Posts Tagged: University of Toronto Early Stage Technology (UTEST)
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 ...
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Whirlscape exits beta, launches version 2.0 of the Minuum keyboard
Whirlscape Inc., a graduate of the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program's cohort graduate, exits beta with the version 2.0 release of Minuum, their hit "small keyboard for big fingers."
Whirlscape Inc. graduated from the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program's first cohort. UTEST is accepting applications for its third cohort until April 17. Click here to apply.
Version 2.0's release is already a popular download for Android Apps in the Google Play store. Users can get a 30-day free trial of Minuum and ...
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Whirlscape’s Minuum keyboard makes SmartTV typing easy
University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) graduate Whirlscape Inc. released a video on February 25, 2014 showing how their Minuum keyboard can make typing on Smart TVs and consoles easy.
UTEST is currently accepting applications for its third cohort. Apply now.
Minuum, the "little keyboard for big fingers" is making waves in wearable technology with their disambiguation algorithm and advanced language modelling, which can be used on Android devices and smart watches.
Read Darrell Etherington's article about Minuum on Smart TVs and consoles in ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Y Combinator-backed Whirlscape closes $500,000 seed funding round
Minuum keyboard creators accelerate wearable device input technology development
TORONTO, Canada (February 6, 2014) — Whirlscape Inc., creators of Minuum, “the little keyboard for big fingers,” have closed an investment seed round for just over $500,000 (USD). Y Combinator, FundersClub, BDC Venture Capital, and a dozen other prominent angel investors have contributed to the round.
Whirlscape’s plans for the capital involve innovating beyond its participation in Silicon Valley’s start-up accelerator Y Combinator. Whirlscape also aims to consolidate the success of its Minuum keyboard ...
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Crowdmark announces new partnership with Ricoh Canada Inc.
Crowdmark, a MaRS Innovation and University of Toronto start-up incubated through the UTEST program, has reached a deal with Ricoh Canada Inc.
Announced January 20, 2014, the deal outlines national printing and scanning service for Crowdmark customers, with U.S. discussions coming up in the future, to improve the start-up's online marking process for teachers.
Here's an excerpt from the release (emphasis ours):
Toronto, Ontario (January 20, 2014) – Crowdmark Inc., a software company that delivers an ultra-scalable collaborative assessment platform to educators worldwide, announced today ...
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Whirlscape releases Minuum demo on a Smart Watch
Whirlscape continues to build momentum for the Minuum keyboard. On January 21, the UTEST grad launched a demo of their keyboard on a Galaxy Gear Smart Watch.
The remarkably accurate keyboard that encourages sloppy typing for smartphones and wearable technology uses a disambiguation algorithm to make sense of any letter combination, so it's been proven perfect for big fingers.
Xavier Snelgrove, Minuum's co-founder and CTO, wrote a detailed explanation on the creation of the keyboard in Input, a blog by Minuum's creators. From language ...
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Financial Post lists Whirlscape as Canadian Start-Up to Watch
2014 set to be big year for the start-up and UTEST grad
Whirlscape's Minuum keyboard leads the way in Matthew Braga's January 5 Financial Post article highlighting promising start-ups from across Canada.
In 2013, Whirlscape's Minuum keyboard app debuted at number 2 on Google's Top New Paid Apps List after raising over $87,000 on an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. They've also been accepted into Y Combinator, a prestigious U.S. accelerator program.
Here's an excerpt from the article:
Minuum's potential goes far beyond improved touchscreen typing. The company's so-called "one-dimensional" keyboard ...
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MaRS Innovation’s 2013 Top 10 List
2013 was an exceptional year for MaRS Innovation. Here are the top 10 news stories from our commercialization portfolio.
1. MaRS Innovation secures a $15 million CECR funding extension
In January, MaRS Innovation was one of four Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research to be successfully extended by the Networks of Centres of Excellence of Canada.
This achievement reflects and recognizes the quality of the startups and licensable technologies within the MaRS Innovation portfolio, as well as the rigour of its business model and the achievements of its ...
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