Elevate returns to Toronto from October 7-9, 2025 to reunite world-class tech leaders, emerging startups, global investors, policymakers, and international media to shine a spotlight on Canadian innovation.
Elevate Festival unites iconic tech leaders, fearless creatives, and innovative minds. Every year, they welcome to the stage a powerhouse lineup of speakers who are solving society’s greatest challenges while leading us into the future.
As a proud partner of Elevate Festival , the University of Toronto will have a considerable footprint featuring talks from our thought leaders and startups. Come say hello to our staff and entrepreneurs at the Defy Gravity booth.
Get 20% off your ticket to Elevate using discount code UOFTELEVATE20, redeemable via the Elevate Festival website.
Feature Event
Defy Gravity – Discover the Next BIG Thing in University Startups
October 8 from 1:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Meridian Hall, 1 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E 1B2, Lower Lobby Level
This is your chance to get glimpse at the early-stage startups that will be making headlines and raising funding in the months and years ahead. This showcase will feature some of the most promising ventures from across the University of Toronto in areas including digital health, oral hygiene, burn treatment, therapeutics, and advanced materials. If you are an investor or a corporate decision maker, you would be well-served to get to know these companies before your competitors do.
Moderated by Jon French – Director, University of Toronto Entrepreneurship (UTE), the central office that represents a tri-campus network of 12 accelerators supporting over 1300 teams annually.
Featured U of T Startups
- Medium AI – an AI Voice Assistant made in Canada, built to reduce phone wait times, save operational costs, and streamline patient follow-ups in medical practice.
- HyCLight – an industry-first solar energy solution that converts natural gas (methane) into clean hydrogen and carbon nanotubes, paving the way for a sustainable, zero-emissions future.
- Nanomorphix – high-energy impact-resistant products that offer room temperature self-healing ability and impact resistance.
- Kare Chemical Technologies – a catalytic process that makes cannabinoids from orange peels, for natural, therapeutic non-psychoactive alternatives to opioids.
- Toothpod – a dental smart-gum that supplements oral hygiene when there is no access to a toothbrush.
