PITCH With a Twist - Celebrating International Women's Day

March 5th, 2025

5:30PM – 7:30PM EST

$10,000 in cash prizes!

PITCH showcases innovation and entrepreneurship from University of Toronto and our greater community. Focusing on early-stage ventures, we bring together innovators from a variety of sectors to pitch their businesses for cash prizes and in-kind support.

Join us on March 5th, 2025 for our PITCH, International Women’s Month Edition, to stand in support of women entrepreneurs at a competition that promises to break down barriers and reward great ideas from diverse voices.

With a panel of women-identifying judges and all the people pitching will be women-identifying, coming in from two streams of ideas and early stage startups, come celebrate creativity and entrepreneurship for all. Learn from amazing speakers sharing their experiences, network with great companies, and witness exciting pitches as companies compete at the hub of entrepreneurship in action.

Speaker:

Catherine Addai (she/her)

Catherine Addai is the founder and owner of Toronto based women’s clothing company KAELA KAY, a brand she started in 2013 out of the basement of her home. The premise of the brand is to offer bold, creative, and colourful clothing for today’s modern woman with a focus on using prints from her native Ghana, West Africa. Over the years, Catherine has grown her brand into a thriving business with 5 employees, a physical brick-and-mortar location, and a lucrative partnership with The Hudson’s Bay – all while raising her family. She is a wife and mother to 3 young children: 12 year old Mikaela (whom the line is named after), 9 year old Lex, and 6 year old Janae – all of whom she credits with being her real drive to succeed in life. A supporter of women in her community, all of Catherine’s current staff members are women of colour or visible minority. She has often described these women as a wonderful extension of her business family.

Over the years Catherine’s designs have graced many runways including New York Fashion Week, African Fashion Week Toronto, Fashion Arts Toronto and many magazines including FASHION and ELLE. Catherine has appeared on TV segments as well on Cityline and Today’s Shopping Choice (TSC).

Catherine has won several awards including The Woman’s Wear Designer of the Year awarded by The African Fashion Industry Awards and the Peoples Choice Award Designer of The Year awarded by By Blacks. She has also worked with many significant corporations over the years to share her entrepreneurial journey in keynotes, podcast, and conversations. She’s worked with QuickBooks, Ford, LCBO, DHL, AMEX, AECON, Cashmere Canada, and LCBO to name a few. She also works on her personal influencer brand CATHERINE ADDAI, where she shares her passion for business, fashion, travel, beauty and family.

Venture Categories:

Early stage

Do you have a business idea that will change the world for better? If you have an idea that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals then you should apply here!

Eligibility Criteria:

Must have a self-identified woman founder or co-founder
Before submitting your application, 1 team member must register to attend the event by purchasing a $10 ‘Applicant’ ticket, allowing you access to the event at a discounted rate whether you make it to the finals or not. You can purchase your ‘Applicant’ ticket by using code ‘ApplicantDiscount’
Submission to uphold equity and inclusion practices, which includes “creat[ing] a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of each person”, in keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Registrants must be a student or alumni of the University of Toronto; OR participants of any of the U of T CLA/Incubator programs – or a regional incubator (e.g. EDGE at Sheridan College, IDEA Mississauga, etc.)
Product or service idea must not be in the market (pre-launch)
Less than $25k in investments (Angels, VCs, grants) as of February 7^th, 2023

Prizes:

1st place = $3,000.00 + 1:1 Coaching Package: Powering startup growth with Product-Market Fit
2nd place = $1,500.00
People’s Choice = $500.00

Later stage

If you are the founder of co-founder of an early-stage start-up that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals then you should apply here!

Eligibility Criteria:

Must have a self-identified women founder or co-founder
Before submitting your application, 1 team member must register to attend the event by purchasing a $10 ‘Applicant’ ticket, allowing you access to the event at a discounted rate whether you make it to the finals or not. You can purchase your ‘Applicant’ ticket by using code ‘ApplicantDiscount’
Submission to uphold equity and inclusion practices, which includes “creat[ing] a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of each person”, in keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Must be incorporated in Canada
Registrants must be a student or alumni of the University of Toronto; OR participants of any of the U of T CLA/Incubator programs – or a regional incubator (e.g. EDGE at Sheridan College, IDEA Mississauga, etc.)
Less than $100k in cumulative revenue and/or external investment (Angels, VCs, grants) as of February 7^th, 2023

Prizes:

1st place = $3,000.00 + 1:1 Coaching Package: Powering startup growth with Product-Market Fit
2nd place = $1,500.00
People’s Choice = $500.00

All finalists must be able to:

Have a Pitch practice session with an ICUBE staff member
Available to present in-person on March 6th as a finalist
U of T students and alumni are strongly encouraged to register and complete the free UTE IP Education Program – Level 1 modules (~2 hours) before the competition.

Important Dates: