Waterloo students are highly sought after

It is the technological heart of the Canada. But the region of Waterloo, in Ontario, is still little known beyond the borders of the country. "When Mike Lazaridis, founder and co-CEO of RIM Research in Motion, the manufacturer of"smartphones"BlackBerry, I was offered to lead a research centre in Waterloo, I replied with a laugh:"Waterloo, is where". "Today, Neil Turok, a leader in the small world of astrophysicists, is Director of PI (Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics), an Institute dedicated to theoretical physics. Located in Waterloo, in the heart of Ontario, one of the ten Canadian provinces, near the Great Lakes, the PI welcomes each year 90 scientists very high level, from all countries. It is cross Stephen Hawking in the cafeteria.

The city of Waterloo is the economic centre of the "technology triangle of the Canada", bounded by three villages, Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo. This region is also called the "RIM Valley" because of the weight of the manufacturer of BlackBerry in local life. On the inhabitants of the area around 530,000, 15,000 work in 550 companies of high technology. RIM in employs alone more than 6,000 between its headquarters and 25 other buildings he holds here.

Other large companies have their headquarters in the region, such as Christie Digital Systems (projection equipment) and Sybase (management of databases, acquired by SAP in May) professional. International groups are there are implanted: Google, IBM, Agfa Healthcare Informatics (medical imaging), McAfee (computer security) or Raytheon (defence and aerospace). In addition, some SMEs occupy highly profitable niche. ComDev assembles on measurement of electronic equipment for space, Dalsa manufactures digital cameras for Nasa or the plants quality services...

28,000 students

In total, the region of Waterloo would produce each year to 15 billion Canadian dollars (EUR 11,16 billion) of high technology products. Five factors are at the origin of this ecosystem: "The University of Waterloo provides a skilled;" wages are less expensive than Silicon Valley; the Federal State and the province support the research; from here, you can easily address the US market; "and the quality of life is very significant", details George Hanus, Director of the Agency of economic development of greater Toronto.

Created in 1957 by a businessman of German origin, the University of Waterloo now has 28,000 students in engineering and mathematics and 150 research organizations. Many local patterns are alumni, starting with Mike Lazaridis, rim. The entrepreneurial spirit is explained by the development of learning (one-third of students working alternating in company) and original intellectual property policy: the patent are not not at University, but students or inventors teachers.

Waterloo students are highly sought after. Whenever he went on the spot, Bill Gates said that Microsoft hiring every year 50 local graduates, is more than any other University of the world. "Waterloo is part of the three universities where Google recruits the most," replied Steve Woods, former student and head of the local Office of Google, which employs about 100 engineers.

Tax incentives

These recruits are even more popular that they are less expensive than in California. After Government statistics, a junior software engineer is 10 cheaper to Waterloo in Silicon Valley. This plus the aid paid by the Canadian federal State and the province of Ontario. The Canada has developed a system of tax incentives for R & D, SR & of (scientific research and experimental development), quite similar to the French research tax credit. Ontario provides assistance in the form of risk capital, aid for research, development and commercialization. "Since 2003, we invested in the region 311 million dollars 231,7 million, distributed among 402 projects", details and Brigitte Marleau, of the Ministry of research and Innovation in Ontario. The State and province complement sometimes. "Each time a business brings 30 cents for a project mounted with a University, these two Governments give 2 dollars in tax credits or of direct aid," says Amir Khajepour, Director General of the WatCAR, the Waterloo Centre for automotive research (read below).

Two disabilities to manage

The proximity of the U.S. border - Detroit is 300 kilometres - is an additional asset. The region was first fortune during prohibition, the late 1920s and early 1930s. Today, it is the essence of the high-tech production that is exported, much to the United States. "Like many firms, we work 5/95: 5 of our turnover comes from Canada and 95 of the international", calculates Jim Roberts, in charge of the division images of Dalsa and former University of Waterloo.

The future Public authorities and local companies rich ideas, especially in the digital media (video games, education, films of animation...) and e-health. However, they have two disadvantages to manage: attract more venture capital and encourage immigration. "There is not enough venture capital for high-tech companies to grow, regrets Janet Ecker, Executive Director of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance, senior financial lobby of Ontario." Perhaps should be an initiative of the Government "Each year, 2,000 positions are not licensee in enterprises of the"technology triangle of the Canada ". Notice to fans.