Patrick Pichette
Intensive full-day sessions with the CDL Mentors take place every eight weeks with the purpose of assessing progress and setting new short-term objectives. Fellows and Associates provide professional judgment (entrepreneurial knowledge) to help guide CDL Ventures and prioritize actions.
The program is designed for early-stage, science-based technology companies, though we consider all applicants based on their potential to scale and the viability of their product. CDL’s objective-setting process enhances the performance of technical founders who learn from the insights of experienced entrepreneurs, increasing their probability of success.
CDL Mentors are made up of a carefully selected group of exited entrepreneurs, angel investors, and partners from leading venture capital firms. These participants often invest in ventures that demonstrate a track record of achieving their objectives.
World-renowned experts from leading academic institutions provide technical feedback to founders and advise the Fellows and Associates on objectives related to technology validation.
Business school students work to support ventures including developing financial models, evaluating potential markets, and fine-tuning strategies for scaling.
CDL Streams act as focus areas: typically an emerging technology area, an area of application where multiple emerging technologies are converging to create new commercial opportunities, or a mission-driven focus. CDL startups work with mentors within a stream to sharpen objectives, prioritize time and resources, raise capital, and engage with experts working on the frontiers of research.
CDL operates five sites in Canada, two in the United States, three in Europe, and one in Australia. Launched in 2012 at the Rotman School of Management at University of Toronto, the program has now expanded with locations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Paris, Madison, Seattle, Estonia, Berlin, and Melbourne.