Kurtis Scissons

UTEST accepting applications for third cohort of University of Toronto entrepreneurs

February 19, 2014
Susanne Staer
Crowdmark

MaRS Innovation-U of T accelerator program among Canada’s best

The University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology accelerator program (UTEST) is now accepting applications for a third cohort until April 17, 2014.

Applicants must be current students or faculty at U of T, or have graduated within the last two years.

UTEST has just launched a new website with complete application information about the early-stage incubator and a link to the application form:

The 12-month program allows selected U of T affiliates to access office space, mentoring and $30,000 in funding, with opportunities to access follow-on funding from MaRS Innovation later on.

UTEST Featured in BetaKit’s The Accelerator Series

January 27, 2014
Susanne Staer
Crowdmark

The University of Toronto Early Stage Technology (UTEST) program was the focus of a recent online article in BetaKit, a Canadian innovation and technology resource.

The article by Joseph Czikk, BetaKit’s managing editor, is part of a series on Canada’s most promising start-up accelerators and the people who make them successful. Czikk highlights UTEST “as one of the most value-packed programs in the entire country” and credits the calibre of applicants and ideas to the program’s requirement to have at least one co-founder affiliated to the University of Toronto.

UTEST is now accepting applications for the program’s third cohort. Those interested should watch for updates through MaRS Innovation and the University of Toronto, or contact UTEST co-directors Mike Betts and Kurtis Scissons for more information.

UTEST success stories Crowdmark, Granata Decision Systems and Whirlscape reflect the scope of ideas that come through the program and how the grow to address needs across many industries.

Five UTEST companies to tackle critical healthcare challenges

Program’s second cohort includes eQOL, E-Twenty Development, Root2Crown, Treata Smart Solutions and TrendMD

TORONTO (May 14, 2013) — Five companies tackling pervasive healthcare challenges — such as assessing dental health, helping patients and medical personnel navigate hospitals with greater ease, staying current with medical literature, or creating digital tools to help care for the elderly or those with chronic health conditions — have been admitted to the University of Toronto Early Stage Technology (UTEST) program’s second cohort.

UTEST, supported by the University of Toronto’s Connaught Fund, Innovations & Partnerships Office (IPO) and MaRS Innovation (MI), is part of a growing system of incubators and commercialization support services at U of T.

Two companies in UTEST’s second cohort, E-Twenty Development Inc. and Treata Smart Solutions Inc. are participating in Canada 3.0 at the Metro Convention Centre May 14 and 15, 2013, in Toronto.

This announcement was covered in PE Hub.

Each company will receive up to $25,000, incubation space in the MaRS Discovery District, mentoring and business strategy support to develop protectable intellectual property, launch their products and gain market traction. They are also eligible to become clients of MaRS Discovery District’s ICE or Healthcare practices.

UTEST seeks scalable, enterprise-focused software applications interested in building business-to-business customer bases — and preferably operational products with a short term to market. The program is co-directed by Kurtis Scissons (U of T IPO) and Dr. Lyssa Neel (MI).

The second cohort has big shoes to fill. UTEST’s first cohort has collectively secured over $1.2 million in follow-on funding and currently employs 29 highly skilled people (HQPs). Each company also filed solid patent protection and most have secured customers. Notably, Whirlscape’s Indiegogo campaign secured over $87,000 in crowd-sourced product funds from nearly 10,000 users, and was featured in the Financial Post, TechCrunch, Mashable and The Verge, among other global media outlets.

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.

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.

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.

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