Desjardins Startup Prize 2026 at University of Toronto

The Desjardins Startup Prize is the University of Toronto’s annual business pitch competition that offers over $100,000 in prizes to recognize and accelerate innovative startups. Ten finalists will be selected to pitch their startup during the 2026 Desjardins Startup Prize Pitch Competition in the week of March 2-6, 2026, as part of U of T Entrepreneurship Week, presenting a five-minute pitch to a panel of investor judges.

Cash prizes for multiple categories and placements; opportunity to present to investor judges and gain exposure

Eligibility is limited to the University of Toronto Entrepreneurship (UTE) community, with at least one founder being a current full-time U of T student, post-doc, or a recent alum (graduated no earlier than June 2023). Affiliation with a U of T Accelerator is strongly encouraged; open to all faculties and sectors.

Submit an application through the provided portal links; visit the official Desjardins Startup Prize pages for details and submission