2026 Desjardins Startup Prize

Deadline: Nov 24, 2025

partially funded

Canada

To Apply

Please visit the application link below to apply.

Opportunity Overview

The University of Toronto 2026 Desjardins Startup Prize is now accepting applications. This annual business pitch competition offers over $100,000 in prizes to recognize, reward, and accelerate the most innovative startups.

📖 About the Desjardins Startup Prize

The Desjardins Startup Prize is U of T’s annual business pitch competition. Ten finalists will be selected to pitch their business ideas during the 2026 Desjardins Startup Prize Pitch Competition, held the week of March 2-6, 2026, as part of U of T Entrepreneurship Week. Finalists will showcase their startup via a five-minute pitch to a panel of investor judges.

Opportunity Details:

Date Published: October 20, 2025
Application Deadline: November 24, 2025
Category: Contest, Entrepreneurs
Opportunity Location: Canada

🎁 Benefits of the Desjardins Startup Prize

Early-Stage Startups:

1st Place: $15,000 – NanoMorphix
2nd Place: $10,000 – Medium AI
3rd Place: $5,000 – Vrit
People’s Choice: $4,000 – Elev8 & Perform

Late-Stage Startups:

1st Place: $40,000 – Flow Robotics
2nd Place: $20,000 – Dinamik Therapies
3rd Place: $10,000 – Re:Pair Genomics
People’s Choice: $4,000 – Flow Robotics

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the Desjardins Startup Prize, applicants must meet the following requirements:

At least one founder must be a current full-time U of T student, post-doc, or recent alum (graduated after June 2023).
Affiliation with a U of T accelerator is encouraged.
Open to all faculties and sectors.
Must complete U of T’s IP Education Level 1 course (or Level 2 with waiver).

📅 Application Date and Process

Key Dates:

Applications Open: October 14, 2025
Applications Close: November 24, 2025
Pitch Competition Date: March 5, 2026

How to Apply:

Interested candidates can apply through the official application portal.

📌 Application Deadline

November 24, 2025

🌐 Learn More

For more details about the Desjardins Startup Prize, visit the official website.

Apply directly via the application portal.

This is an excellent opportunity for innovative startups affiliated with the University of Toronto to gain recognition and funding to accelerate their ventures.

Benefits

1st: $15K – NanoMorphix
2nd: $10K – Medium AI
3rd: $5K – Vrit
People’s Choice: $4K – Elev8 & Perform
1st: $40K – Flow Robotics
2nd: $20K – Dinamik Therapies
3rd: $10K – Re:Pair Genomics
People’s Choice: $4K – Flow Robotics

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