Desjardins Startup Prize: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
U of T’s annual business pitch competition, offering over $100,000 in prizes to recognize, reward, and accelerate the most innovative startups (2027).
Verified ·3 official sources·Organised by University of Toronto Entrepreneurship
The essentials from the organiser's own pages: when, where, how big, and how founders get in. Speakers, investor lists and past editions are on the official site.
- Next edition
- Mar 4, 2027 · Desjardins Startup Prize 2027 source
- Where
- Toronto, Canada
- Format
- in-person
- Startup pass
- Apply online by 5:00 p.m. on November 18, 2026. At least one founder must be a current full-time U of T student, postdoc, or recent alum; the primary applicant must complete the required U of T IP course, and selected finalists must pitch in person. source
- 2027 Desjardins Startup Prize Pitch Competition
- Early-stage: $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000; late-stage: $40,000, $20,000 and $10,000; each category also has a $4,000 People’s Choice prize (2027). source
- Cadence
- Annual
GeneralistPre-seedSeedFoundersInvestors
Next edition
| Dates | Mar 4, 2027 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | Desjardins Startup Prize 2027 |
| Venue | Toronto, Canada |
How founders get in
| Startup programme | Apply online by 5:00 p.m. on November 18, 2026. At least one founder must be a current full-time U of T student, postdoc, or recent alum; the primary applicant must complete the required U of T IP course, and selected finalists must pitch in person. source |
|---|
2027 Desjardins Startup Prize Pitch Competition
| Prize | Early-stage: $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000; late-stage: $40,000, $20,000 and $10,000; each category also has a $4,000 People’s Choice prize (2027). source |
|---|
Meeting investors there
Selected founders pitch to a panel of investor judges, followed by a three-minute Q&A with the panel. source
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Official links and socials
Apply
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to 2027 Desjardins Startup Prize Pitch Competition.
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 26, 2026:
Desjardins Startup Prize: frequently asked
When is Desjardins Startup Prize 2027?
Desjardins Startup Prize 2027 runs Mar 4, 2027 at Toronto, according to the organiser's published dates.
How do startups get into Desjardins Startup Prize?
Apply online by 5:00 p.m. on November 18, 2026. At least one founder must be a current full-time U of T student, postdoc, or recent alum; the primary applicant must complete the required U of T IP course, and selected finalists must pitch in person.
What is 2027 Desjardins Startup Prize Pitch Competition?
Desjardins Startup Prize's pitch competition. Prize as published: Early-stage: $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000; late-stage: $40,000, $20,000 and $10,000; each category also has a $4,000 People’s Choice prize (2027)..