Learning beyond the classroom
Students are introduced to the habits of innovators: curiosity, user empathy, iteration, evidence, and clear communication.
In collaboration with The Erindale Academy, this program connects motivated high school students with the innovation and entrepreneurship culture of the University of Toronto Mississauga. Students learn to frame problems, test ideas, apply AI tools responsibly, and communicate solutions through a startup-style project and pitch process.
Students explore how founders identify meaningful problems, understand users, design solutions, and communicate value.
Students use AI as a tool for research, ideation, business modeling, prototyping, and communication while maintaining responsible human judgment.
Students work toward a showcase-ready AI business innovation project that demonstrates initiative, reasoning, and communication skills.
The program blends online preparation, immersive learning on the UTM campus, entrepreneurship workshops, mentor-style feedback, and project development. It is designed for students who want to connect AI learning with real-world business innovation.
Students are introduced to the habits of innovators: curiosity, user empathy, iteration, evidence, and clear communication.
The program offers high school students exposure to a university-connected entrepreneurship environment while they develop future-ready skills.
Identify a real-world challenge and define a focused, meaningful opportunity for innovation.
Develop an AI-enabled solution concept with attention to users, feasibility, value, and impact.
Communicate the problem, solution, audience, business model, and next steps with confidence.
View the full program page for dates, application information, tuition and more through The Erindale Academy.
ICUBE builds and plans, innovative experiences to execute a bold entrepreneurial vision. Can’t find the question you’re looking for? Get in touch with us.
A business incubator is a program that gives very early-stage companies access to mentorship, investors and other support to help them get established. Business incubators work with early-stage companies to get them to move beyond their embryonic phase.
A business accelerator is a program that gives developing companies access to mentorship, investors and other support that help them become stable, self-sufficient businesses. Companies that use business accelerators are typically start-ups that have moved beyond the earliest stages of getting established. They have basically entered their “adolescence,” meaning they can stand on their own two feet but need guidance and peer support to gain strength. Less developed companies not ready for an accelerator would instead use a business incubator for support.
No! ICUBE does not take any equity or ownership interest, including but not limited to shares, stocks, membership units, or any other equivalent form of ownership in our ventures business in exchange for providing programming or services. However, please note that when being connected to investors, or when using particular UofT resources (i.e. research facilities), founders are responsible to review those terms separately, as we cannot guarantee what parties external to ICUBEUTM require.
All of ICUBEUTM’s programs are open to students, staff, or alumni of any of the UofT three campuses. Additionally, our programs are open to members of the Peel region. ICUBE Studio’s paid services are open to any business in Canada.
No, ICUBEUTM is not a student club, we are a university student life unit under the Institution of Management & Innovation at University of Toronto Mississauga.
ICUBE is simply i3 which stands for: Inspiration, Ideation and Innovation. Finally, UTM is the University of Toronto Mississauga campus.
ICUBE hires work study students every term! Keep an eye out for our job postings on CLNx at clnx.utoronto.ca.
Venture Forward is a one-year program designed to accelerate your business growth in a sustainable way. This is ideal for businesses who are already set, have a product, or are currently selling products/services and need an extra push to grow and scale their business.
Ideation Lab is a one year program that is ideal for teams who have identified a business idea and are in the ideation or early startup phase.
This program is open to self-identifying Indigenous people across the GTA, with preference given to U of T students, staff, and faculty which focuses on bringing an Indigenous and non-Indigenous lens to entrepreneurship.
Yes absolutely! In fact it’s encouraged to do so. It is very common for ventures to be part of multiple different incubator programs to help solve different problems and raise more funding.
Not particularly. While we do highlight social innovation more, we accept ventures from all different fields and categories as long as they are ethical businesses and are not against any of University of Toronto’s policies.
An ICUBE membership is for one year from the date of acceptance into Ideation Lab or Venture Forward program. After the one year is up, you are encouraged to apply again.
Indigenous business training program created by RedBird Circle Inc. in partnership with UofT Libraries, ICUBE UTM and The Bridge at UTSC
An experiential learning program that follows the school 3 semesters schedule, for anyone with a great idea who wants to make it happen.
A boutique-style remote program to support your business development and help you grow through one-on-one support. This program is open all year.
A student-led creative studio with intends to serve the prototyping and design needs of our ventures and small businesses in our community.
This 2-day retreat is designed to help you reflect on your journey, what drives you, all the hats you wear and what is next for you and your social enterprise.
