Copy of Toronto Startup events and opportunities inside!
Curated opportunities, talks, workshops, and events for those interested in creating a startup, growing one, or who want to connect with GTA startups.

Techstars Startup Digest Toronto

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! The city recently gained a new hub for technical innovation. Last week, Access to Success (ATS), a local nonprofit helping accessibility-focussed startups, opened its first physical hub in Toronto.


The hub will be a dedicated co-working and collaboration space where startups developing life-changing innovations for people with disabilities can build among their peers, and connect with potential partners, investors, and government stakeholders.


When seeking funding, one difference between VC and angel investing is that, more often than not, the first involves an institution while the second involves an individual. Egos and opinions may loom larger when a single, and possibly theretofore unknown, angel investor is involved. Getting to know more about your potential angel before a deal is critical.


In that vein, the National Post is running a series of profiles on "hidden" angel investors. Last week they featured their first angel, Toronto's Navin Chandaria, a former entrepreneur in consumer products, now vetting Canadian tech startups for investment. As the article reads, "some days, the family mansion resembles the set of CBC's Dragons' Den."


Have a great week!



Ian Stevens ◦ ianstevens.ca@istevens

Community Opportunities

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.



May 12 - National Virtual Pitch Competition | Startup Global 2026


​​As part of the Startup Global 2026 program, Startup Canada will facilitate a national pitch competition for early stage entrepreneurs looking to win cash to help with their exporting aspirations. This virtual pitch competition is to accommodate entrepreneurs across Canada that aren’t able to pitch in-person at a National Pitch Competition at a Startup Canada Tour stop. Pitches will be assessed with the following guidelines: Target market, objective, solution, leadership, traction (if any), competition and ability to go global.


Apply now - MaRS Adaptech Accelerator


As climate shocks intensify, Canada must harness new tools and processes to better prepare for and respond to a changing world. With a comprehensive suite of services, MaRS’s Adaptech Accelerator is designed to help ventures speed up the development of climate change adaptation and resilience solutions. This accelerator aims to help build climate resilience in three key ways: attract and support eight to ten ventures helping Canadians prepare, prevent, recover or respond to the impacts of climate change; increase capital flows going toward adaptation and resilience solutions; and advance the adoption of Adaptech solutions across Canada. The Adaptech Accelerator will provide up to ten Canadian startups with tailored programming, market research, PR, advisory support, network building, as well as connections to capital, world-class labs, and industry partners and governments seeking resilience solutions. Through this program, we aim to bring adaptation technologies to the forefront of Canada’s climate economy, scale up solutions and accelerate the adoption of adaptech across the nation.


Apply now - Parkdale Centre for Innovation 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 Incubator Program


DMZ formally onboards Incubator startups twice a year (fall and spring), with applications open year-round. Be one of the ten to fourteen companies — never one of hundreds — to scale alongside driven, battle-tested founders who know what it takes. Unlike traditional accelerators, DMZ’s Incubator is designed to meet you where you are, so you can scale faster on your terms. You'll get a custom growth plan, unlimited meetings with our experts for strategic guidance, fractional support and mentoring, as well as fundraising and investor access, global exposure and media opportunities, exclusive perks and partner benefits (including $1M+ in tech credits, discounts, and resources), and a top-tier workspace with a vibrant founder community.


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 - 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.


Events this week

Monday

18:00-20:30 ◦ Best Of TechTO


​Best Of TechTO is where we celebrate and amplify the incredible achievements of Toronto’s technology community. ​Since launching, 700+ founders — builders who have shaped Canada's tech ecosystem — have taken our stage, with 400+ community members joining each event. ​This year, Best Of returns to Toronto City Hall, bringing together everything you love about TechTO: meaningful connections, great food and drinks, live demos, inspiring showcases, and stories that move the community forward.

Tuesday

10:00-12:00 ◦ Expert x Founder Strategy Sessions


​The Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus Ecosystem team and Rootquotient are bringing together startup founders for a curated morning of conversations with experienced leaders who’ve built, scaled, fixed, and navigated the exact challenges you’re facing. ​We’re moving past slides, panels, and surface-level networking to match founders with the focused conversations with the experts who have the answers you’re looking for. Tell us what problem(s) you're solving, and we'll match you with experts aligned to your challenges.


18:00-21:00 ◦ YSpace Venture Catalyst Showcase Winter 2026


Join us for an evening celebrating the next generation of founders as our Venture Catalyst Winter 2026 cohort takes the stage to present their startups through short fire pitches. ​The Venture Catalyst program supports early-stage technology startups as they validate their business models, refine their product, and build a strong foundation for early go-to-market and customer acquisition. ​This year’s showcase features the Venture Mobility Catalyst cohort, delivered in collaboration with SmartTO, and highlights startups shaping the future of transportation and urban mobility.

Wednesday

18:00-19:30 ◦ Indigenous Founders Circle: Dream It


An impending economic slowdown may appear daunting for young, aspiring entrepreneurs. With the right approach one can create space for innovative ideas and find opportunities to fill gaps in the market with niche products and services. Are you an aspiring Indigenous entrepreneur looking to transform your idea into a thriving business or grow your newly launched small business? Register today for the free, virtual, three-part Indigenous Founders workshop series, presented by Futurpreneur. The series provides you with the tools to develop your idea, formalize your business plan and create a viable cashflow, all while connecting you with aspiring and fellow Indigenous entrepreneurs across Canada.


18:00-21:00 ◦ Investor Connect: Pitch and Networking


Connect with AI and startup founders, investors, and builders in Toronto. Pitch your startup, meet investors, and build real connections. Get inspiration from live tech startup pitches by founders of early-stage startups and other ambitious founders in a curated environment. You'll also have access to select pitch decks and warm intros with founders, creatives, and investors ready to build and execute.

Thursday

10:00-11:00 ◦ The Top 5 Common Mistakes Startups Make


CPA Canada provides some of the common pitfalls to watch out for while getting your startup off the ground. In this introductory financial literacy session, you will learn about common mistakes startups make while understanding the value of a well thought-out business plan and how to monitor cash flow. You will learn the value of a developing a business plan, and how to choose the right business structure, gain a better understanding of cash flow, and make informed tax-related decisions.


13:00-15:00 ◦ ventureLAB Info Session


Welcome to the ventureLAB community! At this info session, we’ll cover who ventureLAB is, our partners and ecosystem, and programs and opportunities to support entrepreneurs at each stage of business. You'll also have an opportunity to meet with one of our dedicated advisors one-on-one for fifteen minutes to assess your eligibility for our programs and your best next steps! Be prepared to do a sixty-second introduction on your company to give us an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with your business and see how we can better leverage our resources to help you.


14:00-16:00 ◦ U of T Centre for Entrepreneurship St