After an extensive search, the Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.-based Accelerator Centre (AC) has decided the best candidate for its CEO is the one already in place.
Ruth Casselman, who has served as interim CEO at the AC since March of this year, has been named CEO of the organization.
“The AC was an instrumental part of the success of my own startup, and I am passionate about giving back to the community in this new way.”
Ruth Casselman
Casselman took on the interim position from Jay Krishnan, who was CEO for three years before stepping down. Casselman moved to the interim CEO role after serving as chair of the AC’s board of directors. She began serving on the board in 2018, and was named chair in 2023.
“Ruth’s exceptional leadership skills [and] deep understanding of the needs of founders and the local tech ecosystem make her the perfect fit to lead the Accelerator Centre into its next chapter,” board chair Julie Barker-Merz said in a statement.
Founded in Waterloo in 2006, AC has been a key player in the local tech ecosystem, having supported more than 750 startups and attracted $1.8 billion in investments for its companies, according to its 2023 report.
The organization offers community incubation and accelerator programs for startups, and connects local startups to new markets and funding. Some of the companies to have come out of the organization include ApplyBoard, Clearpath Robotics (acquired in 2023), and Smile.io.
Casselman’s roots with the AC run deep, as she served as the co-founder and COO of Alert Labs, which develops internet of things (IoT) monitoring solutions for property owners. Alert’s sensors are deployed on water meters, sump pumps, near toilets and other appliances to detect abnormalities, such as water leaks or power issues. Alert Lab was the 58th graduate of the AC, completing the program in December 2017.
“The AC was an instrumental part of the success of my own startup, and I am passionate about giving back to the community in this new way,” Casselman said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing to work with the amazing team at the AC to support the next generation of innovative technology startups in the Waterloo Region.”
Outside of the AC, Cassleman is also chair of the board for the Golden Triangle Angel Network, an angel investment group focused on startups in southern Ontario. She is also a member of the due diligence committee for impact investing at the Waterloo Region Community Foundation.
According to the AC, Cassleman’s mandate includes “building on the AC’s reputation for delivering high impact startups programming and bolstering collaboration across the Waterloo tech community.” She will be responsible for identifying and supporting high-potential tech startups in Waterloo and beyond, as well as providing founders with the resources to achieve growth and success.
Feature image provided by Accelerator Centre.
