European Brands You’ll Find in Waterloo

Ranked as North America’s #1 small tech talent market by CBRE, Waterloo is an ecosystem where global brands, startups and scale-ups operate out of the same neighbourhood, creating a natural cycle of innovation, talent attraction, training and collaboration. The talent pipeline is powered by world-ranking local institutions and the largest co-op program in the world.

For European companies planning a North American expansion, location selection is the best risk-mitigation strategy. In addition to talent, robust infrastructure and access to major markets, you need a place where growth feels sustainable. For companies like Siemens, Airbus and OVHcloud, the Waterloo region offered the advantages of a globally connected innovation hub without the high costs and competitive pressures associated with larger North American hubs.

While some names might be of surprise, they all have been key players in contributing to nurturing this community’s economic strength over the years.

Will your company be the next big name on the list?

That’s not all of them. Not even close. Explore our Business Directory to see even more brands and top employers that call Waterloo home.

What attracts European brands to Waterloo

The Waterloo region anchors Canada’s fourth-largest manufacturing workforce and the nation’s premier robotics and automation cluster. For European companies, Waterloo offers the best of both worlds: a collaborative business community and a location within the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor, one of North America’s leading technology hubs.

While these factors may attract companies to Waterloo, other advantages help convince them to invest, grow and stay here.

1. Strategic Location: Situated in the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor, one of North America’s largest tech clusters, and considered comparable to the Silicon Valley in terms of tech advancements and talent, Waterloo is strategically located near major markets like Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, as well as the US border. Its proximity to these key locations allows businesses to easily access supply chains through the developed infrastructure and reach customers across North America.
2. Talent: Recognized as the #1 small tech talent market in North America and #10 overall, Waterloo has a strong talent pool that includes a diverse mix of experienced professionals and recent graduates from top-ranked local universities. The University of Waterloo also boasts the biggest co-op program in North America, that means companies have access to a highly educated workforce in AI, quantum and autonomous vehicles which they can train according to their needs and future-proof their talent pipelines.
3. Academic and Research Institutions: The Waterloo community is buzzing with big thinkers and the next generation of talent. Waterloo is home to three internationally recognized post-secondary institutions with 95,000+ students enrolled. For companies looking to collaborate with industry leaders, the University of Waterloo is home to RoboHub, which supports Canada’s largest robotics and automation research and the Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing (MSAM) Lab, a leader in advanced manufacturing research.
4. Industry Support Organizations: Waterloo supports a robust network of industry support organizations and commercialization hubs that provide businesses with resources and expertise needed to succeed and scale operations. These organizations include Communitech, Velocity and the Accelerator Centre, among others.
5. Cultural Alignment: Waterloo offers European companies a familiar environment. European firms will find many of the values they prioritize reflected here, including strong intellectual property protections, transparent regulations, stable labour frameworks, a healthy work-life balance and a relationship-driven approach to business. And if you’re German, you’ll also recognize our Oktoberfest, the largest celebration of its kind outside Germany!
6. Quality of Life: The Waterloo area offers a high quality of life with a strong sense of community, family-friendly amenities and excellent healthcare and education systems. This can be a draw for both employees and their families, as well as potential customers and clients. The community organizes regular festivals and events highlighting their European heritage.
7. Immigration: Through federal pathways like the Express Entry system, Canada supports businesses in recruiting international specialists for their teams. By targeting professionals specializing in high demand skills, these programs give Waterloo enterprises a direct competitive edge by diversifying and elevating their operations and teams.

8. Cost Savings: Waterloo offers a cost-effective business environment compared to other major North American cities, such as Toronto and San Francisco. The cost of living and doing business in Waterloo is generally lower, which can lead to significant cost savings for companies.
9. Tax Incentives: Canada offers several tax incentives and credits that benefit businesses operating in Waterloo. These include the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit, through which companies can reclaim up to 35% of eligible R&D expenditures and the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP), which offers funding and advisory services to small and medium-sized enterprises. International businesses can often access support by establishing and growing a presence in Canada and significantly reduce their R&D costs and risks.
10. Government Support: The Canadian government provides support to businesses through various programs and initiatives, such as the Strategic Innovation Fund. These programs can provide financial support for research and development, labour, expansion and infrastructure projects. For European firms, establishing operations in Waterloo can open the door for a range of federal and provincial incentives designed to help businesses scale in the Canadian market.