Halifax Entrepreneur Developing Innovative Healthcare and Waste Management Solutions

Michael Adeleye is not someone to waste time. Even during his frequent drives between Cape Breton and Dartmouth, he’s still working. “It’s one of the reasons why I come up with a lot of ideas and innovations. I have enough time on the highway to do a lot of thinking. Then I’ll stop by Tim Horton’s, grab a French vanilla coffee and keep moving on.”

Michael is CEO and President of Merivale Waste Management, which provides innovative waste removal services, from medical waste to domestic waste. His Merivale Software and Robotics is focused on developing drones for medical deliveries in remote locations. He is also exploring how AI can be used for the early detection of certain cancers, a project he started after losing an employee to a late diagnosis of bowel cancer.

It’s a diverse array of interests bound by a common thread: innovation. “Some people try to tell me how things have always been done. But I say the reason I'm doing this is not to do what other people have done.”

Michael completed his IT undergraduate degree in London and his postgraduate degree at the University of Wales. The European Union then funded Michael to do a master's on the principles of management and technology, for which he has given speeches at conferences and has provided training. “I’ve done a lot of research in the areas of leadership, management and strategizing, re-engineering companies.”

He worked in the technology sector for IBM and the UK government before moving on to Vodafone in Australia and New Zealand. He left there to move to Toronto 20 years ago, determined to start his own companies using his tech, robotics and programming background. Michael moved to Halifax seven years ago after getting tired of the hectic pace of the big city. He found business opportunities in Cape Breton in waste management, and eventually settled his family in Dartmouth.

As he looked to grow his business and explore his innovations, Michael knew he needed outside expertise and in 2018 he contacted the Halifax Partnership, eventually connecting with Minder Singh, Senior Account Executive of the SmartBusiness Program. “The exciting thing is that when you have a meeting with Minder, he will always ask you ‘What else do you need?’ And if I don't remember what I need, he gives me ideas of what my needs are as a small business.”

Halifax Partnership has connected Michael with a long list of innovation and business development supports and resources including NSCC, Emera IdeaHUB, labour market programs, START Program, Innovate to Opportunity Program, Halifax Partnership’s Virtual Advisor Program, ACOA and ECO Canada.

“They have a range of tools to help small businesses. I'm a tech man, that's my world, but what Minder knows is more important and very vital to my success, and I can't thank him or the Partnership enough.”

To show his gratitude, Michael has done some mentoring of up-and-coming entrepreneurs and is going to mentor youth after being connected with the African Nova Scotian community. For Michael, these roles are not just about paying it forward; the roles enable him to follow his passion about teaching and guiding others.

“I love to grow talent. I love to listen to young minds and guide them. I just can't tell you how many students tell me ‘you bring the best out in us’. And that is what makes me really happy.”

Born in Nigeria, the sixth of seven children, Michael was the first of his family to go to private school and onto university, and he credits his mother Cecilia with providing him with the confidence to apply. “She was my best friend. She believed so much in me. And I think that's really what gave me the audacity to keep going. She gave me the encouragement to find a scholarship to go to private school.”

Married with three children and one grandchild, Michael’s future plans include honouring his mother, who died about 25 years ago. “My mom was a head chef and so I'm looking into starting a chain of restaurants in England and Canada called Cecilia’s. I really want to leave that legacy in place.”