The University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business has announced it is partnering with the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) to launch the Western Canadian version of CDL, a seed-stage program initiated through the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. The program will provide early-stage tech companies with access to startup advisors and angel investors to help the companies scale and grow.
“By partnering with UBC Sauder, we will magnify the impact of CDL.”
– Rachel Harris
CDL, which began in 2012 to provide milestone based coaching to startups, has supported several emerging startups, including computer-human interface company Thalmic Labs, which recently announced $158 million in funding, and Vertical.ai. Companies that have participated in CDL’s program have gone on to generate over $800 million in funding.
CDL-West will focus on scalable high-tech startups, who will receive support from UBC’s dedicated business and science faculty, as well as access to venture capital. While some ventures will originate at UBC, the program will also support startups from other universities in the western region.
“By partnering with UBC Sauder, we will magnify the impact of CDL by drawing in ventures from one of the country’s other leading research universities and B.C.’s burgeoning startup scene to further build the country’s tech sector and the opportunities for job creation it provides,” said Rachel Harris, the director of CDL.
CDL, which uses a goal-setting model to encourage startups to hit several targets over the course of nine months, is hoping that some companies that succeed in CDL-West will be accepted into Rotman CDL’s machine learning specialist track, which is designed to support companies that use artificial intelligence. In its second year, CDL-West will launch its own specialist track for an area of strength at UBC.
CDL-West has begun an application process for its first cohort of ventures, who will begin the program in January 2017. Interested ventures can submit applications here.