Locally curated opportunities, talks, workshops, and other events for those interested in creating a startup, growing one, or who want to connect with startups in the Greater Toronto Area.

Hello Toronto startups and entrepreneurs! It's Toronto Tech Week! I've included any startup-related events in the listings below and tagged them with #TechWeek. Don't miss out!

This is also the last week to apply to Access to Success Labs' Accelerator. If you're working on a product to help people with disabilities, including hardware, software or service-based innovations, you have until Sunday to submit your application and take advantage of the program.

Have a great week!

Ian Stevens ◦ ianstevens.ca ◦ @istevens

Here are some upcoming deadlines for applying to accelerators, grants and funding, or other competitions and programs. Don’t miss out! If you know of others, please submit any application deadlines and I’ll post them if they’re relevant.

June 30 - Access to Success Labs Accelerator

Running from August to November, this program is for startups building solutions to help people with disabilities, including hardware, software or service-based innovations. To be eligible, you must have a minimal viable product, must have validated the problem, and must demonstrate co-creation with the disability community. In addition to programming, participants will receive cash grants totalling over $50K, pro-bono support from scientists, lawyers and experts totalling over $100K, as well as access to a global network of disability organizations, healthcare ecosystems, corporate partners, and advisors.

July 10 - Humber River Centre Business Incubator Program

Powered by DMZ, this program offers a twelve-week, hands-on curriculum tailored to the specific needs of participating entrepreneurs. The hybrid delivery model blends in-person programming at the state-of-the-art Humber River Centre in downtown Bolton with virtual components. Founders selected for the program will gain access to workshops, training sessions and one-on-one mentorship from industry experts in areas like business strategy, sales support, business development, marketing and more, as well as opportunities to connect and network at industry events with investors, business leaders and government stakeholders, access to 40+ specialized experts-in-residence from DMZ’s network, and a free coworking membership at the Humber River Centre.

July 25 - Creative Destruction Lab Toronto

Creative Destruction Lab's (CDL) Toronto programs provide startups with access to business development support from top business students at the Rotman School of Management, funding from leading VC firms, and resources to scale. In addition to its Quantum and Web3 programs, CDL Toronto includes programming geared towards founders pursuing applications surrounding AI and machine learning, advanced therapies solving biological, medical, and healthcare problems, space travel and research, and brain science. Participating startups attend five objective-setting sessions between October and June. CDL is a non-profit organization. There are no fees for participation and CDL does not take any equity.

Apply now - YSpace Tech Incubator

This YSpace incubator membership aims to support early-stage entrepreneurs developing innovative technology-based startups with a unique network and support system of mentors, subject-matter expertise, and workshops designed to elevate their entrepreneurial journey. Participants will develop and strengthen their knowledge through virtual webinars and educational workshops, and engage with program advisors, entrepreneurs-in-residence, and industry experts to build strategic direction and drive tactical execution of their company goals. Come join a network of like-minded individuals and discuss business challenges in peer-to-peer circles. This program has an open intake throughout the year

Apply now - YSpace Women in Tech JumpSTART Incubator

The Women in Tech JumpSTART Incubator program is a bespoke and flexible membership program supporting Ontario-based women-led tech ventures to scale and grow. This program is offered in partnership with YSpace, Schulich School of Business and Treefrog Accelerator and was created with generous funding through the York Region Innovation Fund. With a network of industry experts, entrepreneurs, and advisors, the membership is designed to help founders to navigate the growth journey beyond the launch. Participants will develop and strengthen their knowledge through virtual webinars and educational workshops, and engage with program advisors and industry experts to build the strategic direction and drive the tactical execution of their company goals. Come join a network of like-minded women tech founders and discuss business challenges in peer-to-peer sessions. Applications are open year round, with selected ventures incubated for six months.

Apply now - Parkdale Centre for Innovation Fall 2024 Programs

Parkdale Centre is an incubator and accelerator that supports entrepreneurs, with a focus on equity, accessibility, and inclusion for underrepresented people, namely women, Black, Indigenous, people of colour, and newcomers to Canada. The Centre is accepting applications for both its Women Founders stream, and Early Stage Startup stream. Both programs are intended for those looking to set and meet revenue and growth goals for their business over the next three to nine months, and willing to execute on the program’s short-term milestones, stay on track with consistent webinars and mentorship. The Women Founders stream focuses on providing accessible and inclusive leadership, business training and entrepreneurship skills to self-identifying woman and/or non-binary founders, while the Early Stage stream supports entrepreneurs with a focus on preparing for user growth, team growth, revenue growth, and fundraising.

Apply now - DMZ Pre-Incubator Program

The DMZ’s Pre-Incubator program helps turn your vision into reality, validate your business idea, establish a minimum viable product, and secure customers for your venture. Participants receive over twelve hours of curated on-demand content, hands-on support, including regular 1:1s with in-house experts, relevant workshops, and progress check-ins, and are eligible for over $470K in perks from 80+ partners, exclusive invites, and the opportunity to proceed to DMZ Incubator's program, with up to $10K in grant funding, and over 18 months of additional support, office space, and more. Applications and program intake occurs on a rolling basis, with new startups joining the program at the beginning of each month.

Apply now - Brampton BHive Startup Incubator

BHive is an initiative powered by the City of Brampton with a goal to empower the next generation of innovators, accelerate their journey, and create a positive impact for the entrepreneur, economy, and community as a whole. The program has been strategically designed to ensure startups have everything they need to scale and grow. Successful applicants will have access to an unrivaled ecosystem and expertise to support exceptional founders in building successful companies. Our integrated approach involves thoughtfully designed programs, one-to-one mentorships, and access to our entire portfolio of service.

Apply now - Futurpreneur Canada Black Entrepreneur Startup Program

This program, delivered by Futurpreneur, will provide young, Black entrepreneurs age 18-39 across Canada with a comprehensive offering of $5,000–$60,000 in startup loan financing, as well as up to two years of mentorship, opportunities to engage with a national network of Black entrepreneurs, leaders and community organizations at a range of entrepreneurship events, and a variety of relevant tools and resources. Participants who are keen to scale their businesses even further will also be eligible for up to $40,000 in follow-on financing funded by RBC, based on the first two years of successful business performance.

Join - Science Discovery Zone at TMU

At the Science Discovery Zone (SDZ) we help people take evidence-based approaches to test big ideas and discover new ventures. We aim to serve as a model for strong collaboration across all disciplines (not just the science ones) that fuels innovation and entrepreneurial discovery. What makes the SDZ stand out amongst other incubators are the unique services and opportunities we create for our community, which are geared towards fostering your goals and success!

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I write this newsletter each week to encourage those with an idea for a tech product or service to take it to the next level, with the help of the many startup resources Toronto has to offer. If you know someone who could use a nudge towards that first step on their startup journey, get them to subscribe. They might thank you for it.

09:00-11:00 ◦ Off The Record Stage @ TechTO HQ

​​Introducing TechTO's Off The Record Series, where the most compelling founder stories are told for the very first time. ​​This gathering is not your typical speaker series. We’re curating an exceptional group of tech founders only — peers who truly understand the grind — who are stepping out from behind the headlines to give you raw, unfiltered access to the real story: the highs, the heartbreaks, and everything in between. ​​This is your chance to be in the room with a highly curated audience of high-promise tech founders, learning from those who’ve scaled the mountain and are ready to share what it really took to get there. This session features ​Ryan Osten, co-founder and CEO of Lyteflo, and ​Wayne Pommen, Chief Revenue Officer at Affirm. #TechWeek

09:30-11:30 ◦ Due Diligence in IP Licensing Workshop

In their early years, startups often engage in critical business transactions involving intellectual property (IP) licensing. These deals may include acquiring licenses from their university as licensees, or acting as licensors by licensing their own patents to other firms. This workshop will provide guidance on how to prepare for these types of transactions. It will discuss the what, when, where, who and how to perform due diligence depending on the deal and its importance to your organization.

18:00-20:00 ◦ Founder Spotlight: Toronto Pitch Night

Join us to see six startup founders pitch bold ideas to a room full of investors, operators, and builders. You can expect five-minute lightning pitches with live investor Q&A, high-signal startups solving real-world problems, strategic feedback from VCs and operators, networking, and unfiltered conversations. Come be the first to spot the next big thing in the startup world. #TechWeek

09:00-11:00 ◦ Off The Record Stage @ TechTO HQ

​​Introducing TechTO's Off The Record Series, where the most compelling founder stories are told for the very first time. ​​This gathering is not your typical speaker series. We’re curating an exceptional group of tech founders only — peers who truly understand the grind — who are stepping out from behind the headlines to give you raw, unfiltered access to the real story: the highs, the heartbreaks, and everything in between. ​​This is your chance to be in the room with a highly curated audience of high-promise tech founders, learning from those who’ve scaled the mountain and are ready to share what it really took to get there. This session features ​Michael Kravshik, co-founder and CEO of LumiQ, and Mark Jaine, investor, adviser and former CEO of Intelex. #TechWeek

13:00-17:00 ◦ Boast Funding Stage @ TechTO HQ

Are you the CEO, COO or CFO of a technology company? Are you curious about different ways to fund your business? This half-day event will walk you through every step of a company's funding journey from bootstrapping to IPO. Programming will include sessions on an introduction on the stages of tech financing, bootstrapping, raising venture capital in the US, non-dilutive financing options, funding international expansion, private equity, and the road to IPO. #TechWeek

18:00-21:00 ◦ 111 Pitch Showcase: Toronto Tech Week Edition

Toronto Tech Week is stacked with events — but this one’s different. We’re turning up the volume for a special edition of the 111 Pitch Showcase, built to match the energy of the city’s biggest week in tech. Expect bold ideas, real founder grit, and a one-of-a-kind panel you won’t find anywhere else, featuring four rising startups pitching for five minutes each. They're coming for capital, talent, and customers — and they’re not holding back. We’re also bringing two powerhouse VCs to the stage for a real-talk convo about what’s happening in the market right now. ​This is your front-row seat to Toronto’s next big breakout companies. Whether you’re an investor, founder, or just startup-curious — this night is built to spark conversations, ideas, and new opportunities. #TechWeek