From ‘Busy Berlin’ to Tech Corridor

We think of business or industry “clusters” as a modern phenomenon, with Waterloo Region’s technology cluster as a prime example. Yet, as we walk through Downtown Kitchener’s Innovation District, we follow the footsteps of the people of “Busy Berlin,” a largely German 19th century community that worked in equally successful clusters for their time.

They left a legacy of yellow-brick buildings transformed from the factories of yesterday to meet the needs of today’s tech sector. They also left us a culture of innovation and community building. We will explore those early clusters and the sometimes forgotten but often fascinating people and stories behind them.