U of T Entrepreneurship (UTE) is thrilled to confirm a commitment from Desjardins Financial Group to continue as a Lead Partner of UTE for at least another three years. This relationship builds on a shared vision of supporting the university’s most innovative students across all three campuses as they launch and grow impactful ventures.
The announcement was made by Jonathan Raiken, Desjardins Managing Director, Head of Ontario Corporate Banking and National Accounts, during the Desjardins Speaker Series event Frontiers of AI, held on June 25 at Convocation Hall. The event, which featured a keynote by Nobel Laureate Geoffrey Hinton, drew a full house in person and was livestreamed to thousands more as part of the inaugural Toronto Tech Week. It marked both a celebration of the growing relationship between Desjardins and U of T and a broader recognition of the university’s leadership in AI and innovation on a global scale.
Desjardins’ support plays a key role in facilitating the continued growth of U of T’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through this partnership, UTE can offer students critical early-stage funding, real-world learning opportunities, and access to a growing network of industry leaders and mentors.
“This is an important time for the Canadian startup community. Young entrepreneurs need to know the broader business community believes in them as leaders—and is ready to invest in their ideas as innovators,” said Guy Cormier, President and CEO of Desjardins. “We’re proud to be in a partnership that provides them with access to world class facilities and leading thinkers in the space, while opening the door to a broader ecosystem of support.”
The renewed partnership will continue to support a range of programming, including two signature initiatives:
Launched in 2022, the Desjardins Startup Prize has quickly become U of T’s largest and most competitive pitch competition. Awarding more than $100,000 in non-dilutive funding each year, the prize is open to promising student-led startups from across all three campuses. It takes place each March during Entrepreneurship Week on True Blue Impact Day and is designed to help student founders build momentum at a crucial stage of their venture journey. Previous winners include Xatoms, NanoMorphix, Flow Robotics, and more — several of which have gone on to raise external capital, expand operations, and make an impact in sectors such as climate and healthcare.
The Desjardins Speaker Series
The Speaker Series offers students, alumni, and the broader U of T community the opportunity to learn from and connect with some of the most influential names in entrepreneurship and innovation. In addition to Professor Hinton, past speakers have included Mike Murchison, CEO and Co-founder of Ada; Raquel Urtasun, CEO and Founder of Waabi and U of T computer science professor; and Katherine Homuth, founder of SRTX. Each event provides a candid and often personal look at the challenges and breakthroughs that shape the entrepreneurial experience, offering both inspiration and practical insight to those beginning their own founder journeys.
In addition to these two flagship programs, the partnership supports a growing slate of initiatives designed to build founder capacity and confidence. These include financial literacy workshops for student entrepreneurs and their teams, offering hands-on guidance on budgeting, forecasting, and managing growth. Desjardins has also supported U of T startups in attending external events such as the Montreal Startup Festival and participating in the Desjardins Cooperathon, one of the largest open innovation challenges focused on sustainable development and social impact.
“The partnership with Desjardins provides critical support to our rapidly growing tri-campus community, which now supports over 1,300 entrepreneurial teams each year,” says Jon French, Director, U of T Entrepreneurship. “Access to early-stage funding and inspiration from role models who have built successful businesses have a positive impact on the trajectory of a venture and the personal growth of young founders, and this relationship with Desjardins is aligned to both.”
Applications for the Desjardins Startup Prize will open in Fall 2025.