Increase probability of success

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage science- and technology-based companies.

High School Girls Program

CDL Super Session

CDL-Global Staff

Advisory Board

Libra Association

 

The Program involves:

Mentorship from select entrepreneurs and angel investors: the CDL Fellows and Associates

Intensive full-day sessions with the Fellows and Associates take place every eight weeks with the purpose of assessing progress and setting new short-term objectives.

See all mentors ›

Opportunities to raise capital

Meetings are attended by the Fellows and Associates, a carefully selected group of exited entrepreneurs, angel investors, and partners from leading venture capital firms who often invest in ventures that demonstrate a track record of achieving their objectives.

Advice on technology roadmaps from CDL’s Chief Scientists

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 development support from top MBA students

MBA students work with founders to develop financial models, evaluate potential markets, and fine-tune strategies for scaling. 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. All Alumni Companies ▶︎

CDL operates 8 streams

Artificial Intelligence

Blockchain

Energy

Health

Oceans

Prime

Quantum

Space

 

Eight locations globally

The CDL operates five sites in Canada, one in the United States and two in Europe. Launched in 2012 at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, the program has now expanded with locations in Vancouver (Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia), Calgary (Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary), Montreal (HEC Montréal), Halifax (Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie University), Oxford (Saïd Business School, University of Oxford), Paris (HEC Paris) and Atlanta (Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology). 

CDL-Rockies

Calgary

CDL-Atlantic

Halifax

CDL-Montreal

Montreal

CDL-Oxford

Oxford

CDL-Toronto

Toronto

CDL-West

Vancouver

 

“The most valuable thing a person has is time, and it is a privilege that the Partners alongside the CDL Mentors have given us their time so that our company could break through to something of value.”

Jackson Wyatt, Morgan Wyatt, Adil Qawi & Armance Bartold

Co-founders of Greenlid

“Through the Lab, we connected with investors who have since become valuable advisers. Having access to the experience and judgment of those who have done this all before has been tremendously helpful.”

Brendan Frey

CEO and Cofounder, Deep Genomics

“The breadth and depth of insight that we were given access to was phenomenal.”

Karl Martin

Founder, Nymi

“When Chen Fong first described the CDL and recommended we apply, he did so under the premise that CDL was the most impressive collection of great people he had experienced all together in one place. Now, as graduates of CDL, we would like to reinforce this belief.”

Glen Lehmann

CEO, Cohesic Inc.

The CDL provides an environment within which startups can find the right priorities, be coached into achieving those goals, and parlay those successes into the grit and determination necessary to run the entrepreneurial gauntlet.

Benjamin Alarie, Brett Janssen, Anthony Niblett & Albert Yoon

Blue J Legal

 

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