Meet the Newest Companies Building at Velocity
Velocity welcomes its newest group of companies building technically ambitious ventures across artificial intelligence, biotech and life sciences, climate and energy systems, robotics, commerce infrastructure, and industrial software.
Below is a closer look at what they're doing.
What they're building
Many of the companies in this cohort are building AI-driven software to automate work, improve decisions, and replace manual processes.
In healthcare and life sciences, founders are using AI alongside biology and materials science to tackle problems like drug discovery, immune support, and inefficient clinical workflows. These products are designed to work inside real healthcare systems, with careful attention to testing, regulation, and everyday use.
Climate and energy are another strong focus with tech built for carbon capture and wind energy optimization, using a mix of materials science, and AI.
The cohort also spans robotics, logistics, and commerce, with companies working on inventory tracking, industrial operations, event and ticketing platforms, cross-border payments, and drone navigation in complex environments.
The companies
Leading with AI, Applied Intelligence is building an AI copilot for property and real estate developers that automates the manual, paper-based work still common in planning, approvals, and compliance. One of One AI (1/1) is putting networks to work faster by helping individuals and organizations better use their existing networks by showing who can help with a specific opportunity or introduction. Appfi (Appify) makes it possible to build iPhone apps without coding. Anthum AI works with brands and creators to produce AI-generated social content, reducing production costs while creating new income opportunities for creators.
In healthcare, Colver is developing clinically-proven, natural antiviral nasal sprays to help families fight seasonal viruses. ZeroTwo AI (02AI) is building an AI copilot for drug discovery, helping biopharma teams speed up early screening and reduce costly failures before compounds reach clinical trials.
Climate technology is led by Existent, which has developed a carbon-capturing sponge that makes carbon capture more practical and affordable. Innowind is improving wind energy performance with AI-controlled robotic fins that adjust to changing conditions, increasing turbine efficiency during high-gust events.
The cohort also includes companies building essential infrastructure for modern and efficient business operations. Eventist is creating an all-in-one platform for event planning, combining ticketing, scheduling, staffing, and communications in one system. Flomaru simplifies international gifting by letting people send flowers and gifts overseas in their own language and currency. ItemIQ helps e-commerce brands and distributors make better inventory decisions through real-time data. JTCipher eliminates inventory errors for stone slab distributors, and TensorOne is building autonomous systems to detect and respond to unauthorized drone activity around critical infrastructure.
Who the founders are
This cohort reflects an experienced group of founders with backgrounds spanning engineering, research, industry, and entrepreneurship.
- 70% of founders are technical or engineering-led
- 50% are building in industries they previously worked in
- 50% have prior startup or commercialization experience
- 80% University of Waterloo Alumni
Feb 2026 Cohort company directory
Learn more by visiting their company page: