Alumni spotlight
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Danny Way BSc (Eng)'05 (Software Engineering)
From software engineering to driving value
Danny Way charts his own path to success as a venture builder
After he graduated from the Schulich School of Engineering in software engineering, Danny Way, BSc (Eng)'05, worked in tech for a few years before deciding to swap software for sustainability. He came back to Schulich to do a master's in electrical engineering with a specialization in renewable energy.
“I learned a tremendous amount from the coursework, and I built some great relationships,” says Way. Yet he was unsuccessful with his thesis, “it didn’t have enough engineering components in it, I was focused on market analysis like a management consultant.”
I've had a wonderful career. I’ve had lots of ups and downs, like everybody, but I feel so fortunate for everything that I've accomplished. It's clear that the path that I walked was the right path for me.
Danny Way BSc (Eng)'05 (Software Engineering)
While he didn’t get his master's, he did get a job as a management consultant (and later manager) at Deloitte in sustainability. “It was an interesting time,” says Way. “You had to deal with business and communication challenges and budget pressures, not just solving technical and engineering challenges.”
He was well-equipped for the shift.
Schulich had given him an excellent technical skill set while also teaching him “how to learn,” he says. “When you go into the real world, you have to make that leap from learning in a classroom and laboratory to learning inside a work environment with clients and a boss breathing down your neck,” he says. “It's not just about applying formulas and getting an answer. It's taking in all the information you have and making the best decision based on the timelines.”
Way has applied this real-world knowledge to co-founding startups, helping lead early-stage tech firms and maximizing value. He also helped employ sensors in skates to help hockey players improve their performance on the ice. These days, he’s focusing on the agriculture sector as a venture partner with Carrot Ventures and an investment manager with Verdex Capital, a firm that aims to advance Canadian agriculture.
Way also serves as a board observer for three companies, mentors business founders with Venture Mentoring Services of Alberta and works with a venture capital industry association. He also talks to students at the Haskayne School of Business’ Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, reflecting on his time at UCalgary and encouraging them to learn how to communicate with people, build strong relationships and work hard.
“When I graduated, there were people getting 4.0 in every single class, and that certainly wasn't me. But I realized what hard work can do,” says Way. Studying at Schulich also honed his decision-making skills. “I have a generalist approach to everything and that allows me to look at a highly ambiguous problem, figure out what the root causes are, spot patterns, and identify solutions.”
As for his master's thesis, Way is grateful for what he learned at Schulich and doesn’t have any regrets. “I've had a wonderful career. I’ve had lots of ups and downs, like everybody, but I feel so fortunate for everything that I've accomplished. It's clear that the path that I walked was the right path for me.”