Schedule 2024-2025

Getting Started: Your Innovation Journey Begins

Location | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, 2nd floor auditorium

Speaker | Dr. Paul Santerre - Professor, Co-director at Health Innovation Hub, Baxter Chair in Health Technology & Commercialization (UHN)

Case Study Workshop | Dr. Santerre has published over 220 peer-reviewed publications and is a listed inventor on over 70 patents in the area of medical polymers. He is the co-founder and current director of the Health Innovation Hub at the University of Toronto, a student-focused entrepreneurial training co-curricular program that has trained over 650 client health science companies which have generated over $430 million CAD.

This interactive workshop is your opportunity to get hands-on with real-world case studies as Dr. Santerre breaks down the startup lifecycle and highlights emerging opportunities in today’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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Building Your Dream Team

Location | Sandford Fleming Building, Room 3202, St. George Campus

Speaker | Anjanaa Dattani | Assistant Professor at Rotman School of Management, Business Design & Innovation

Case Study Workshop | Anjana Dattani is a Lecturer of Business Design and Innovation at the Rotman School of Management. She brings deep facilitation expertise from her academic research and from working with thousands of executives, MBAs, and undergraduates on applying effective team formation techniques.

This Team Formation Workshop will delve into the essentials of creating, nurturing, and sustaining a high-performance team focused on innovation. We will examine the key traits of effective teams, the necessary skill sets for success, and strategies for fostering a growth-oriented culture.

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Co-Founders Day Application Open

Registration | More information will be shared soon.

From Startups to Breakthroughs - Special Panel Q&A

Location | Medical Sciences Building Macleod Auditorium (MS2158)

Speakers:
Dr. Wayne Pommen - Chief Revenue Officer at Affirm, ex-CEO of PayBright
Dr. Morgan Barense - Professor and Canada Research Chair, University of Toronto

Lecture series | Wayne Pommen is the founder and former CEO of PayBright. Under his leadership, PayBright grew from 5 to 250 employees and became one of Canada’s leading fintech companies, with retail clients including Apple, Hudson’s Bay, Wayfair, Samsung, and Sephora. PayBright was acquired by Affirm, where Wayne currently serves as Chief Revenue Officer. Morgan Barense is a professor at the University of Toronto, a Canada Research Chair, and the director of the Toronto Neuroimaging Facility. She is also the CEO and founder of Dynamic Memory Solutions Inc. (DMS). Under her leadership, DMS applies advances in basic science to create practical, evidence-based solutions to combat memory loss.

Dr. Wayne Pommen & Dr. Morgan Barense will share their innovation stories and answer questions from the audience in a panel-style session.

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Co-Founders Day Application Closes

Deadline | More information will be shared soon.

Co-Founders Day Application Results

Results | More information will be shared soon.

Co-Founders Day

Location | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, 2nd floor auditorium

Teaming Activity | Join us for Co-Founders' Day, where you can register as either a founder or a co-founder. Founders pitch their ideas, and co-founders choose a founder to form a team with. The event kicks off with an industry-specific speed-dating session, allowing co-founders to meet and explore ideas with founders. Afterward, attendees can network freely during an open social. The event wraps up with team registration, where teams of 1 founder plus 1-4 co-founders are formed for the final pitch competition.

Innovation Fair Competition Application Open

Competition - Semifinal | More information will be shared soon.

Identifying Opportunities and Framing Problems

Location | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, 2nd floor auditorium

Speaker | TBD

Lecture series | This hands-on workshop is designed to empower students with the skills to spot innovation opportunities and clearly define the problems they want to solve. Participants will learn how to analyze market needs, identify gaps in their fields, and frame challenges in a structured and actionable way.

Market Research and Value Proposition

Location | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, 2nd floor auditorium

Speaker | TBD

Lecture series | Students will learn how to conduct effective research to understand customer needs, analyze competitors, and identify key market trends. Through hands-on activities, students will work in teams to gather and interpret data, define target audiences, and craft a compelling value proposition that clearly communicates the unique benefits of their product or idea. With expert feedback and real-time collaboration, this workshop will provide practical tools to build a strong foundation for any business or project.

Navigating Startup Stages and Fundraising Strategies

Location | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, 2nd floor auditorium

Speaker | Dr. Paul Santerre - Professor, Co-director at Health Innovation Hub, Baxter Chair in Health Technology & Commercialization (UHN)

Workshop | Dr. Santerre has published over 220 peer-reviewed publications and is a listed inventor on over 70 patents in the area of medical polymers. He is the co-founder and current director of the Health Innovation Hub at the University of Toronto, a student-focused entrepreneurial training co-curricular program that has trained over 650 client health science companies which have generated over $430 million CAD.

Dr. Santerre will bring us the different stages of a startup lifecycle, and expand on the new opportunities that support entrepreneurship in the ecosystem.

Crafting Your Story: The Art of Persuasive Communication

Location | Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, 2nd floor auditorium

Workshop | Dr. Blake Richards - Associate professor at McGill University and Mila; mentor at the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL).

Competition - Finals | Dr. Richards is a mentor of the creative destruction lab, an assistant professor at McGill University, and a Fellow in CIFAR’s Learning in Machines & Brains program and a Canada CIFAR AI Chair at Mila. Learn the power of storytelling from Dr. Richards to captivate your audience and drive engagement, and make your innovation stand out in a crowded market. Rehearse your pitch for the big competition in the pitch perfect workshop that follows.

Innovation Fair Competition Application Close

Competition - Semifinal | More information will be shared soon.

Innovation Fair

Competition - Semifinal | Join us for an exciting showcase where student teams will present their innovative startup ideas on posters. This event offers a unique networking opportunity, allowing you to mingle with budding entrepreneurs, educators, and business professionals. We look forward to seeing you there and connecting with the future of innovation and entrepreneurship!

Final Competition and Reception

Competition - Finals | Get ready to witness some mind-blowing ideas, intense competition, and lots of inspiration. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or just love innovative ideas, this is the place to be! Cheer on the participants as they showcase their creativity and present their business ideas.

What’s Next Workshop

Speaker | TBD

Workshop | Learn what is your next step as an entrepreneur and/or innovator after the big pitch competition. Whether you won it or not, celebrate what you learned over the year, and prepare for the future to come.