UTS Timeraiser Startup Accelerator

Test your new social or technological innovation
Pitch your ideas to industry leaders
Build your entrepreneurial skills

UTS M3-S6 Students are Invited to Apply

The program is on pause for the 2023-24 academic year, as we revamp it.

Timeraiser Video 2022-23_NicoleW-MiaC.mp4

The UTS Timeraiser Startup Accelerator gives M3-S6 UTS students a structure within which to test out new ideas for social or technological innovation, and potentially start a real for-profit or not-for-profit venture. Students progress through pitch-training workshops, customer feedback, and business model logic mapping.

The goal of the pitch preparation for all students in the program is for them to ‘raise’ a ‘round’ of time from one or more mentors from the UTS alumni community, and from various partner programs across the University of Toronto campus.

Timeraiser Accelerator Video V3.mp4

Timeraiser Startup Accelerator Mentors

With gratitude to the UTS alumni who volunteer their mentorship and expertise.

Aaron Shafton '14

Growth Manager, DealMaker

Mentor 2019-20

Andrew Bray '83

Founder, TumbleWire

Mentor 2019-20

Cameron Howieson '06

Founder & CEO, Opencare

Mentor since 2021-22

Elvis Wong '11

Director, Fintech Cadence

Founder, IFH Lab

Mentor since 2019-20

Gavin Pitchford '76

Founder, Delta Management Group

Mentor since 2021-22

Ian Bradley '01

Law Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Mentor since 2021-22

Irene Cheng '11

Product Strategy & Analytics, Capital One

Mentor 2020-21

Jannis Mei '13

CEO, Manifold Data Mining Inc.

Mentor since 2021-22

Katie Sokalsky '05

President & COO, XpertSea

Mentor 2020-21

Rubaina Khan

Engineering Design Educator & Doctoral Candidate, University of Toronto

Mentor since 2021-22

Sarah Madigan '15

Android App Developer, Faire

Mentor since 2021-22

Truc Nguyen '01

Co-Founder, Editors Inc.

Mentor since 2019-20

It's been a pleasure to be an alumni volunteer for the UTS Timeraiser Accelerator program! The enthusiasm and creativity that the students demonstrate every year is truly inspiring, and I've enjoyed helping them develop their ideas and seeing where things go. I was able to give the teams that I mentored advice based on my professional experiences, and can't wait to hear more about this year's ventures.

Victor Li '11

CEO, Onova

3x start-up founder

Mentor 2019-22

VictorLi 2022-01-25_edited.mp4

Xenia Chen '10

Founder, Threads

Mentor 2019-21

Startups Accelerated

Cohort 1 Pitches (2019-20)

Armol

Armol UTS Timeraiser pitch April 29 2020.mp4

For biology and chemistry students and hobbyists, Armol has created a search engine for molecular structures in augmented reality that is content rich, results in better knowledge acquisition, and creates a more engaging, immersive learning experience.

The Terra Collection_Timeraiser pitch April 27 2020.mp4

The Terra Collection

The Terra Collections upcycles clothing to create contemporary, sustainable, and high-quality fashion for you.

UTS Timeraiser testimonial

Bitmark Consulting_Timeraiser Pitch April 27 2020.mp4

Bitmark Consulting

Homepage

For restaurants looking to expand into younger markets, BitMark Consulting provides bespoke social media solutions that allow businesses to attract younger customers, while saving time and money.

UTS Timeraiser testimonial

Cohort 2 Pitches (2020-21)

COVID Computers Project Pitch May 19 2021.mp4

Toronto Computer Project

The Toronto computers project equips youth in poverty (k-12) in the GTA with used computers and headphones for free. We aim to help them access their right to a digital education, and have partnered with non-profit community organizations such as the Afghan Women's Organization and the Salvation Army.

UTS Timeraiser testimonial

RestaurantDirect_EdwinKaveenRafaelRohit_2021.mp4

MyBite

(Formerly RestaurantDirect)

For the benefit of restaurants and their customers, RestaurantDirect has created an online ordering social network that allows both groups to save money through an ethical business model, build stronger personal connections, and increase convenience.

UTS Timeraiser testimonial

Paedux_ZoraAnikaSarah_2021.mp4

Paedux

Pitch slides

Paedux is a web platform that provides tutors, students and parents with an efficient, streamlined tutoring experience while also giving disadvantaged students from lower-income families access to quality education by subsidizing tutoring costs.

Cohort 3 Pitches (2021-22)

ShopExpress_AbbyHannah_2022.mp4

Shop Express

Pitch slides

Our team is passionate about solving economic struggles for small businesses, particularly clothing stores, and the inconveniences associated with shipping times and return policies. Our app will provide customers with same-day delivery and trouble-free returns.

Future4U_MiaNicole_2022.mp4

Future4U

Helping individuals with intellectual disabilities to plan out their futures.

LinkRobotics_AlexSam_2022.mp4

LinkRobotics

Pitch slides

A problem we’ve identified is that some schools in Toronto don’t have access to a robotics program. Our program can bring them a myriad of opportunities, such as hands-on experience building and programming, as well as in-depth research opportunities.

Cohort 4 Pitches (2022-23)

Chess for Connection

Chess For Connection

For seniors homes in Toronto, Chess for Connection offers youth-led chess programming that establish a community through building relationships between seniors and youth, bettering the mental health of seniors, and strengthening social connections eroded by the

Pitch Deck

Food Compass

For people who wish to eat healthier in Toronto, FoodCompass has created an interactive map of local restaurants that includes nutritional information and deals for health-conscious consumers, resulting in healthier choices and cheaper prices.

V4 Gather 2023

Gather

For hobbyists and sports lovers, Gather has created a website and app to post events and find group sports and hobbies.

For large communities and clubs, Gather is a tool to organize and schedule events creating a more streamlined process to inform potential teams or students about upcoming events.

Rainbow Refuge Pitch

Rainbow Refuge

Instagram

To benefit LGBTQ+ youth in Ontario, Rainbow Refuge will work with schools in Ontario to create intiatives such as gender neutral washrooms and GSAs, that result in greater access to supportive and safe spaces within schools, increased acceptance and belonging for LGBTQ+ youth to advocate for their own rights and needs, and valuable opportunities for LGBTQ+ youth to connect with their peers.

ReFood Pitch

ReFood

For people lacking stable access to food, ReFood has created a program that allows for the redistribution of left-over food from bakeries and restaurants to community centres that distribute free food. We aim to establish a guilt-free way of disposing food sustainably, and providing food to people in need.

Students4Students - Timeraiser Presentation

Students 4 Students

Homepage

Student 4 Students, has created a series of affordable extracurricular programming at schools in Toronto taught by passionate and experienced high-school students, so that children can participate in a wide range of sports and cultural activities.

News about the UTS Timeraiser Startup Accelerator

Nurturing Social Impact at the Timeraiser Startup Accelerator

May 31, 2023 UTS Blog Post

Dragon's Den with a Twist: UTS Accelerator Gives Students the Gift of Time

August 13, 2020 UTS Blog Post

Avi & William of UTS Win Over a TDSB School Even Before Their Entrepreneurship Challenge Victory

June 12, 2023 web article + pitch recording: BNS News | Winner Magazine

Timeraiser Startup Accelerator students have said...

2021-10-05_TimeraiserAlumniTestimonials.avi

"...the UTS Timeraiser program really allowed me to pursue something that I was passionate about, but at the same time, never could have done on my own. It taught me about many aspects of entrepreneurship and persuasion, from how to create a business pitch, to how to market a product, to how to fundraise and much more. It also allowed me to connect with mentors and learn the importance of networking, which I never really understood prior to the program...I know that the skills I learned will still be invaluable for (future) projects and ventures that I choose to work on."

"The Timeraiser experience helped directly teach me about creating a startup..."

"This is different because, in the end, you actually get to launch the non-profit or business to the world. Not only that, you get exclusive access to alumni, which also makes it a special experience."

"Entrepreneurship means creating something in society by taking a step forward and sharing ideas with different people. It takes people with different expertise and puts them all together to create something that enhances others' lives, while being able to be your own boss and innovate. Timeraiser has helped me develop a sense of what a company or start-up needs and how much each step matters."

"...the Timeraiser program really allows us to "get our hands dirty" and develop skills that are applicable in the real world."

"Accelerator deals with the participants in a case-by-case basis, adapting to the features of their startups, and also develops a broader variety of skills, all based on what each startup needs."

"I think my learning experience in the program reinforced the idea of using unique experience in a field to come up with solutions or start some sort of a venture, and also not forcing a solution to a problem."

"During my time in the Timeraiser program, I have learned that entrepreneurship and its skills are not solely for business owners, but can be used in multiple aspects of my life."

"One of our mentors was really interested in working with us for their social media, so we were really excited to get started with them. We are still finalizing the details but I'm really excited to see where our project goes."

"The most helpful moment in the Timeraiser program for me, was when we were told to create a business model template. It made me think hard about what features I wanted to focus on, and solidified the details of my startup."

"It was very helpful to both ask the advice of mentors who were knowledgeable about a specific area, (can't thank Ian enough for the loads of research he did on Canadian Non-profit legislature!) as well as bouncing our ideas off experienced entrepreneurs such as Victor who never failed to point out important points we've never considered."

"As it was for me, I think the Timeraiser Accelerator is an amazing opportunity for UTS students and I am very excited to see what ideas it launches in the coming years!"

"I know that the many skills I learned will be very valuable for me in the future!"

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