Divjot Singh is an ambassador of Catalyst’s CyberStart Canada. He is currently completing his degree in computer science at Toronto Metropolitan University. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Waefa, an organization that pioneers venture-led pathways for resilience across maritime and Arctic frontiers.
Divjot calls in from Delhi, India, where the humidity is at its peak and the rainy season is in full swing. He has been home for over a month and has one week left before returning to Canada, and he says he actually prefers the snow and winter to the rain. As a third-year computer science student at TMU, he feels he has adapted well, but it is comforting to have time with family as a respite amid many competing commitments.
One of those commitments is the upcoming Brampton SecOps Hackathon 2026, which Divjot has been planning since day one. He developed the framework for the hackathon, which focuses on niche industries such as agri-food. According to Divjot, the main goal of a hackathon is to bring together participants to strengthen their problem-solving skills. Hackathons provide a practical environment where participants can apply and test their skills under real-world constraints.
Beyond the technical component, they help cultivate leadership, a sense of ownership, accountability, and effective teamwork. They also offer valuable exposure to mentors, peers, and industry professionals, while encouraging participants to explore diverse perspectives and more creative, structured approaches to problem-solving. The skills accumulated through hackathons are valuable for careers in cybersecurity, he says, but also applicable to entrepreneurship and other areas of tech and business.
He participated in his first hackathon in his first year of university, having just moved to Toronto from India. The hackathon provided an integral sense of community. “Communication is equally important,” says Divjot. “Participants must clearly define a problem, explain their solution, and respond constructively to feedback.” Those skills are essential across both technical and non-technical roles.
That interest eventually contributed to the founding of Waefa, a company pioneering venture-led pathways for resilience across maritime and Arctic frontiers, where he has been researching cybersecurity challenges affecting maritime navigation systems, focusing on protecting the resilience and integrity of critical infrastructure. More broadly, he hopes to build expertise in a specialized area of cybersecurity. He says that when he speaks of maritime, he means all things related to ships, ports, and operations at sea. Divjot wanted to merge this area of fascination with cybersecurity on the advice of a mentor, who suggested the advantages of specializing within a broad field.
What continues to attract me to the field is its relevance and constant evolution. There is always a new challenge to understand, a new system to secure, and an opportunity to keep learning.
What started as a curiosity about how digital systems work has evolved into a lifelong passion and a highly ambitious pursuit of excellence for Divjot. Engaging with peers proved to be a turning point. Working with others who shared similar interests helped him focus his interest and deepen his knowledge of cybersecurity and strengthen his problem-solving skills.
There have been tough moments. Divjot came up against a problem he couldn’t solve, and he couldn’t get feedback. His colleague advised him to persevere no matter what. “Start writing letters to people,” he said. Driven and dedicated, Divjot did just that. The first few weeks brought no response, but eventually replies began arriving from across Canada and the United States. Now, he has achieved two major milestones: before completing his university degree, his company has been incorporated, and he is the only undergraduate student accepted (of 10 teams) for the first Lab2Market Validate Dual-Use Defence Cohort. He eagerly awaits the Brampton SecOps Hackathon 2026.