Exciting Startup Events Happening This Month!
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 Elevate Festival recently announced its schedule, happening this year between October 7th and 9th, and featuring 85 sessions as part of its eight specialized content tracks. Its opening night promises to be memorable, hosted by Amber Mac with special appearances by OpenAI's Chris Lehane, and Canadian actor Simu Liu, who will speak about his experience with purpose-driven investing, and which industries he believes will shape the future.


If your startup or nonprofit is addressing a social challenge at its core, be sure to look into TMU's Social Ventures Zone Incubator Program, where great ideas are capable of making real-world social change. It's an eight-week program where participants will deepen their understanding of their problem and improve the elements of their venture. Applications are due by Sunday the 21st. Read on for more details.


Have a great week!



Ian Stevens ◦ ianstevens.ca@istevens

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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.


Sept 21 - TMU Social Ventures Zone Incubator Program


If you're leading a social venture starting to make a difference and looking to grow, or have researched and developed your idea into a social venture and are ready for that next step, consider applying to TMU's Social Ventures Zone Incubator (SVZ) Program. At its core, SVZ is driven by the social issues our diverse roster of ventures are working to solve every day. We're not about "hustle culture" or "grindsets". We're about great ideas capable of making real-world social change. If you have a startup focused on making the world a better place, SVZ is the place to take it to the next level. At the SVZ, we're incubating good, and we'd love to have you.


Apply now - Parkdale Centre for Innovation Fall 2025 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

Tuesday

18:00-20:00 ◦ YSpace Founder Fundamentals Workshop Series: Business Model Innovation — Beyond the BMC


Interested in building your entrepreneurial skills to launch your startup? Founder Fundamentals is a twelve-week workshop series brought to you by YSpace and powered by the Markham Small Business Centre (MSBC) designed to help you kickstart your entrepreneurial career. Whether you are a professional services company, brick and mortar or technology startup, the program aims to equip you with the essential skills and knowledge needed to succeed. Spanning across topics such as business plan writing, bootstrapping, and setting up a Shopify store, this program provides a wide range of learning. The program also connects you with local resources for potential next steps as you progress in your entrepreneurial ventures.

Wednesday

09:30-11:30 ◦ T2 - Corporation Tax Literacy Seminar


Presented by the Canada Revenue Agency’s Liaison Officer Service Program, this presentation is geared towards small incorporated businesses and will provide participants with the basic principles and resources needed to navigate the tax system. During the seminar, the liaison officers will explain common tax errors, demonstrate how to use financial benchmarks for relevant industries, provide information on various tools and services offered by the CRA, and explain general bookkeeping concepts and best practices.


12:30-13:30 ◦ Futurpreneur General Info Session


Do you have a business idea and need some help getting started?

Futurpreneur recognizes that every entrepreneur’s journey takes a different path, and that’s why we want to help you find yours! This general info session will help you navigate the financing landscape for your new business as we take a deep dive through Futurpreneur financing options and offerings. In this session we will explore money and mentoring options with us. Don't miss out on this opportunity to expand your knowledge, and gain valuable insights.


11:00-16:00 ◦ U of T Acceleratorfest 2025


Just in time for back-to-school season, join the U of T Entrepreneurship (UTE) Community for the second (annual) U of T Acceleratorfest and discover the extensive resources, spaces and programs available to all U of T entrepreneurs across the tri-campus. Meet representatives from 12+ campus accelerators and their startups and hear from founders who are building businesses that are making a major impact, including Rahul Goel, CEO and Founder of Nordspace, who will share his journey from student entrepreneur in U of T's The Hatchery accelerator to building one of the most ambitious companies in the country, focused on Canada’s future in space.


16:00-18:00 ◦ Women Founders Night


Join us for an empowering evening celebrating the innovation, resilience, and leadership of women entrepreneurs! This event brings together trailblazing women from diverse industries to share their stories, strategies, and insights. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur, an aspiring founder, or simply passionate about supporting women in business, this event is the perfect opportunity to be inspired, network, and learn. Don’t miss out on this chance to celebrate and connect with some of the brightest minds in the entrepreneurial world. We look forward to seeing you there!​


19:00-22:00 ◦ Startup Pitch and Networking Toronto


Meet and get acquainted with startup founders, business professionals and investors. Pitch to the audience with your project and seize your chance to dive into the world of business, technology, and venture capital. Engage with leading experts and founders in tech and dusiness, and top investors to gain deep insights and valuable networking. This event is a must-attend for those looking to gain ideas, experience, and valuable connections. We also invite investors to our event to expand their network, get acquainted with new startups, evaluate them, provide their feedback, participate in discussions, and gain access to a database of new and promising startups from around the world.

Saturday

09:30-11:00 ◦ Founders Running Club: Easy 5–10K Run and Talks


Founders Running Club brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking. We like to be comfortable when we run and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer. Pets, friends, family, are welcome.

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