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Posts Tagged: Lyssa Neel

UTEST co-founder Lyssa Neel on start-up success

The University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program's second cohort is coming to a close, with applications for a third cohort open until April 17. The incubator program, a University of Toronto and MaRS Innovation joint partnership, helps affiliates of the university develop and commercialize their ideas. Successful applicants receive twelve months of mentoring to incubate their technology into a product, with access to immediate follow-on investment of up to $500,000 through MaRS Innovation. Access to provincial and federal funding resources is also available, ... Read more

UTEST grad Crowdmark profiled in The Globe and Mail article

Crowdmark, a graduate of the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program's first cohort, was the focus of a February 17 article by Ivor Tossell, The Globe and Mail's technology culture columnist. Created by U of T professor James Colliander, Crowdmark allows educators to quickly and efficiently grade large amounts of tests and exams. Tossell highlighted Crowdmark's innovation and ease-of-use for the grader. The product is cloud-based, meaning that a team of educators marking the same group of exams don't have to be in ... Read more

Huffington Post : MaRS Innovation among driving forces in Canada’s start-up landscape

In "Big-Brain Hunting: The Key to Supercluster Success," the Huffington Post's Pat Lynch investigates how and what makes start-ups successful. Attracting top-talent is listed as a major reason, but so is the environment required to give start-ups the tools they need to flourish. Lynch highlights MaRS Innovation as a driving force in sustaining the innovation industry in Canada by attracting big ideas and global talent, using former MI project manager Lyssa Neel as an example. Neel helped launch the education sector start-up Crowdmark, and ... Read more

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 ... Read more

TechWomen Canada selects UTEST co-director for Silicon Valley program

MaRS Innovation's (MI) Lyssa Neel, co-director of the UTEST program and project manager, has been selected to represent MI's ICT start-up companies at the TechWomen Canada program in San Francisco, which runs May 13 to 16, 2013. The announcement was covered in TechVibes: TechWomen Canada is run by the Canadian Consulate and is focused on providing Canadian women leaders in the ICT sector an opportunity to expand both professional and business networks in Silicon Valley. (more…) Read more

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

"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 ... Read more

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 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 ... Read more

Shotlst: “Track changes” for the physical world

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

U of T, MaRS Innovation Collaborate to Launch Incubator for Student Software 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 ... Read more