Genecis Bioindustries. Xatoms. TransCrypts.
What do these three University of Toronto startups have in common? All have previously won top prizes at a pitch competition held during U of T's annual Entrepreneurship Week - and all used that early validation to launch their success far beyond campus.
In 2018, Genecis Bioindustries won big in an early-stage category and has since raised US$20 million to commercialize its biodegradable plastic products.
Four years later, TransCrypts , which uses blockchain and crypto technologies to improve digital identify verification, won a prize as a late-stage company and is now backed by big-name investors including Mark Cuban, raising $20 million in seed funding .
And in 2024, Xatoms took home an early-stage prize for using AI and quantum chemistry to purify water. The startup recently announced it has raised $3 million in pre-seed funding while co-founder and CEO Diana Virgovicova was invited to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Now, as U of T gears up for its ninth annual Entrepreneurship Week from March 2 to 6, the stage is set for more potential success stories , with 10 finalists competing for $100,000 in prizes at the 2026 Desjardins Startup Prize pitch competition on March 5.
"A small investment at the right time can have a huge impact on the trajectory of a company," says Jon French, director of U of T Entrepreneurship . "You've got top judges saying,'Out of all the companies emerging from the robust U of T ecosystem, you're one of the best.' It is incredible validation."
The pitch competition is one of several highlights of Entrepreneurship Week, which comprises more than 15 events. Others include startup expos, high-profile speakers, fireside chats and inspirational women-led programming in honour of International Women's Day.
Students, alumni, investors and business leaders are invited to engage with a U of T entrepreneurship community that comprises more than a dozen accelerators and has spawned over 1,500 venture-backed companies that have raised $14 billion in funding in the last five years alone.
"Entrepreneurship Week is really about welcoming the broader community into U of T so that they can see and experience the innovation first-hand," says French.
Here are five things to look forward to at this year's Entrepreneurship Week:
Positioning Canada as an AI leader
This year's Desjardins Speaker Series event , titled "Canada's Next AI Moment: Ambition the World Can Trust," brings together three U of T leaders for a candid conversation on March 5 about the opportunities and challenges ahead for Canada in artificial intelligence.
Christine Allen, CEO and co-founder of Intrepid Labs Inc. and a professor in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Alán Aspuru-Guzik, a professor of chemistry and computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science and director of the Acceleration Consortium , and Milica Radisic, a professor at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and the department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, will discuss the need for domestic compute power and AI sovereignty, what Canada must do to win in an unpredictable geopolitical landscape and advice for founders looking to build global companies.
The event, part of True Blue Impact Day on March 5, will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.
See innovation in action
In a world quickly becoming overwhelmed by "AI-powered" companies, French says today's winning startup formula increasingly involves proprietary data access, robust data security measures and demonstrable return on investment.
The True Blue Expo , running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 5, is one of several places where attendees can see just how U of T startups are hitting these marks - and how deeply AI is embedded across sectors ranging from education to health care and climate change. The expo features about 40 U of T startups who will be demoing their products and services.
Meanwhile, the Deep Tech Zone on the 10th floor of the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus will showcase quantum computing, robotics and advanced manufacturing, while the second-floor startup marketplace will feature consumer products alongside health tech innovations like Pippen AI, an AI-powered scribe for family doctors.
Early investment for transformative impact
Ten shortlisted startups - selected from approximately 80 applicants - are set to compete in the 2026 Desjardin Startup Prize pitch competition on March 5.
Contestants will get three minutes to pitch and three minutes for a Dragons' Den-style Q&A with judges - and U of T alumni - Eva Lau, co-founder of Two Small Fish Ventures and Mina Mitry, CEO and co-founder of Kepler Communications, as well as Nishant Raizada, managing director of technology and innovations banking at Desjardins.
Startups will vie for a total of $100,000 in prize money, including $15,000 for the top early-stage venture and $40,000 for the late-stage category.
"The founders don't need to give up any equity in their business," says French. "The prize money can go towards protecting IP, marketing, creating a website or logo design, hiring an intern - whatever can have the greatest impact in launching the companies out of U of T."
A hub for entrepreneurship
As the host of most of Entrepreneurship Week events, the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus also serves as the home to U of T Entrepreneurship, campus accelerators, the Vector Institute and the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, which focuses on responsible AI development and guardrails.
Guided tours of the innovation campus, offered from March 2 to 4, will give attendees a behind-the-scenes look at a campus ecosystem that supports founders, researchers and partners across AI and health sciences.
Inclusive entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Week 2026 includes several events in honour of International Women's Day, including: Fireside at FemSTEM with Liz Munro , Breaking Barriers: Solutions for Women in Entrepreneurship , the annual Pitch with a Twist Competition , and Be Her Summit 2026: Vision Meets Venture - an event curated by the Black Founders Network for Black women entrepreneurs and investors.
Mental health and wellness for founders will also be in the spotlight with an event on March 2 titled Stress Management & Mental Wellness for Entrepreneurs .
"All are welcome," says French. "There's something for everyone."
