•  

Posts Tagged: start-up accelerators

UTEST cited among Toronto’s top 10 tech accelerators

UTEST, the tech accelerator co-directed by MaRS Innovation and the University of Toronto, was named to BlogTO's Top 10 list of technology accelerators on November 8, 2015. The list was published just weeks before the announcement of the fourth UTEST cohort, and included recognition of TrendMD and Whirlscape as notable startups among the graduated UTEST companies. Here's the excerpt: UTEST, a collaboration between U of T and MaRs Innovation, is in its fourth year of operation with 15 teams. The program is one year ... 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 gets a mention in TechVibes piece on Canada’s growing start-up scene

TechVibes gave UTEST, an incubator program jointly run by MaRS Innovation and the University of Toronto, a mention in Laura Leslie's "Canada’s Startup Communities Shining Brighter Than the California Sun," published November 24, 2014, which explores the ecosystem-wide supports in place to encourage entrepreneurship in Canada. Leslie writes: Silicon Valley may be the first place that comes to mind when you think of tech startups, but when considering resources, financial support, and a welcoming atmosphere, Canada has been steadily putting itself on the map. ... Read more

University of Toronto’s entrepreneurship programs to share over $3 million from province’s Campus-Linked Accelerator Program

UTEST among the four U of T entrepreneurship programs to be funded through Ontario's CLA program The University of Toronto will receive $3,056,000 in funding over two years from the Ontario government to increase its training and support for student entrepreneurship. The funding is part of the Campus-Linked Accelerator Program (CLA), announced today by Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Research and Innovation, and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “Fostering the entrepreneurial spirit among students is a key component of Ontario’s Youth Jobs Strategy, ... Read more

The Varsity on UTEST and start-up culture at U of T; Whirlscape launches new Minuum smartwatch demo

"Start-up culture is fast taking hold at U of T, with an array of incubators and accelerators providing student entrepreneurs the resources and mentorships required to get their businesses up and running," writes Ameya Charnalia of The Varsity, the University of Toronto's student newspaper. Charnalia's article focuses on new student-focused incubators, such as the UTEST program, which provide entrepreneurs cash, access to in-house expertise, working space and mentorship to advice their ideas. It appeared in the same week that recent UTEST graduate Whirlscape released ... Read more

Globe and Mail: Strong incubators are key to driving innovation

Jeff Cates' op-ed in the Globe and Mail's Small Business/Digital Innovation section on June 19, 2014 argues that incubators have a key role to play in fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and growing new industries in Ontario. Cates states this is particularly true when incubators when they provide programs and services to help young entrepreneurs succeed. The University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology program (UTEST), co-managed with MaRS Innovation, is one such program. UTEST is set to announce its third cohort within the next month. (more…) Read more

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

Portfolio snapshot: UTEST in the Wall Street Journal, OtoSim & Sylleta win pitch competitions

Here's a snapshot of some recent portfolio activity: UTEST, the early-stage technology accelerator MI runs in partnership with the University of Toronto, was cited in the Wall Street Journal as part of what makes Toronto the best place to build a start-up in Canada and the eighth-best place in the world. Applications for UTEST's the third cohort are open until Thursday, April 17, 2014. OtoSim Inc. placed first out of 20 companies in the Venture Pitch competition at the Fundica Funding Roadshow for ... Read more
Page 1 of 212