Andrew Forde

Andrew N. Forde (born January 21, 1987) is a Canadian engineer, entrepreneur, and musician best known for co-founding Sommerfeld Solutions.

In January 2011, Forde co-founded Sommerfeld Solutions, which provides platforms for businesses and organizations in the areas of mining, information technology, and healthcare. Later in 2011, Forde graduated with a BASc in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.

Forde completed his Master's degree in Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation at McMaster University. While there, Forde secured funds for a sommerfeld project, The Electronic Chart (TEC), through a funding initiative from MacMaster and the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario,. TEC is a project to improve patient charting practices by creating software to improve the efficiency of patient processing. It aims to place "a computer tablet beside every hospital bed in the world as a way of making it easier for doctors to treat their patients."

In 2009, Forde established The Forde Institute, "a non-profit global centre for research, focusing on technological innovations and their resulting impact on humanity to promote responsible innovation, research and entrepreneurship."

Forde is working on his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, with a focus on information science and engineering ontologies at the University of Toronto. His academic contribution aims to create a unified theory that can accurately measure the profitability of an idea.

Awards

While Forde was President of the University of Toronto's chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, the group participated in the TORCH program, an initiative to "increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community." For this, they received the 2010 International Pioneer Chapter of the Year Award.

Forde was awarded the Harry Jerome Young Entrepreneur Award by Toronto's Black Business and Professional Association in 2012 for his work on TEC. He called the experience "humbling". Forde received an Aroni Award in 2011.

Music

Forde, is a trained violinist having studied under virtuoso Martin Bazarian and attending the Unionville Highschool of the Arts.

Forde has played for sold out audiences throughout the country, sharing the stage with the likes of Justin Bieber, Kardinal Official, and Sting. He began playing violin at the age of three and has been considered for a Juno.