ICUBE

Domes near Highland Creek Valley offer a space to link Indigenous knowledge, community and entrepreneurship

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 20:05:35 +0000

Domes near Highland Creek Valley offer a space to link Indigenous knowledge, community and entrepreneurship

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 04/25/2024 - 16:05

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(From left) Lindy Kinoshameg, Jillian Sutherland and Leslie McCue from the dance group Odawa Wiingushk performed at an opening ceremony for the Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Garden Project (all photos by Junyoung Moon)

Alexa Battler

Topic

Our Community

ICUBE

Entrepreneurship

Indigenous

U of T Scarborough

Subheadline

The domes, located at U of T Scarborough, are being constructed as part of the Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Garden Project

Four 24-foot domes resembling giant golf balls have been erected beside the tennis courts in the Highland Creek Valley at the University of Toronto Scarborough – high-tech greenhouses equipped with solar panels, irrigation systems and geothermal tubes that run deep underground.

The domes were constructed as part of the Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Garden Project, an initiative that aims to offer a hands-on complement to the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Workshops, which begin this September and are designed to help students and community members connect Indigenous knowledge, community and entrepreneurship.

The workshops were co-created – and will be taught – by Jonathon Araujo Redbird, a business leader from Saugeen First Nation who runs Redbird Circle Inc., a company specializing in entrepreneurship training based on Indigenous knowledges and values. They’re being offered in partnership with U of T Scarborough’s The BRIDGE and U of T Mississauga’s ICUBE accelerators.

“We want Indigenous youth to come here and make it their second home and learn about the land, how to grow produce from the land and how we can learn entrepreneurship through that process,” says Redbird, who co-founded Redbird Circle with Christina Tachtampa.

The four domes are connected both physically – through an accessible pathway – and thematically

Redbird Circle first partnered with ICUBE in 2021 to offer the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program. The company then collaborated with the Indigenous Network non-profit to bring the idea of a garden project to life, with the help of a grant from the Canada Community Revitalization Fund.

The series comprises a free, virtual 12-week program modelled on the medicine wheel – an Indigenous symbol of balance between physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.

The medicine wheel also inspired the themes for the domes, which are interconnected and will stay at a humid 35 degrees C year-round.

The first dome will be dedicated to growing crops that support wellness, while the second will be used to test ways to rejuvenate soil without using chemicals. The third dome will be used to teach entrepreneurship through crops and to find ways to turn produce into high-yield sources of income for Indigenous people and communities.

Finally, dome four will be devoted to experimenting with agriculture technologies, starting with vertical farming equipment made by U of T startup Just Vertical.

All four domes will be accessible for people using mobility devices and entirely self-sustaining when construction finishes in the coming months.

Jonathon Araujo Redbird (centre) spoke to community members at the opening ceremony in April

Redbird, who grew up in the Gabriel Dumont housing complex in Scarborough, says he has experienced how difficult it can be for Indigenous people to stay connected to the land on urban reserves. He adds Indigenous people face an added obstacle to building intergenerational wealth in the form of the Indian Act, which he says makes it challenging to borrow money and impossible to trade land with people outside their communities.

“If Indigenous people want to build intergenerational wealth, the only way to do that is to leave our traditional lands and come to the cities,” he says. “And when we do come to the cities, the prices are very high to purchase a home.”

But Redbird says entrepreneurial thinking can play a role in empowering Indigenous people, with agriculture providing one important avenue.

While the workshop series is designed for Indigenous learners, it is open to anyone interested in traditional Indigenous knowledge and entrepreneurship, with community members encouraged to share their thoughts on how they envision the domes’ layouts and uses.

The opening ceremony invited local community members to give their feedback on their visions for the domes

“This is a space that’s very much been created and will continue to be improved upon through that consultative approach and listening to community feedback,” says Arjuna Thaskaran, industry partnerships, innovation and work-integrated learning lead at The BRIDGE. “It’s about having the community take ownership of the space and drive how they want to shape it.”

Various academic departments have expressed interest in collaborating on the program. “There are discussions with several programs about Indigenizing some of the current projects and curriculum, and learning about sustainability through Indigenous approaches to urban agriculture,” says Dave Fenton, assistant director of external relations in U of T Scarborough’s department of management.

Through entrepreneurship and mentorship, U of T grad leaves a mark on his community

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 17:17:48 +0000

Through entrepreneurship and mentorship, U of T grad leaves a mark on his community

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 03/04/2024 - 12:17

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Michael Owusu, who graduated from U of T Mississauga's Digital Enterprise Management program, is creating an app that can streamline the process of drafting wills (supplied photo)

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Subheadline

'It's about finding the opportunities and support'

Michael Owusu was years into a career with the Bank of Montreal when a chance conversation with a client prompted him to reconsider his future.

“I thought to myself, ‘If I’m not really enjoying my job or if I’m not really seeing opportunities, if I go back to school for four or five years – in reality, what are four or five years in the grand scheme of my life?’” says Owusu, who earned an associate degree in broadcast journalism from Sheridan College. “That realization put me on the trajectory of enrolling back in school.”

In 2018, Owusu enrolled at the University of Toronto Mississauga as a mature student in the Digital Enterprise Management (DEM) program. It was during the program's fourth-year technological entrepreneurship class that he came up with the idea for Willify – an app that can streamline the process of drafting a will.

Owusu says there are significant barriers to drafting a will, particularly for young people and members of marginalized communities. “There’s a huge unmet need for will-drafting. Given my previous work in banking and government, I’ve seen how not having a will can be so detrimental to people’s lives, no matter their age.”

In January 2023, Willify was accepted into the early-stage program at ICUBE, U of T Mississauga’s social entrepreneurship accelerator and incubator. The following month, the company placed among the top five finalists out of 40 competing startups at the Sauga Start-up Pitch Competition.

Owusu, who graduated from the DEM program in spring 2023, now works at the Canada Revenue Agency as a coaching specialist in learning and development. Meanwhile, he continues to work on Willify, with an ambitious goal in mind – helping one million users in Canada draft a will using the application.

Owusu credits ICUBE with helping him expand his knowledge of design and prototyping, which helped him realize his ideas for Willify. The experience also reinforced his entrepreneurial aspirations. “If you have an idea, if you want to do something, you can make it happen. It's about finding the opportunities and support,” he says.

Owusu is also keen to provide support to others, particularly those who are at the beginning of their academic and career journeys. While at U of T Mississauga, he got involved with the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology (ICCIT) Student Mentorship Program. “I wanted to get involved in ICCIT because I had real-world professional experience, and I wanted to share that with other students in DEM,” says Owusu, adding that witnessing their development first-hand was very rewarding.

For Owusu, the human aspect of connecting with people and aiding their progress is hugely satisfying, and something he enjoys in his job with the CRA. “Whether it’s training someone new to the learning development community and seeing them experience that ‘aha’ moment or coaching someone and having them significantly improve throughout the session – it’s a great thing to see and a great place to be.”

The future of takeout? U of T startup partners with restaurants to offer reusable containers

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 21:29:34 +0000

The future of takeout? U of T startup partners with restaurants to offer reusable containers

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 03/07/2023 - 16:29

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Inwit, a startup supported by U of T Mississauga's ICUBE incubator, has partnered with 16 Toronto restaurants to offer takeout meals in reusable stainless steel containers (photo courtesy of Inwit)

Kristy Strauss

Topic

Our Community

Entrepreneurship Week

Mo Tahvili says juggling a marketing business, a startup and computer science studies at the University of Toronto is all part of building a better tomorrow.

Mo Tahvili

“I’ve always had an interest in doing something that has a good cause and will benefit the future – whether it is sustainability, or diversity and equity,” says Tahvili, who will receive a bachelor of science degree from U of T Mississauga this spring.

Tahvili is a co-founder and chief technology officer of Inwit, a Toronto startup that is dedicated to offering waste-free takeout.

Inwit – a recent finalist in U of T’s Adams Sustainability Innovation Prize competition – currently partners with 16 Toronto restaurants to offer takeout meals in reusable stainless steel containers. Inwit also offers a sustainable catering option, where corporate customers can order in advance for a work meeting or event. Through the Inwit web app, users can also order on-demand waste-free takeout from these restaurants, which will package their takeout in Inwit’s reusable containers.

If customers return their containers within seven days, they receive “impact points.” The points are rewards that can be used as discounts at Inwit’s participating restaurants. For example, someone who has earned 40,000 points can receive $10 off their next order.

“We inspire people to take climate action on the issue of single-use plastics and waste in the takeout industry,” says Erika Reyes, the company’s president and co-founder.

Reyes says she was inspired to start the business in an effort to address climate change and the high levels of single-use plastics usage in the food industry. She recruited business partner Clément Bureau during Inwit’s pilot phase.

To complete their team, Reyes and Bureau sought someone who shared their passion for making the takeout industry waste-free and who could improve the company’s online platform. They ultimately connected with Tahvili in 2021, when Inwit joined the Venture Forward program at ICUBE, U of T Mississauga’s entrepreneurship hub.

“I was a work study [at ICUBE], working mainly as a tech person ... and in some scenarios, helping with coding, marketing or any branding that startups need,” Tahvili says, adding that he was excited to work with a startup that he felt passionate about. “This was a perfect opportunity for me to get myself into this industry, and into the sustainability effort,” Tahvili says. “I feel good about what I’m doing as an entrepreneur.”

“We all have the same mission. In the end, it’s the same cause we’re all fighting for.”

A disposable container, left, vs Inwit's reusable container (photo courtesy of Inwit)

Tahvili will join Reyes and Bureau as they pitch their startup during the Desjardins Startup Prize Pitch Competition on March 9 – part of U of T Entrepreneurship Week. The competition awards $100,000 in prizes to recognize, reward and accelerate the university’s most innovative startups.

“We have heard a lot of positive feedback on our practice rounds before, so I’m excited,” says Tahvili. “I’m also going to see a lot of familiar faces from working at ICUBE, and I’m excited to show them the pitch.”

International Women’s Day: What's happening across U of T's three campuses

mattimar — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 18:38:00 +0000

International Women’s Day: What's happening across U of T's three campuses

mattimar Mon, 03/06/2023 - 13:38

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(photo by Matthew Dochstader/Paradox Images)

Mariam Matti

Topic

City & Culture

Entrepreneurship Week

ICUBE

The Hub

Alumni

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Faculty of Law

Faculty of Music

International Women's Day

International Women’s Day on March 8 is an opportunity to come together to celebrate women’s social, cultural and political accomplishments – and to reflect on the challenges and work that lie ahead.

This year’s theme is Embrace Equity, which aims to spark conversations around the world about why equal opportunities aren’t enough and how true inclusion requires equitable action.

U of T is hosting events across the three campuses featuring inspirational leaders and student groups. Here is a snapshot of what’s happening this week:

Jazz and Justice: Transformative, Equitable Futures in Music

The Faculty of Music is holding a panel discussion on the pathway for equitable futures in music with faculty Dean Ellie Hisama, Beth Coleman, an associate professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology at U of T Mississauga, and Grammy award-winning jazz artist Terri Lyne Carrington. The event is on March 6 at 3 p.m. inside Walter Hall on the St. George campus.

Crowns for Change: Flower Crowns

The International Student Centre (ISC) at U of T Scarborough invites students to make a beautiful flower crown, take photos with new friends and learn more about powerful female leaders who are making a difference around the world. The event takes place on March 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Highland Hall Event Centre.

Learning Technology Systems in Everyday Life: Women’s Experiences Navigating Refugee Resettlement

Negin Dahya, assistant professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology at U of T Mississauga, is participating in the Lecture Me series, which highlights research from different faculty at U of T Mississauga. The virtual event will take place on March 7 from 7 to 8:15 p.m.

International Women’s Day Webinar

The Faculty of Law is hosting a panel discussion moderated by the Women and Law student group on March 8 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. The event features U of T alumnae Cherie Brant, national leader for the Indigenous law group at Borden Ladner Gervais, Rita Maxwell, a judge on the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and Maria Zeldis, senior vice president legal at Onni Group of Companies.

Pitch with a Twist

Part of U of T’s Entrepreneurship Week, U of T Mississauga’s ICUBE incubator is hosting Pitch with a Twist, International Women’s Day edition on March 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at U of T Mississauga in the IMI Rotunda. The event features U of T alumna Lesley Hampton, an Anishinaabe artist and fashion designer, as a keynote speaker and provides an opportunity for women-identifying entrepreneurs to pitch early-stage ventures to a panel of women-identifying judges from a variety of sectors.

She Moves: A Conference with Motion

The Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education is inviting all women-identifying students to participate in MoveU, an evening of physical activity, wellness and discussion. The event takes place on March 8 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Athletic Centre on the St. George campus.

Empower the Leader Within

U of T Scarborough is hosting a panel discussion with inspiring executives about their career journeys, the challenges they’ve navigated and their hope for future leaders. The event takes place on March 8 from 5 to 7:30 pm. at the Instructional Centre.

Event in Solidarity with Iranian Women

In collaboration with the Iranian Scholars for Liberty, the U of T Students for a Free Iran (UTSFI) are holding an event on March 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to show their support for women in Iran. The event will take place at the Galbraith Building in Room 220 on the St. George campus and is open to the community.

International Women’s Day Celebration: Women, Life, Liberty

The Iranian Women Organization of Ontario, U of T’s The Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Institute of Iranian Studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the Royal Ontario Museum are holding an event to reflect on women’s empowerment and leadership in Iran and the Middle East. The event takes place on March 8 from 6:15 to 9 p.m. at the Eaton Theatre at the ROM.

Inspire: Breaking Down Barriers to Success

Part of U of T’s Entrepreneurship Week, there will be a discussion with U of T Scarborough alumna Fennella Bruce, veteran television producer and host and media consultant, and Elina Chow, CEO of JotTech. The event takes place on March 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Hub in Highland Hall.

International Women’s Day: Reproductive Rights and Faith

The Multi-Faith Centre on the St. George campus is hosting an event to explore how gender rights, justice and spirituality are connected on March 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Main Activity Hall. The event features a panel discussion, a dinner and an opportunity to network.

Category: Woman, Film Screening and Panel Discussion

U of T's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education and the Cinema Studies Institute in the Faculty of Arts & Science are hosting a screening of Category: Woman on March 8 at 7 p.m. at Innis Town Hall Theatre. There will be a panel discussion and a Q&A featuring filmmaker Phyllis Ellis following the screening.

Terri Lyne Carrington in Concert with U of T Jazz Orchestra

The Faculty of Music is hosting a concert with drummer, composer and producer Terri Lyne Carrington on March 8 at 7:30 at Walter Hall. Carrington, the founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice in Boston, will perform with the U of T jazz orchestra. U of T students are admitted free with a valid TCard, space permitting.

U of T among top five university business incubators in the world: UBI Global

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:20:53 +0000

U of T among top five university business incubators in the world: UBI Global

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 02/06/2023 - 11:20

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The BRIDGE at U of T Scarborough is one of several entrepreneurship and innovation hubs on U of T's three campuses (photo by Matthew Dochstader)

Topic

Creative Destruction Lab

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship Hatchery

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Global

Health Innovation Hub

The University of Toronto has been recognized as one of the top five university business incubators in the world by UBI Global in its latest world benchmark study.

In its 2021-2022 study, UBI Global – a Swedish-based innovation intelligence company with more than 1,000 member organizations – assessed 1895 organizations from 90 countries.

The top organizations were benchmarked across 21 key performance indicators against their global peers based on the value they provide to their innovation ecosystems and client startups.

“The UBI ranking is a reinforcement of all the great work that so many U of T students, faculty and alumni entrepreneurs have been doing,” says Jon French, director of University of Toronto Entrepreneurship, the umbrella organization for the incubators, accelerators and entrepreneurship programs across U of T’s three campuses. “It’s a recognition of how we fare against the best in the world.”

The ranking is particularly notable, French adds, since UBI is one of the only organizations examining both economic and social impact in its global assessment of the post-secondary entrepreneurship space.

“The approach that UBI takes is quite holistic – they measure hard metrics, including funding raised and jobs created, but they also take a look at criteria such as where the mentor network is coming from and how engaged the university’s alumni are,” French says, noting that U of T scored high on all such indicators in the UBI report and takes pride in supporting innovators at all stages of their journey – everyone from idea-stage student entrepreneurs to faculty members and PhD researchers seeking to commercialize their work.

Over the past decade, U of T entrepreneurs have created more than 600 venture-backed companies and secured more than $2.5 billion in investment. U of T Entrepreneurship, for its part, supports current and aspiring entrepreneurs by providing: co-working, meeting and event spaces; mentorship and advisory supports; pitch competitions and prizes; and access to investor networks to secure funding.

U of T’s network of campus acccelerators and incubators in the Greater Toronto Area are currently supporting more than 500 teams working on potential startups.

“It is important that our entrepreneurs have a sense of community – they are surrounded by like-minded people who are excited about innovation and turning ideas and opportunities into companies,” French says. “Across the 10-plus campus accelerators on our three campuses, we currently have over 500 teams that are working on projects that could become companies.”

UBI’s world benchmark study is a third-party assessment, based on a comprehensive survey, that analyzes the impact and performance of business incubators and accelerators from four sectors: university, public, private and corporate. Its framework for analysis was developed in collaboration with an advisory board comprising innovation thought leaders and industry experts.

Other Canadian universities also ranked highly in their categories in the UBI report, including incubators from McGill University, York University, Memorial University and École de technologie supérieure.

Many of the U of T-backed success stories flagged for the UBI survey stemmed from the university’s strength in leading-edge research fields such as quantum computing, biotech, clean tech, advanced manufacturing and machine learning. In particular, French points to the recent announcement of $40 million in federal funding for U of T startup Xanadu Quantum Technologies – an alumnus of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) at the Rotman School of Management that was founded by former U of T post-doctoral physics researcher Christian Weedbrook – and the more than 150 ventures supported annually by the Health Innovation Hub (H2i).

French noted that U of T’s commitment to entrepreneurship is longstanding, with several incubators and accelerators recently celebrating their 10-year anniversaries. They include CDL, The Hatchery at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and the UTEST accelerator.

“And now when we look at the new Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus close to opening on the St. George campus, that’s again an example of U of T doubling down on how important innovation and entrepreneurship are to the university,” he says.

U of T’s world-leading innovation network – which includes U of T Scarborough’s The Hub and The BRIDGE, as well as U of T Mississauga’s ICUBE – will be showcased during Entrepreneurship Week from March 6 to 9, featuring more than 15 free in-person, hybrid and virtual public events to teach, inspire and celebrate entrepreneurship on campus.

One flagship event returning in-person for the first time in three years is the True Blue Expo on March 9, where more than 40 U of T startups, accelerators and community partners will be sharing information on their products and services.

“We’ll be highlighting groundbreaking companies during Entrepreneurship Week, including those led by women founders and startups connected to our Black Founders Network,” French says. “All three campuses are represented – it’s really a snapshot of what makes U of T entrepreneurship so special.”

Startup lands federal contract to plant one million trees across Canada using drones

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 17:24:42 +0000

Startup lands federal contract to plant one million trees across Canada using drones

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 10/17/2022 - 13:24

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Bryce Jones is the co-founder and CEO of Flash Forest, which has secured $1.35 million from Natural Resources Canada to help reforest wildfire ravaged sites across Canada (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

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A Mississauga-based startup with ties to the University of Toronto Mississauga has received a federal contract under the 2 Billion Trees program to help boost reforestation efforts in areas devastated by wildfire while also combatting the effects of climate change.

As part of a $1.35-million contract from Natural Resources Canada, Flash Forest will use drones to plant more than one million trees over the next two years in wildfire-ravaged locations across Canada.

The startup’s drones can reach hard-to-access areas and plant trees 10 times faster at a fraction of the cost of conventional methods – and on a larger scale.

Co-founder and CEO Bryce Jones underscored the importance of such work by recalling the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park fire that consumed over 25,000 hectares of forest and parkland in Kelowna, B.C., where he lived at the time.

“Twenty years later there’s no forest left,” he said. “It’s because we missed the opportunity to reforest the site.”

The contract with Flash Forest – which uses aerial mapping software, drones, automation and advanced seed pods to rapidly seed wildfire-affected sites – was recently announced at U of T Mississauga.

“As we know, climate change is the world’s most pressing challenge as global temperatures rise,” said Mississauga East-Cooksville MP Peter Fonseca, who was joined by Mississauga-Erin Mills MP Iqra Khalid at the event.

Climate change, Fonseca continued, is making wildfires more severe and frequent, noting that this year alone wildfires have destroyed thousands of hectares of forest in Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, British Columbia and Ontario.

“There’s no question that the need for more responsible stewardship of our planet is urgent. There’s no time to waste, especially as we look to achieve net zero by 2050,” Fonseca said. “By using drones, we can plant more swiftly, efficiently and effectively, making it easier to grow our forests, clean our air, support important habitats for wildlife and restore valuable ecosystems.”

Flash Forest uses aerial mapping software, drones, automation and advanced seed pods to rapidly seed wildfire-affected sites (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Jones said that Flash Forest, which he co-founded with his brother Cameron, is focused on restoring severe wildfire sites where the seed pods and cones are lost and “the forest really needs a hand” to regenerate.

He added that he used to plant trees the traditional way – with a shovel and a few hundred saplings – but wanted to get involved with climate technology. The big question, he said, was how reforestation could be automated.

“You really can’t do it from the ground. You can’t do it with robots on the forest floor – there are too many objects and snags and obstacles,” he said.

But, he realized, it could be done from the air. Drone technology was already available, with recent advancements allowing for larger payloads and longer ranges, creating a whole new set of applications, including within forestry. Using drones for reforestation efforts is highly scalable and could have a significant impact toward mitigating climate change.

“It’s also quite cool,” Jones said.

Back row, from left: Alexandra Gillespie, Peter Fonseca, Iqra Khalid and Ignacio Mongrell. Front row, from left: Cameron Jones, Bryce Jones and Angelique Ahlstrom (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Shortly after Flash Forest was launched in 2019, the founders turned to U of T Mississauga’s ICUBE incubator for support. Jones said ICUBE, which specializes in social entrepreneurship, assisted Fast Forest with funding and helped them bolster their research. That includes providing the founders access to U of T’s greenhouse, where they conduct the bulk of their research and development on their seed pods and germination. Fast Forest also hires undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral reseachers from U of T Mississauga.

Alexandra Gillespie, U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga, said the university is well-suited to support the kind of work undertaken by Flash Forest.

“We lead Canada’s largest, most diversified, and most integrated network of robotics and AI talent, who show the power of enabling technologies and transform multiple fields at once: from health care and mobility to sustainability and green economies,” she said, adding that U of T has created an entrepreneurial community that has earned more than $1.5 billion in investment over the past 10 years.

One of Flash Forest’s goals is to plant one billion trees by 2028, reaching areas that would otherwise not be reforested. The contribution from Natural Resources Canada is also creating jobs for Canadians. The company, which currently employs 30 people, is expected to double its workforce over the next two years. Jones said he anticipates employing hundreds, if not thousands, in the future.

Jones said he’s honoured to partner with Natural Resources Canada.

“It’s a dream come true. It’s something we’ve been pushing for,” Jones said. “We intend to have [Natural Resources Canada] as a long-term partner.”

Sunscreen for your scalp? U of T startup offers powdered protection for the top of your head

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 16:56:32 +0000

Sunscreen for your scalp? U of T startup offers powdered protection for the top of your head

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 03/09/2022 - 11:56

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Working with the ICUBE accelerator at U of T Mississauga, Kristina Knox and Stephanie Tien launched a sustainable skin care brand called Arbre that makes a scalp-specific sunscreen (photo courtesy of Arbre)

Kristy Strauss

Topic

Our Community

Entrepreneurship Week

A weekend trip to Wasaga Beach – and a terrible sunburn that followed – inspired an innovative business idea for Stephanie Tien and Kristina Knox.

“I got a really bad sunburn on my scalp, where my part is,” explains Tien, who received her undergraduate degree from U of T in pharmacology and human biology in 2018 and master’s degree in pharmacology in 2020.

That prompted Tien and Knox to talk about the need for better sun protection for that area of the body.

The duo, who have been friends since they were undergraduate students, joined forces and created Arbre – a sustainable skin care brand that offers customers a SPF formula made specifically for the scalp.

“It’s a powder, like a dry shampoo, that’s formulated specifically for your scalp and won’t make your hair look greasy,” says Knox, who received her undergraduate degree from U of T in cognitive science and neuroscience in 2018 and is currently a PhD student in cognitive psychology.

“The sunscreen industry hasn’t had a lot of innovation in forever, and all the products look and feel the same. We wanted to bring new and innovative solutions to people to help them protect their skin.”

Knox adds that providing sun safety education to the public is also a major part of their brand, and they try to feature scientific information about the importance of sun care on their Instagram and blogs.

“We’re really trying to bring the two together by creating a solution for people to be able to use sunscreen regularly, and also provide them with the education so they know why they should wear sunscreen,” Knox says.

When the business partners were ready to start their company, they turned to UTM’s ICUBE incubator for guidance. The incubator is the home of social entrepreneurship and early-stage start-ups at U of T Mississauga, offering resources, programs, workshops and mentorship for those starting their own businesses.

“It was really foundational for the inception of our company because Stephanie and I don’t have business backgrounds,” says Knox. “We’ve never started a business before, and we're both very science-focused. ICUBE really provided that foundational knowledge that we needed, and took us sort of step by step.”

Tien adds that ICUBE also allowed them to connect with other entrepreneurs who were trying to start businesses during a global pandemic – and helped guide them through a challenging and unprecedented time.

She says that ICUBE was quick to move its services online, creating a space for entrepreneurs to continue to grow their businesses throughout the pandemic.

“Geography wasn't really a barrier anymore,” she says. “That really opened up a lot of doors to us – and people were so willing to connect and join communities because we were all stuck at home. I think that, in some ways, it was hard during a pandemic, but it was easier in other ways as well.”

At present, Tien and Knox’s sunscreen is undergoing lab and clinical testing that is expected to wrap up at the end of this month. They plan to submit an application to Health Canada and hope to get approval by the end of May. Next, they plan to start manufacturing their product, with a pre-order campaign set to launch this summer.

Excited about the journey ahead, Tien and Knox have advice for other young female entrepreneurs who want to achieve success.

“Just get started and find a community to support you. You can’t be expected to know everything about entrepreneurship, so join an incubator like ICUBE,” says Tien.

Knox adds that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to starting a business, and recommends entrepreneurs do what works best for them.

“Everybody’s journey is different,” she says. “You can go as fast as you want or as slow as you want. But it’s important to just start.”

U of T marks International Women's Day with lectures, a pitch competition and other events

mattimar — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 18:47:32 +0000

U of T marks International Women's Day with lectures, a pitch competition and other events

mattimar Mon, 03/07/2022 - 13:47

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Hart House is co-hosting a virtual event called Women in Hip-Hop: Erasure, Trailblazers and Place-makers to mark International Women's Day (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

ICUBE

Faculty of Arts & Science

Hart House

International Women's Day

St. George campus

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

Women and Gender Studies

The University of Toronto community is marking International Women’s Day on March 8 with a variety of events across the three campuses.

From lectures and workshops to a startup pitch competition and a fun trivia night, the events will highlight the cultural, political and socioeconomic achievements of women across the world.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s scheduled across the three U of T campuses this week:

Women in Hip-Hop: Erasure, Trailblazers and Place-makers

Co-hosted by Hart House and Fresh, Bold and So Def at the Universal Hip Hop Museum, this virtual event will showcase the historical and continuing contributions of women in hip-hop. The conversation will be led by moderator Francesca D'Amico-Cuthbert, a post-doctoral researcher at U of T’s Jackman Humanities Institute. She’ll be joined by Martha Diaz, curator, archivist, educator, media producer and social entrepreneur; DJ Lynnée Denise, artist, scholar and writer; and Kayja Edwards, a student at U of T Mississauga who is studying a double major in communications, culture, information and technology and women and gender studies. March 8, 4 – 5:30 p.m. ET

Pitch With a Twist

Part of U of T’s Entrepreneurship Week, ICUBE – home of early-stage start-ups at U of T Mississauga – is hosting Pitch with a Twist, International Women’s Month Edition. The event provides an opportunity for women-identifying entrepreneurs to pitch early-stage ventures to a panel of women-identifying judges from a variety of sectors for cash prizes and support. March 8, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Faith on the Margins – International Women’s Day Event

The Multi-Faith Centre at U of T is hosting a virtual conversation to explore how gender rights, justice and spirituality are connected. The participants include Maryam Khan, social work professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, Rev. Cheri DiNovo, minister and former MPP, and Rabbi Ariella Rosen, senior director and senior Jewish educator at Hillel U of T. March 8, 5:30 – 8 p.m. ET

International Women's Day – Crowns of Change Head Wrap Workshop

Hosted at the Meeting Place at U of T Scarborough, the Crowns of Change is a workshop for women to learn how to protect their hair with a head wrap or head covering. Participants will get to leave with their own crown. March 8, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET

International Women’s Day Lecture with Tara Houska

The Women & Gender Studies Institute is hosting a virtual lecture – Defend the Sacred: Reconnection is Resistance – with tribal attorney, land defender and climate justice activist Tara Houska. She co-founded Not Your Mascots, an organization committed to educating the public about representation of Indigenous Peoples. March 9, 6 – 7:30 p.m. ET

International Women’s Day Trivia Night

Students, staff and faculty are invited to take part in a fun trivia night focused on women who are trailblazers in their respective fields. Hosted by the International Student Centre, there are prizes available. March 11, 5 – 6 p.m. ET

Five things to look forward to at Entrepreneurship Week 2022

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 22:02:45 +0000

Five things to look forward to at Entrepreneurship Week 2022 Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 02/24/2022 - 17:02

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Music

Health Innovation Hub

Indigenous

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

The University of Toronto is preparing for its sixth annual Entrepreneurship Week, a four-day showcase of U of T’s diverse and extensive entrepreneurial and startup ecosystem.

Taking place from March 7 to 10, U of T Entrepreneurship Week features 15-plus events – startup showcases, pitch competitions, keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussions and more – delivered through an easily accessible virtual platform.

Events are free and open to all: students, entrepreneurs, alumni, mentors, business leaders, investors and anyone else who is looking to be inspired by startups, their founders and one of the most dynamic research-based startup ecosystems in the world.

Here are some of the key events and themes for the upcoming edition of U of T’s annual celebration of all things entrepreneurial.

A fireside chat with an Olympic legend

Among this year’s most anticipated events is a fireside conversation with Canadian Olympic icon and entrepreneur Donovan Bailey.

One of the greatest sprinters of all time, Bailey has secured a place in Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame as a track and field legend, held three world records (currently holder of the 50-metre record), two Olympic gold medals and was named Track & Field News sprinter of the decade for his stellar 10-year career.

Bailey has since shifted his competitive focus from sport to business as the CEO of Bailey Inc. He has spent more than 25 years building successful business ventures across the globe in real estate, restaurant, and health and wellness industries.

On March 9 at 12 p.m., attendees can tune in for the keynote event From the Track to the Boardroom, a fireside conversation with Bailey that will be moderated by Rita Trichur, business writer for The Globe and Mail. The talk will focus on the parallels between competing in sports and business.

Student startups compete for funding and prizes

With over $60,000 in prizes up for grabs, 11 student startup teams in two categories – early-stage and later-stage – prepare to compete in the U of T Entrepreneurship (UTE) Startup Prize pitch competition. The pitches will be judged by a panel of investors and successful founders.

This year’s competition includes finalists from a range of fields – health and wellness, biotech, AI, consumer packaged goods, information and communications technology and cleantech. Kicking off day one of Entrepreneurship Week on March 7 at 2 p.m., the business pitch competition will recognize, reward and accelerate U of T’s most innovative startups.

Back for its third year, Pitch with a Twist features an all-women lineup of contestants and judges to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8. The annual event hosted by U of T Mississauga accelerator ICUBE focuses on early-stage ventures from a variety of sectors pitching their business ideas for cash prizes and in-kind support.

Last year’s Pitch with a Twist winners included Elsie Amoako, founder of Mommy Monitor, Joella Almeida, co-founder of MedEssist and Nancy Hamdy and Linta Mustafa, co-founders of Axonaly.

Tune in at 5:30 p.m. to watch founders of U of T startups pitch for top prizes and to show your support for women-identifying entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurship Week by the numbers

0 – Cost, in dollars, to attend U of T Entrepreneurship Week

1 – U of T’s rank in research-based startups among Canadian universities

6 – Positions U of T has moved up in PitchBook’s annual rankings of global universities for startup founders

11 – Startups vying for the UTE Startup Prize at the annual pitch competition

16 – Events featured during Entrepreneurship Week

60 – Startups, accelerators and partners participating in the True Blue Expo

200 – Entrepreneurship-related courses offered at U of T

600 – Startups created by U of T entrepreneurs over the past decade

9,000 – Jobs created by U of T startups

15,000 – Size, in square feet, of ONRamp, U of T’s collaboration and co-working space for startups

20,000 – Total prizes, in dollars, at Pitch with a Twist to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8

60,000 – Total prizes, in dollars, at the UTE Startup Prize pitch competition

2 billion – Investment, in dollars, raised by U of T startups over the past decade

EDI in entrepreneurship: Supporting underrepresented founders

Following the launch of the Black Founders Network and the Nobellum Innovator Program in partnership with U of T, several events on this year’s Entrepreneurship Week roster will prioritize the need for equity, diversity and inclusion in entrepreneurship.

Nobellum, a non-profit social and technology venture founded by U of T alumna Melisa Ellis is joining forces with U of T to help launch at least 100 Black-owned startups by 2025. The Nobellum Innovator Program open house at Entrepreneurship Week will provide a forum to discuss the program’s initiatives and invite innovators to join, while Nobellum’s Meet the Founders session will introduce prospective entrepreneurs to the founders behind its vision.

In addition, Two-eyed Seeing in Entrepreneurship with Jonathon Redbird and Christina Tachtampa will focus on how Indigenous Knowledge applies to the fields of entrepreneurship and business education. Presented by ICUBE and The BRIDGE in partnership with RedBird Circle Inc., this session will introduce students to duality in entrepreneurship and education and invite them to shift their perspectives about the concepts of self, community and connection to the spirit of the land.

Returning to Entrepreneurship Week, the highly attended conversation series, Fireside at FemSTEM invites special guest speaker, Sandy Skotnicki to share her experience as a distinguished entrepreneur in the health-care space. Skotnicki is the founding director of the Bay Dermatology Centre, an assistant professor in the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and the author of Beyond Soap: The Real Truth About What You Are Doing to Your Skin and How to Fix It for a Beautiful, Healthy Glow. Widely regarded as the “go-to” dermatologist in Canada for ingredient reactions and safety, she regularly provides commentary and contributes to medical journals, media outlets and speaks on reactions to chemicals in the skincare industry.

The convergence of arts and entrepreneurship

New this year, Toronto Music Entrepreneurship Exchange (ToMEE) is hosting a dynamic panel discussion about innovation in music performance and research.

An all-alumni panel from the Faculty of Music, including Adrian Berry, Hayley Janes, Adam Fainman and Renee Fajardo, will discuss topics such as collaboration and reciprocity in creative cities, beatboxing research and technology, and opera for a 21^st-century audience.

Innovations in Music Performance and Research is the inaugural Faculty of Music event to take place during Entrepreneurship Week and is scheduled for 3 p.m. on March 8.

Finding balance: Mental health session for entrepreneurs

Back by popular demand, H2i’s Stress Management and Mental Wellness Session for entrepreneurs will close off Entrepreneurship Week with an address by keynote speaker Soroosh Vafapoor, community wellness co-ordinator for Trinity College and a registered psychotherapist.

This keynote presentation will be followed by a candid panel discussion with entrepreneurs – including Harold Wodlinger, CTO of ViTAA Medical, Michael Floros, COO of Cohesys and Wendy Naimark, CTO of Ripple Therapeutics – who will discuss their experience managing stress and maintaining work-life balance.

Entrepreneur or not, the event promises to deliver helpful tips and tricks to disconnect, find balance, manage stress and seek out support in a safe and welcoming space.

Startups focused on wellness, education take home top prizes at U of T Pride Pitch event

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 15:33:57 +0000

Startups focused on wellness, education take home top prizes at U of T Pride Pitch event

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 07/16/2021 - 11:33

Cutline

PhD candidates Kyle Wang (left) and Zi Yang (right) co-founded Archipelago Genomics, which uses genetic information to design customized wellness programs for clients (photos courtesy of Kyle Wang and Zi Yang)

Sharon Aschaiek

Topic

Our Community

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Startups

ThisIsThePlace

U of T Mississauga

Startups focused on delivering innovations in achieving wellness and education design and delivery scored top prizes at the University of Toronto’s recent Pride Pitch competition.

Organized by U of T Mississauga’s ICUBE social entrepreneurship hub, the second annual business pitch event on June 16 and provided an opportunity for 2SLGBTQ+ students and recent alumni from all three U of T campuses to showcase their startup ventures to a panel of judges.

The grand prize of $3,000 went to Archipelago Genomics, a service that helps users leverage their unique genetic makeup to live a more healthful lifestyle. Co-founders Kyle Wang and Zi Yang, both PhD candidates in molecular genetics, launched the company after they spotted an untapped opportunity to use genetic science to help people optimize their fitness, nutrition and skincare routines.

“We understood that genetics goes beyond just health care – it impacts us in our everyday life: the way we eat, exercise, take care of our skin,” says Wang, a former personal trainer. “We want to enable people to act on their genetic information in a professionally guided, science-based way.”

Using a DNA-testing kit, users submit a saliva sample and receive a free genetic report revealing various pertinent data points. These include one’s propensity for muscle-building and fat-burning, insulin resistance, risk of sustaining and recovering from an injury, food sensitivities, collagen production and vulnerability to sunburns.

Archipelago customers are also given the option to purchase one of several “blueprints,” which include two- to 12-week genetically customized training programs supported by one of Archipelago’s vetted fitness trainers or health coach partners. Whether the goal is to gain muscle, lose fat, build mobility or endurance, rehabilitate an injury or get back into shape after giving birth, the founders say the service caters to a wide range of lifestyle and fitness objectives and circumstances.

Wang and Yang developed their business model with the support of U of T’s Health Innovation Hub, or H2i, one of several entrepreneurship hubs on campus. Wang says the Pride Pitch event further validated their current beta version of Archipelago and provided the startup with added momentum to officially launch by year’s end.

“Pride Pitch affirms that the LGBTQ community can innovate, start successful businesses and lead by example, so it was significant for us to experience and to discover the ideas coming out of the community,” Wang says. “The feedback was priceless and has helped us evolve the business more strategically.”

A graduate from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Maya Saggar launched an educational consulting business after realizing teachers needed help shifting their work online during the pandemic (photo courtesy of Maya Saggar)

Maya Saggar’s focus, meanwhile, is in the connected spheres of teaching, program creation and curriculum development. Her business – Maya Saggar Consulting – won the second-place prize of $2,000 and the People’s Choice Award.

A 2020 master of education graduate from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Saggar has worked in various teaching and curriculum design roles since 2015 and has fresh ideas for helping educators and entrepreneurs create thoughtfully designed learning experiences. She says her professional insights partly stem from the five years she spent as a self-employed dance instructor – and, later, business owner – working with K-8 schools in Mississauga.

“I found that I loved developing the programs, the planning and organizing the resources – that all got me excited,” Saggar recalls. “Then I transitioned it into a business and hired others to teach the classes, and was able to expand to different schools.”

She says her current entrepreneurial endeavour was sparked by the pandemic after teacher friends sought her help when they were forced to make the shift online. She realized the market was ripe for independent educational consultants who could work with individual instructors, schools and small businesses. She says presenting at Pride Pitch confirmed her insight: “The feedback was that I’m in the right space at the right time, and there is a need for this service.”

After building up a client base over several months and fine-tuning her approach, Saggar formally launched her business in March. She developed a website and Instagram channel, and has recruited eight co-op students to help her grow the business. Along the way, she received guidance from ICUBE training sessions and mentors.

“This work is a creative outlet for me,” says Saggar, who is currently pursuing her PhD in education. “I love the designing and the planning. I get to work in my zone of genius, and pass things off to instructors and let them carry out their genius.”