Waterloo has long been recognized as a prominent tech hub, and now a new week-long event aims to showcase the city’s innovation in engaging ways to the community. Waterloo Tech Week is scheduled from September 8 to 11, featuring four days of informative panels, demonstrations, and networking sessions. The event seamlessly transitions into the 12th annual Hack the North event with an added gamification element this year.
Jasmine Jiang, one of the event’s organizers, shared that a total of 40 diverse events are set to take place across the city. Jiang emphasized the event’s goal is to provide an inclusive platform for community members to participate, connect with new individuals, and delve into unfamiliar topics, fostering learning opportunities.
The event will cover a range of discussions, including sessions on speed friending within the tech industry, insights on building a career in product design, the future of software development in the AI era, internship experiences, alumni perspectives, leveraging government funding, and a fireside chat on Bitcoin. Notably, the Bitcoin fireside chat featuring the chief technology officer of Atomic Finance, sponsored by the Wilfrid Laurier Bitcoin Club, will delve into technical Bitcoin subjects, offering attendees a chance to expand their knowledge with industry expert Matt Black.
In addition to the intellectual discussions, attendees can participate in a city-wide treasure hunt via a mobile app, a social “brewed connections” happy hour, a chess bot competition, a start-up challenge, and a networking lunch for student entrepreneurs. Daily conversations on artificial intelligence (AI) will explore topics such as AI ethics and the changing role of engineers from coding to shaping AI-generated algorithms.
Most events are free of charge, but registration through the Waterloo Tech Week website is required to secure a spot in the activities.
