Mike Lazaridis

Mike Lazaridis, born on March 14, 1961, is a prominent Canadian businessman and electrical engineer best known for co-founding Research In Motion, now known as BlackBerry Limited. His innovative spirit led to the creation of the BlackBerry wireless handheld device, which revolutionized mobile communication. Beyond his entrepreneurial success, Lazaridis has emerged as a significant advocate for Canadian academic physics and a visionary investor in quantum computing technologies.

While studying at the University of Waterloo, Lazaridis seized an opportunity presented by General Motors in 1984. Winning a contract allowed him to leave university and, alongside Mike Barnstijn and Douglas Fregin, establish Research In Motion. The company initially gained recognition for developing award-winning barcode technology for the film industry, which subsequently funded research into wireless data transmission, culminating in the launch of BlackBerry devices between 1999 and 2002. Over the years, Lazaridis held various leadership roles within RIM and BlackBerry, including co-CEO and co-chair of the board from 1984 to 2012.

After stepping back from day-to-day operations, Lazaridis dedicated himself to philanthropic endeavors and leadership roles in scientific research. In March 2013, he co-founded Quantum Valley Investments with Fregin, aiming to support the advancement and commercialization of breakthroughs in Quantum Information Science. His commitment to science is further exemplified by his significant contributions to the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, where he facilitated a private fund of one hundred million Canadian dollars in 1999 and played a crucial role in establishing the UW's Institute for Quantum Computing.

Lazaridis's contributions have not gone unnoticed; he has received numerous accolades, including an Emmy and an Oscar for the high-speed barcode reader used in film editing in 1994 and 1999, respectively. He has also been honored with honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Waterloo and McMaster University, the Ernest C. Manning Awards Foundation Innovation Award in 2002, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006. In recognition of his foundational roles in RIM, the Perimeter Institute, and the Institute for Quantum Computing, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2014.