UTEST Program
ForecastedInternal — University of Toronto only
The UTEST Program supports University of Toronto-affiliated teams with training, mentorship and company-building support to turn university research and technology into startups.
Funder: University of Toronto
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $10,000 per team in milestone funding for the 2026/27 cohort; competitive SAFE investment up to $150,000 CAD; possible TIAP follow-on investment up to $500,000 CAD
Summary: UTEST helps University of Toronto-affiliated teams turn research and technology into startup companies.
Key Information: Ventures must commercialize institutional intellectual property; the host institution’s technology transfer office must receive an invention disclosure.
Description
UTEST is a University of Toronto incubator for early-stage teams building companies around university-generated research, technology and innovations. It is sector agnostic and accepts ventures ranging from ideas on paper to functional prototypes or mature research. Its investment criteria emphasize disruptive, protectable intellectual property created at the University of Toronto.
The program combines entrepreneurship courses delivered by MaRS with mentorship, intellectual property education, professional services and investor connections. Teams work on customer discovery, business models, sales, finance, marketing and pitching. Select companies may collaborate with Rotman MBA students, and participating startups can present to investors and industry representatives. UTEST continues to offer access to support after the program.
