaboration tools such as Cisco TelePresence®™, enabling collaboration with university technology research parks and innovation centres across Canada and around the world.

Cisco is expanding its relationships with universities across Canada in order to foster research to increase Canadian innovation, productivity and global competitiveness. Cisco’s university network currently includes resources at Vancouver Island Technology Park, the University of Winnipeg, and the University of New Brunswick, with more to follow. Leveraging the CANARIE Network, one of the world’s most advanced national research and education networks, Cisco aims to empower researchers and students throughout Canada with the necessary tools to improve ongoing research collaboration and foster more open innovation to accelerate the adoption of transformational solutions.

Supporting Quotes:

Brad Duguid, minister, Economic Development & Innovation, Province of Ontario “Innovation is a key driver of economic development in Ontario, and it’s initiatives like the Cisco Incubation Centre that will further enhance the province’s position as a global hotbed for research and development. I congratulate Cisco and the University of Waterloo for their commitment in helping foster the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.”

Nitin Kawale, president, Cisco Canada “Waterloo is a renowned technology hub for Ontario and Canada, and recognized for its engineering excellence around the world. The Cisco Incubation Centre brings enterprising minds together, through our network facilities at Research Tech Parks and in partnership with universities across the country. We want to inspire Canada’s emerging entrepreneurs and leverage the amazing work being done in Waterloo.”

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