University of Toronto

UTEST program: Giving U of T students a new way to become their own bosses

February 6, 2013
Susanne Staer
Media Coverage

The Varsity's coverage of the UTEST program — The Varsity’s coverage of the UTEST program. Photographed at the bottom left is **Will Walmsley**, founder of Whirlscape.

“There is a path somewhere between extended study and becoming an office worker,” wrote The Varsity‘s Angela Brock, in “Be Your Own Boss: Student entrepreneurs combine creativity and business to forge new career paths” (February 3, 2012). “As it turns out, there are plenty of opportunities for those looking to flex their entrepreneurial muscles without straying too far from the bosom of U of T.”

Brock’s article describes UTEST, the joint U of T-MaRS Innovation program that helps students, faculty and recent alumni commercialize software ideas.

It also profiles Will Walmsley, founder of Whirlscape, and Tyler Lu, co-founder of Granata Decision Systems, about their UTEST experience leading companies created through the program’s first cohort.

University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology Program (UTEST) opens applications for second start-up company cohort

January 30, 2013
Susanne Staer
CoursePeer

Students, faculty and recent alumni with software ideas must apply by Feb. 22

Got a killer software-based idea? Are you passionate about turning that idea into a start-up company?

If you’re a current student, faculty member or recent graduate of the University of Toronto, consider applying to the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program.

Applications are now closed. Stay tuned for the third UTEST application call.

Created as a pilot in 2012 to help the U of T community bring their software-based ideas to market, UTEST is part of a growing ecosystem of incubators and commercialization support services.

UTEST accepts companies in the very earliest stages of idea generation— before they’re ready for traditional incubators — and awards each company up to $30,000 in start-up funds.

It also provides nascent software companies with office space in the MaRS Discovery District, mentoring and business strategy support.

“From a results standpoint, we couldn’t be more satisfied with first cohort of companies,” says Kurtis Scissons, co-director of UTEST at U of T. “In six months, they secured over $650,000 in follow-on funding. Each has filed solid patent protection and some are already gaining customer traction. They have also collectively created 21 highly-skilled jobs (HQPs).”

Update May 2013: Those figures now stand at $1.2 million and 29 jobs; most of the companies have secured customers.

Globe and Mail and Global News Toronto cover early-stage Bio Printer technology

U of T Ph.D. student Lian Leng demonstrates how the Bio Printer prototype creates new skin cells. — U of T Ph.D. student **Lian Leng** demonstrates how the Bio Printer prototype creates new skin cells. Screen shot courtesy of Global News Toronto.

An early-stage technology that may revolutionize the way burn victims are treated is generating considerable buzz in Toronto media this week.

Globe and Mail reporter Robert Everett-Green wrote about the joint University of Toronto and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre project January 20 in “A 3-D machine that prints skin? How burn care could be revolutionized.”

Health reporter Beatrice Politi also covered the Bio Printer project for Global News Toronto January 21. Her video segment includes an interview with PhD student Lian Leng and a look at the existing Bio Printer prototype.

Shotlst: “Track changes” for the physical world

Shotlst is one of six inaugural UTEST companies; next UTEST application round to begin shortly

UTEST-Shotlst co-founders Matt Ratto (left) and Mike Borg — Shotlst co-founders **Matt Ratto** (left) and **Mike Borg**. Shotlst was one of six companies accepted into UTEST‘s inaugural cohort. Photo courtesy of Jon Horvatin, University of Toronto.

What if you could turn on Microsoft Word’s “track changes” tool and apply it at will to the world around you?

Sound like science fiction?

Meet Matt Ratto, a professor in the University of T’s Faculty of Information, and Mike Borg, a recent graduate of the faculty. They’ve formed Shotlst, a new software company being incubated by the University of Toronto Early Stage Technology (UTEST) program.

The central metaphor of Shotlst is the “shot list,” a list of scenes a film director plans to get each day on a movie set. It serves to organize the cast and crew’s time and activity for the day.

With Shotlst, a user decides at the outset on “shots” that will be consistent throughout the life of a project.

For example, an architect might take pictures of a cardboard model of a building, 3-D renderings and, later, the actual construction site. These shots would serve as raw material that colleagues could use to annotate and collaborate using the software.

MI Inventors Poon and Rahnama Pitch EMTech 2012 (Videos Online)

November 26, 2012
Susanne Staer
Awards

Being named to the MIT Technology Review's 35 Inventors Under 35 list is a prestigious honour, but one of its best perks is the subsequent invitation to attend the Emerging…

Gen Magazine features Dr. Aaron Wheeler’s research in microfluidics

November 19, 2012
Susanne Staer
Kapplex

GEN Magazine (Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News) featured the microfluidics research of Dr. Aaron Wheeler on November 15, 2012.

Wheeler, Canada Research Chair of Bioanalytical Chemistry and an associate professor at the University of Toronto, has made an invention disclosure to MaRS Innovation; Kapplex is the start-up company created to commercialize his research.

Stem Cell Therapeutics, UHN and MaRS Innovation Announce Novel, Clinical-Stage, Cancer Stem Cell Program Agreement

Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp.

Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. (TSX VENTURE:SSS), a life sciences company developing stem cell-related technologies, today announced the signing of an agreement with University Health Network (UHN), through its commercialization agent MaRS Innovation (MI), both of Toronto.

The agreement provides Stem Cell Therapeutics (“SCT”) with an option to an exclusive world-wide license to an innovative cancer stem cell program.

This agreement produced a license for a UHN technology on April 17, 2013.

Shotlst CEO featured in Globe article on future of tech in education

October 23, 2012
Susanne Staer
Media Coverage

Matt Ratto, assistant professor in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information and co-inventor and CEO of Shotlst, a UTEST company, was featured in the Globe and Mail on October 22 in an article by Nick Rockel on how emerging technology will change the education experience.

Here’s an excerpt:

Asked what the technological tools in university classrooms will look and feel like by 2020, Matt Ratto admits he’s no futurist. But the assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information is helping shape the future – by changing students’ relationship with technology.

U of T, MaRS Innovation Collaborate to Launch Incubator for Student Software Companies

October 1, 2012
Susanne Staer
CoursePeer

Hadi Aladdin (left) and Marwan Aladdin, U of T graduates and the founders of CoursePeer. — **Hadi Aladdin** (left) and **Marwan Aladdin**, U of T graduates and the founders of **CoursePeer**, one of six UTEST companies.

TORONTO, ON – A new program that provides nascent software companies with start-up funds, work space, mentoring and business strategy support, was launched today by the University of Toronto and commercialization partner MaRS Innovation, with support from the MaRS Discovery District.

TechVibes has a profile page for UTEST and covered CoursePeer as part of their students start-ups series.

The new program, called University of Toronto Early Stage Technology (UTEST), is part of a growing ecosystem of incubators and commercialization support services at U of T, including the newly-launched Banting and Best Institute. UTEST is unique among campus incubators in that its companies receive start-up funds—$30,000 each in this inaugural year—and because it accepts companies in the very earliest stages of idea generation, before they’re ready for traditional incubators.

BioCentury features Encycle Therapeutics and MaRS Innovation in macrocycle chemistry article

September 23, 2012
Susanne Staer
Encycle Therapeutics

Encycle Therapeutics, a MaRS Innovation spin-off company, was included in BioCentury‘s companies to watch within the macrocycle chemistry space.

The reference came in Chris Cain‘s article, “Maturing macrocycle chemistry drives explosion of biotech newcos, biopharma deals.”

UTEST program: Giving U of T students a new way to become their own bosses

University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology Program (UTEST) opens applications for second start-up company cohort

Students, faculty and recent alumni with software ideas must apply by Feb. 22

Globe and Mail and Global News Toronto cover early-stage Bio Printer technology

Shotlst: “Track changes” for the physical world

MI Inventors Poon and Rahnama Pitch EMTech 2012 (Videos Online)

Gen Magazine features Dr. Aaron Wheeler’s research in microfluidics

Stem Cell Therapeutics, UHN and MaRS Innovation Announce Novel, Clinical-Stage, Cancer Stem Cell Program Agreement

Shotlst CEO featured in Globe article on future of tech in education

U of T, MaRS Innovation Collaborate to Launch Incubator for Student Software Companies

BioCentury features Encycle Therapeutics and MaRS Innovation in macrocycle chemistry article

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