MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF) is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Toronto. Since 2008, the fund has partnered with over 150 companies in the IT, health, and cleantech sectors, investing up to $750,000 in each. Funded by the Province of Ontario, IAF focuses on providing capital, mentorship, and networks to help innovative firms validate ideas and bring products to market. By supporting local talent and technology, IAF aims to help Ontario-based companies expand globally. For more information, visit www.marsiaf.com.

The Ontario Centres of Excellence invests in projects and people to accelerate industry R&D to impact the Ontario economy through the commercialization of leading edge research. OCE invests in - Industry-Academic collaborative research - Commercialization of academic research through licensing and spin off companies - Early stage seed financing of start-ups - Skills development for high quality personnel The Ontario Centres of Excellence is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1987. Core funding is provided by the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation

With $87.4 billion in net assets at December 31, 2008, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (Teachers) is the largest single-profession pension plan in Canada. An independent corporation, it invests the pension fund's assets and administers the pensions of 284,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario. A pension plan has existed for Ontario teachers since 1917. Today, the plan's members include 173,000 teachers in elementary and secondary schools in Ontario, 111,000 pensioners, and 72,000 inactive members. The plan has one of Canada's largest payrolls with $4.2 billion in benefits paid to plan members, and $2.3 billion received in total contributions from teachers and the provincial government in 2008.

Located in Waterloo, Ontario within the David Johnston Research+Technology Park, and at the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus in Stratford, Ontario, the Accelerator Centre (AC) is a world-renowned, award-winning network of facilities dedicated to developing and commercializing technology startups. The AC provides an essential combination of in-house mentorship, educational programming, facilities, networking, and access to funding and facility services, with a goal of building successful companies. Our in-depth programming, unique accountability model, and long-term view (up to three years) distinguishes us from other accelerators and incubators within the Canadian commercialization landscape. We help entrepreneurs move from start-up to scale-up, accelerate their time to market, and help them attract customers, investment and revenue.

Queen’s is one of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious university, and was established in 1841 by Royal Charter of Queen Victoria. Located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, it is a mid-sized university with faculties, colleges and professional schools, the Agnes Etherington Art Museum, the Isabel Bader Performance Centre, as well as the Bader International Study Centre located in Herstmonceux, East Sussex, United Kingdom. Queen’s balances excellence in undergraduate studies with world class research and graduate programs, making it one of Canada's Ivy League and top 4 schools. Famous alumni include Elon Musk. Queen's University spinoffs include Alliance Atlantis, Technicolor, Vonage and many others.

TechAlliance empowers London and Southwestern Ontarioâ€:tm:s technology sector. They prepare todayâ€:tm:s entrepreneurs to launch new ventures,

Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC is a prominent alternative investment management firm established in 1999, specializing in credit opportunities and special situations. With approximately $5 billion in capital under management, the firm has invested in over 170 portfolio companies through various strategies including debtor-in-possession financing, convertible, and event-driven strategies. Tennenbaum Capital Partners focuses on direct and secondary direct investments in middle market companies across a wide range of industries such as technology, healthcare, energy, and financial services. The firm seeks to address challenges faced by companies through investments ranging from $10 million to $300 million in equity and $10 million to $125 million in debt. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Tennenbaum Capital Partners has additional offices in San Francisco, Atlanta, and New York, maintaining a strong presence in North America while also considering opportunities in Europe.

Torch Capital is a brand-focused early-stage consumer fund investing in the next generation of truly great, mission-driven companies across consumer products and services, marketplaces, ecommerce, health & wellness, digital media, and food & beverage.

ScaleUP Ventures, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Toronto, is a private equity firm specializing in seed to series A-stage technology investments in Canadian companies. The firm focuses on early-stage venture capital, particularly in Business-to-Business opportunities, to support creative entrepreneurs and assist with investments in the technology sector.

NorthSpring Capital Partners is a private equity and venture capital firm based in Cambridge, Canada. Founded in 2009, the firm specializes in providing risk capital to small and medium-sized businesses in Southern Ontario, primarily within a 200 km radius of Toronto. Investments typically range between $250,000 and $1 million in the form of subordinated debt and/or equity, with a focus on manufacturing, processing, wholesale, and distribution industries. NorthSpring takes a flexible approach in tailoring investment structures to fit the unique aspects of each business. The firm seeks to exit investments within one to five years by selling its shares back to management. With a hands-off approach, NorthSpring does not seek control positions or participate in day-to-day operations of its portfolio companies.