Join us on March 4th, 2026, to support women entrepreneurs at Pitch with a Twist, a competition dedicated to breaking down barriers and celebrating innovative ideas from diverse voices. In honor of International Women’s Month, this event will highlight the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of women-identifying innovators.
Experience inspiring ventures as finalists showcase their startups at interactive booths, allowing judges and attendees to engage directly with these talented entrepreneurs. The event will also feature a panel of women-identifying judges who will evaluate each startup.
Attendees can look forward to exceptional speakers sharing their journeys and insights, offering valuable lessons in entrepreneurship. This is a unique opportunity to network with leading companies and immerse yourself in the excitement of entrepreneurship in action.
Eligibility Criteria
- Must have a self-identified woman founder or co-founder.
- Have an idea or an early-stage start-up that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- Submission to uphold equity and inclusion practices, which includes “creat[ing] a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of each person”, in keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
- Registrants must be a student or alumni of the University of Toronto; OR participants of any of the U of T CLA/Incubator programs.
- Product or service idea must not be in the market (pre-launch)
- Must be incorporated in Canada
- Less than $25k in investments (Angels, VCs, grants) as of February 17th, 2026
- Less than $50k in revenue earned as of February 17th, 2026
All finalists must be able to:
- Available to showcase the venture at a booth to judges for the duration of the event
- U of T students and alumni are strongly encouraged to register and complete the free UTE IP Education Program – Level 1 modules (~2 hours) before the competition.
Important Dates:
- Applications open: January 22nd, 2026
- Applications closed: February 23rd, 2026
- Event: March 4th, 2026 5:30pm – 7:30 pm