August brought more than just heat waves – our local innovators were busy making waves well beyond the region.
From robots to agtech, this month’s highlights show that in Waterloo, innovation doesn’t slowdown in the summer. Let’s look at the top business and investment stories from August 2025.
Palitronica, Continental AG partner for automotive cybersecurity innovation
Waterloo-based Palitronica Inc., is turning heads through striking a partnership with automotive giant Continental AG, aimed at improving quality assurance and cybersecurity in vehicles.
Backed by $1M in support from the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), the $3.1M initiative will focus on scaling Palitronica’s Anvil Checkpoint technology to detect tampering and verify authenticity in today’s automotive electronics.
“Cybersecurity and manufacturing integrity are no longer separate domains … we’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in trustworthy electronics for safety-critical applications,” says Sebastian Fischmeister, Palitronica’s CEO and co-founder.
The project will test 10,000 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) at Continental’s facility in Toulouse, France, while also integrating Anvil to Continental’s manufacturing process.
Waterloo shines on TIME’s Canada’s Best Companies of 2025
Six companies headquartered in Waterloo Region have been recognized on TIME Magazine’s list of Canada’s Best Companies of 2025. The list features names like OpenText, ATS Corporation, Economical Insurance, D2L, Blackberry and Sun Life. The scoring criteria include revenue growth in the last three years, employee satisfaction and sustainability transparency.
In addition, several other companies on the list have a presence in our community, highlighting the strength of our ecosystem in supporting the country’s top-performing businesses.
AgTech company, BinSentry, raises USD $50M
BinSentry, based out of Kitchener (one of the cities in Waterloo Region), successfully raised $50M in Series C funding to accelerate the expansion of its AI-powered remote farm feed monitoring technology. The company uses AI-powered sensor technology to help agri-businesses optimize feed supply chain through real time monitoring and automation.
The solar-powered, self-cleaning sensors offer 99% accuracy for on-farm feeding, thus reducing wastages, eliminating manual checks and preventing feed outages. The company supports large agricultural companies in North America and Brazil offering monitoring solutions to 40,000 bins in real time while experiencing a 100% YoY growth.
Conestoga College gets two funding boosts
Conestoga College has secured two major investments to support Ontario’s innovation and workforce development. The college’s SMART Centre will receive $1.75M over the next five years from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to renew the Centre’s status as a designated Technology Access Centre (TAC) to support entrepreneurship.
In parallel, the college will receive nearly $6.9M from the Ontario government to support nine programs across the School of Trades & Apprenticeship and the School of Engineering & Technology. This initiative will help expand enrolment and address the growing demand for skilled professionals across the province.
Mirsee’s humanoid robot wins government support
Specializing in high-performance humanoid robots, Mirsee Robotics Inc., has gained a reputation for building some of the world’s most dexterous robots. Based in Cambridge, one of the Waterloo region’s three cities, the startup is one of the two major humanoid robot companies in Canada. Recently, the company received $500,000 award from Department of National Defence (DND) to develop tele-operated, high-immersion robots for hazardous jobs.
With full in-house control over hardware and software, Mirsee’s 12-person team aims to make remote-operated humanoid robots more accessible for sectors like long-term care, manufacturing and utilities. “The goal is to target jobs that are dirty, dangerous and remote,” says Tarek Rahim, CEO and co-founder of Mirsee Robotics. The company’s latest robot, MH3, can be operated from up to 1,500 kms away, and is suitable for mass production.
Looking ahead
As September begins, we take a moment to celebrate our summer wins before rolling our sleeves up for a fall that promises new opportunities. Here’s to an impactful season ahead!
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