The introduction after the pitch

At Velocity, alumni help the next generation reach people they could not reach alone. Published in Alumni Digest as verified reporting from the University of Waterloo.

At Velocity, alumni help the next generation reach people they could not reach alone.

Alumni Digest editorial deskSeptember 17, 20262 min read

In the September issue

Campus

University of WaterlooWaterloo, Ontario

Focus

Alumni leadership & practicePeople

Outcome

Verified reportingSeptember 2026 issue

The context

Where the work begins

More than 100 judges volunteered at a recent Velocity Pitch Competition, offering feedback and introductions. Founder Connor Kapahi (PhD ’26) describes one unexpected presentation that led to supplier contacts his company had struggled to reach.

The takeaway

What follows

The university’s report follows founders working on diagnostics and assistive technologies. Their examples show why an alumni network matters at a practical level: someone can challenge a pitch, explain a market or make an introduction. The story is about work that follows the stage time.

The introduction after the pitch

Where the work begins

What follows

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