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University of Toronto entrepreneurship

Review the documented university identity, entrepreneurship programs, and sources connected to University of Toronto.

Founded
1827
Rankings that list it
10 of 13 tracked

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Startup and research standing

Where University of Toronto stands

in PitchBook University Rankings: Female Founders
#17
2026
alumni founders, 106 companies
110
2026
raised by those companies
$1B
2026
university rankings list it
10 of 13
Rankings ledger
Rankings that list University of Toronto
RankingEditionPositionSince last editionTrustWhat it measures
SCImago Institutions Rankings2026#14Down 4AResearch, Innovation, Prestige
PitchBook University Rankings: Female Founders2026#17Down 2BActivity, Talent, Ecosystem
PitchBook University Rankings: Undergraduate Founders2026#17No changeBActivity, Talent, Ecosystem
QS World University Rankings2014/15#20Up 3BPrestige, Research, Talent, Performance
U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities2026-2027#20Down 4BResearch, Prestige
CWUR World University Rankings (Global 2000 List)2026#23Down 6BResearch, Prestige, Talent
Academic Ranking of World Universities2026=24Up 1AResearch, Prestige
PitchBook University Rankings: Graduate Founders2025#25Up 3BActivity, Talent, Ecosystem
PitchBook University Rankings: MBA Founders2025#36Up 2BActivity, Talent, Ecosystem
Nature Index Research Leaders2026#43Down 24BResearch
Positions come from each publisher's edition. Open a ranking for its method and trust notes, or an edition for the full list.

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Around University of Toronto

  1. 01Research

    Faculties, labs and teams

Overview

University of Toronto: A Thriving Startup and VC Ecosystem

At the University of Toronto, the startup and venture capital ecosystem is booming. From cutting-edge startups to innovative venture capital firms, the university provides a fertile ground for today’s entrepreneurs and investors. U of T is home to numerous success stories, from early-stage startups to successful exits.

Startup Stories

The University of Toronto has produced a number of high-profile startups. Notable successes include:

  • Deep Genomics, a leader in artificial intelligence-based genetic diagnostics, raised $45 million in Series B funding in 2019.
  • Ritual, a food ordering platform, raised $53 million in Series C funding in 2019.
  • Thalmic Labs, a wearable technology company, was acquired by Intel in 2019 for a reported $360 million.
  • Shopify, a popular ecommerce platform, went public in 2015 and is now valued at over $60 billion.

Venture Capital Firms

The University of Toronto also hosts a number of notable venture capital firms. Notable VC firms include:

  • Version One Ventures, founded by U of T alumni, has invested in over 100 companies and raised over $400 million in capital.
  • iNovia Capital, founded in 2007, has invested in over 160 companies and raised over $1 billion in capital.
  • Real Ventures, founded in 2006, has invested in over 150 companies and raised over $400 million in capital.
  • OMERS Ventures, founded in 2011, has invested in over 200 companies and raised over $1 billion in capital.

Related Initiatives

The University of Toronto has a number of initiatives aimed at fostering the startup and venture capital ecosystems. These include:

  • The Rotman School of Management has established the Creative Destruction Lab, a seed-stage accelerator program that helps technology companies scale up.
  • The University of Toronto Entrepreneurship Hatchery, a student-run accelerator, provides mentorship, funding, and resources to help early-stage startups.
  • The Impact Centre, a research and entrepreneurship hub, offers resources and programming to students, entrepreneurs, and investors.
  • The University of Toronto's entrepreneurship hub, the DMZ, provides space and resources for startups to launch and scale up.

Notable People

The University of Toronto has produced a number of notable founders and investors. Notable people include:

  • Gabe Batstone, co-founder of Shopify and General Partner at Version One Ventures

Ranked near University of Toronto in PitchBook University Rankings: Female Founders

Similar universities

University of Toronto compared with universities ranked near it
#UniversityFoundersCompaniesRaisedRaised per company
13University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)130129$3.7B$28.7M
14University of Michigan, Ann Arbor129124$2.5B$20.2M
15Brown University127127$2.8B$22.0M
16Northwestern University120117$2.8B$23.9M
17University of TorontoThis page110106$1B$9.4M
18Duke University109108$2.1B$19.4M
19University of Southern California (USC)107107$3.4B$31.8M
20McGill University103102$2.6B$25.5M
21University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign9895$4.2B$44.2M
22Boston University9492$1.7B$18.5M
PitchBook University Rankings: Female Founders, 2026. Raised per company is total raised divided by companies.

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