Program
Private
Between Intakes
University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST)
University of Toronto (with Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners and the Connaught Fund)
Maximum Funding
Up to $150,000
Annual cycle: applications open in April and close in early June; 2026 applic...
Difficulty
Hard
Payment
Equity
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
—
Co-Funding
Varies
University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) provides Up to $150,000 per selected company via SAFE; potential follow-on investment up to $500,000 through TIAP; for the 2026/27 cohort up to $10,000 per team in milestone-based funding (up to 30 companies). UTEST is an accelerator for startups with University of Toronto-affiliated founders, offering up to $150,000 through a SAFE, potential follow-on investment up to $500,000 through TIAP, and up to $10,000 per team in milestone-based funding for the 2026/27 cohort. Annual cycle: applications open in April and close in early June; 2026 applications are closed until 2027.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
UTEST is an accelerator for startups with University of Toronto-affiliated founders, offering up to $150,000 through a SAFE, potential follow-on investment up to $500,000 through TIAP, and up to $10,000 per team in milestone-based funding for the 2026/27 cohort.
Eligibility Requirements
- Company has one or more founders affiliated with the University of Toronto as current students, current faculty members, or graduates within the past two years
- Company must be research-based, created around University of Toronto research or technology
- Research must be disclosed to the University of Toronto Innovations and Partnerships Office
- UofT-affiliated hospital applicants must have submitted an invention disclosure form to their host institution's technology transfer office and made them aware of the UTEST application
- Company must be willing to take investment in the form of a SAFE and to participate in the UTEST accelerator at the St. George campus
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Hard
Competition
High
First-Timer
Not rated
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $150,000 per selected company via SAFE; potential follow-on investment up to $500,000 through TIAP; for the 2026/27 cohort up to $10,000 per team in milestone-based funding (up to 30 companies)
- Type
- Program
- Level
- Private
- Deadline
- Annual cycle: applications open in April and close in early June; 2026 applications are closed until 2027
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
High
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipHospital-affiliated founders must complete an invention disclosure before applying; recent graduates remain eligible for up to two years after graduation.
Rejection Pitfalls 5
- No founder holds a qualifying University of Toronto affiliation, or the graduate is more than two years out
+4 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 5 pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win UTEST
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 5 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 3-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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5 steps
3 docs
Application Steps
1
Confirm the founder affiliation At least one founder must be a current U of T student, a current faculty member, or a graduate within the past two years. UofT-affiliated hospital teams are also accepted.
Required Documents 3
✓ Online UTEST application submitted during the annual window
✓ Disclosure of the underlying research to the University of Toronto Innovations and Partnerships Office
Eligible Expenses 1
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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Stacking partner data not yet available.
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Not-applicable Risk
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How UTEST Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| University of Toronto Early-Stage Tec... | Up to $150,000 | Hard | Equity | Annual cycle:... |
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| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about UTEST
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How much does UTEST invest?
Up to $150,000 in the form of a SAFE, with a potential follow-on investment of up to $500,000 through TIAP in select companies.
Is this a grant?
No. The main investment is made through a SAFE, a simple agreement for future equity, so it is dilutive investment rather than a grant.
Who is eligible to apply?
Companies with one or more founders affiliated with the University of Toronto as current students, current faculty members, or graduates within the past two years. UofT-affiliated hospitals have also been accepted since 2020.
Are applications open right now?
No. Applications for the UTEST program are closed until 2027. In a normal cycle applications open in April and close in early June.
What does a hospital-affiliated founder have to do first?
Submit an invention disclosure form to the host institution's technology transfer office and make sure that office is aware of the UTEST application.
Is there any non-dilutive money in the program?
Yes, for one cohort. With funding from Intellectual Property Ontario, up to 30 UTEST companies in the 2026/27 cohort receive up to $10,000 per team in milestone-based funding for company-building activities.
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Full Playbook: UTEST
5 steps · 3 docs · reviewer insights