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Posts Tagged: Mike Betts

UTEST program announces investments in five U of T start-ups

Companies in fourth cohort developing products ranging from software to therapeutic platforms; applications for fifth cohort, in partnership with MLA48, open until May 27, 2016 TORONTO (May 9, 2016) — The University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) incubator, co-directed by U of T’s Innovations & Partnerships Office (IPO) and MaRS Innovation with financial support from the Connaught Fund, has announced five investments in start-up companies from Cohort 4. The five companies and the diverse sectors they target are: Ardra Bio, which is ... Read more

MLA48 Angel Investment Fund Completes Third Investment in UTEST Company

MLA48 leads ConferenceCloud pre-seed round in cooperation with UTEST TORONTO, CANADA (January 11, 2016) — MLA48, Canada’s first angel investment fund committed to providing a 48-hour turnaround on investment decisions, has announced its third investment in ConferenceCloud, an innovative digital platform that provides a virtual solution for the next generation of hybrid conference events. TechVibes and BetaKit covered this announcement. The University of Toronto also published a web story on Olivia and John-Alan Simmons and their start-up journey. Founded in 2014 by siblings Olivia ... Read more

Law firm partners with UTEST program to offer legal advice to early-stage startups

TORONTO, ON (August 10, 2015) — Toronto-based law firm Aird & Berlis LLP (A&B) has become the sponsoring legal partner to the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology Program (UTEST). This partnership was covered in TechVibes, Law Times and the Financial Post's Legal Post blog. UTEST is a 12-month incubation and acceleration program co-managed by the University of Toronto (U of T) and MaRS Innovation that allows selected U of T-affiliated early-stage startup companies to incorporate, use office space, receive mentorship and access $30,000 ... Read more

How to get accepted into the UTEST start-up incubator: Drive and differentiation

UTEST is now accepting applications to Cohort 4 Editor's note: As of today, the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program, which MaRS Innovation co-directs with the University of Toronto, is accepting applications for Cohort 4. The full application is available on the UTEST website.  In meantime, it's our pleasure to reprint Brianna Goldberg's "day-in-the-life-of-an-entrepreneur" feature on Cohort 3 company Nvest, published for U of T News. Jackie Yan focuses on tweaking his PowerPoint slide deck despite the chaos unfolding around him. Near the ... Read more

Portfolio round-up: UTEST, Nvest and Whirlscape news

Sometimes there's so much happening with the MaRS Innovation portfolio that it's hard to stay on top of all the news. Here are a few UTEST program stories that we missed in February. UTEST was named to FundThrough.com's list of "6 Exciting Canadian Startup Accelerators to Watch in 2015." Program co-directors Mike Betts and Kurtis Scissons point out that UTEST does take an equity position in the incubated companies and does not run on a grant basis as mentioned in the ... Read more

UTEST announces third cohort of U of T software start-ups

Products range from wearable digital coaches to socially-drive financial investment tools TORONTO (Dec. 2, 2014) — The University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) incubator, co-directed by U of T’s Innovations & Partnerships Office (IPO) and MaRS Innovation, has announced its third cohort of computer science start-up companies. Betakit and Electronic Products &Technology covered this announcement; TechVibes featured Syncadian and Onyx Motion in recent features. The U of T magazine also featured Syncadian and CEO Hanna Janossy in this recent profile. The five companies and ... Read more

UTEST’s co-directors share what makes for a great start-up application

The University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program helps U of T students, recent grads or professors to take their ideas to market. Successful applicants get mentoring, funding and work space over a 12-month period as they advance their ideas. The program is co-managed by MaRS Innovation and the University of Toronto. In a U of T "Spotlight on Startups" news article, Brianna Goldberg spoke with Mike Betts and Kurtis Scissons, UTEST co-directors, on what makes for a great applicant. Here's an excerpt: What are ... Read more

Techvibes highlights UTEST’s third cohort

Techvibes, a publication dedicated to covering latest trends in start-up culture and social and mobile news, covered the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program's call for applications in an online article on March 1, 2014. Applications for UTEST's third cohort are open until April 17, 2014. Co-directors Kurtis Scissons and Mike Betts will work with selected applicants for a period of twelve months to guide their idea to market. Successful applicants receive work space for a year, mentorship, $30,000 in funding ... Read more

UTEST accepting applications for third cohort of University of Toronto entrepreneurs

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 ... Read more

UTEST Featured in BetaKit’s The Accelerator Series

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 ... Read more