Met at Waikato
Paths crossed at Waikato—from study partners to life partners, business collaborators to mentors—whose Waikato connection changed your journey?
Whether in the shadow of Mauao te Maunga, huddled over books in The Pā, or debating ideas over coffee at Stacey's, meaningful relationships have always flourished on our campuses.
Discover the stories of alumni whose paths converged at Waikato and intertwined into partnerships that stood the test of time—from lifelong friendships to successful businesses, mentorships that shaped careers, and love stories that began with a chance encounter.
Who did you meet at Waikato?
Jamiee and Rico
Jaimee Wilson, an Environmental Planning alumna and Canoe Slalom athlete, and her partner, Rico D'Anvers, a BMX athlete and current Civil Engineering student, first crossed paths through the prestigious Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme and their time in the same Halls of Residence.
It wasn’t until their second year that they truly connected, bonding over a shared love for the outdoors. Some of their fondest memories together out of university have been hiking New Zealand’s Department of Conservation trails and cheering each other on in their respective sports.
Fast forward a few years, and the adventurous duo have travelled to Europe, continuing to compete at the highest level while ticking off their bucket list destinations.
Kaylen Hojdelewicz
Because I attended Waikato, I now not only have my degree which I thoroughly enjoyed, but I also made a lifelong best friend who has been there for me through everything.
Kaylen Hojdelewicz, Bachelor of Communications
From the Computer Lab to the Boardroom: A story of innovation and impact
It all began in 2006 when James McCosh, Chris Yu, and Dave Leaver first crossed paths at the University of Waikato. Bonding over their shared passion for technology in the intimate setting of their first-year software engineering courses (COMP130 and COMP134), they quickly formed a friendship that would evolve into a powerful professional partnership.
As their university years unfolded, Chris secured an internship at Smartrak – a fledgling startup at the time. Before long, James and Dave made the leap to Smartrak as well, and together, they played pivotal roles in shaping the company’s GPS telematics product suite, designing and building business-critical solutions for the New Zealand Police, Auckland Transport, Fonterra, and other major enterprises across New Zealand and Australia.
Fast forward to today, and the trio have co-founded Torutek—a company at the cutting edge of AI and edge computing technology. Their hardware and software solutions are revolutionising the protection of problem gamblers, accelerating the shift to renewable energy, and driving the adoption of public transport.
Their commitment to innovation extends beyond their products—they take great pride in fostering the next generation of Waikato tech talent through the Torutek Scholarship, providing opportunities for aspiring engineers to thrive.