When Michele Mosca talks about cryptography, he doesn’t describe it in abstract technical terms. Instead, he paints a picture.

“Imagine you’re playing hockey on the ice without padding,” says Mosca, co-founder of Waterloo-based evolutionQ. “You’re not thinking about scoring a goal, you’re thinking about not getting killed. But if you’ve got the right padding, you can take the hits and focus on winning.”

“That’s what cryptographic resilience is all about,” he says. “Enabling us to boldly seize opportunities in AI and quantum without being paralyzed by fear of the risks.”

It’s a fitting metaphor for a company that’s built its mission around resilience. 

evolutionQ is tackling one of the biggest challenges in technology today, to ensure that as quantum computers become powerful enough to break existing codes, the systems we rely on remain secure from cyber attacks.

“People sometimes dismiss quantum threats as 20 years away,” Mosca explains. “That’s simply not true. There’s a material risk of cryptographically relevant quantum computers emerging within four or five years.” 

But even if quantum takes longer than anticipated, it takes time to prepare.

“It’s like rebuilding the foundation of your house. You need to do it right.”

A global challenge with local roots

Founded in 2015, evolutionQ provides cybersecurity software solutions, growing rapidly and doubling in size in recent years, establishing teams in both Canada and Europe.

The company’s growth is driven by a concept Mosca calls cryptographic resilience, which means designing systems with multiple layers of defence so organizations can confidently adopt emerging technologies without leaving themselves exposed.

That need for confidence is becoming more urgent as the worlds of AI and quantum converge, with quantum projected to be a $139 billion industry by 2045.

“AI is accelerating quantum’s progress,” says Mosca. “It amplifies both the opportunities and the threats.”

Governments are taking notice of these risks. In 2023, Canada launched its National Quantum Strategy at Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, committing $360 million to boost its quantum ecosystem focused on quantum computing, communications and sensors.

Mosca says Canadian suppliers, and critical sectors such as defence and banking, will increasingly be required to provide quantum-safe protections by 2030, ensuring that sensitive data and critical systems remain secure against emerging quantum threats.

Despite the global nature of the challenge, evolutionQ’s story is closely linked to Waterloo Region’s tech ecosystem.

Mosca studied at the University of Waterloo before continuing at Oxford, and many members of his team cut their teeth at companies like BlackBerry and Certicom, firms that helped shape global standards in cybersecurity, based in Waterloo Region.

“The University of Waterloo gave me the foundational knowledge, and companies here gave our team the practical expertise,” Mosca says. “Just as importantly, the region gave us role models. When you grow up around people who fundamentally changed how global communications are secured, you believe you can do it too.”

Building an ecosystem of trust

As a longtime mentor to other founders, Mosca believes the strength of Waterloo Region’s tech community lies in its ability to generate world-class ideas and talent. The next step, he says, is ensuring that those companies have the business support and capital needed to scale globally while staying rooted in Canada.

“We produce amazing technology here,” he says. “If we can strengthen the business side, the go-to-market, the investment capacity, we’ll keep more of that success in Canada.”

“That matters because when Canadian companies scale with Canadian capital, the benefits ripple through the whole ecosystem.”

That ripple effect is something Mosca is determined to support.

evolutionQ’s cryptographic resilience solutions don’t just serve governments and enterprises around the world; they also help strengthen local companies by providing the secure foundations needed to compete globally.

“Many of the startups here already use cryptography,” he says. “If they leverage local expertise to build resilient systems, it de-risks their journey. Secure by design doesn’t just help one company, it helps the entire ecosystem thrive.”

For Mosca, resilience is a philosophy. One that allows founders to face uncertainty, seize bold opportunities, and trust that the ecosystem around them will help absorb the shocks.

“Ultimately, cryptographic resilience is about enabling trust,” he says. “Without it, people won’t bank online, they won’t transact digitally, they won’t embrace the technologies of the future. With it, we can build with confidence. And Waterloo Region is the perfect place to do that.” 

Connect with us today to find out how we help tech companies start, scale and stay in Waterloo Region.