Universities in Ontario attracted more than $1-billion in private-sector investment over the past three years and supported more than 2,800 startups and spinoff companies in just one of those years, according to a new report from the Council of Ontario Universities.
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Universities → attract → Universities
The new research, set to be published Monday, marks the first time the COU has put a dollar figure on collaborations between the province’s public research universities and private companies.
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COU → publish → universities
“We knew universities were very significant players in attracting capital for research and innovation, but what was striking was the breadth and depth of it,” said Steve Orsini, president of the COU, which represents universities across Canada’s most populous province.
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which → know → province
The council is releasing the report as Prime Minister Mark Carney kicks off a two-day international investment summit on Monday in Toronto, an event designed to shore up Canada’s economy as it fights a trade war started by U.S. President Donald Trump.
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it → release → Trump
Summit organizers hope the conference will attract $500-billion worth of new investments over five years in marquee projects ranging from mines to port expansions to pipelines.
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conference → hope → pipelines
Although universities aren’t participating in the summit, the COU decided to use the moment to quantify the postsecondary education sector’s record of attracting private capital.
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COU → participate → capital
Major projects on offer at the summit will need engineers, geologists, scientists, artificial-intelligence developers and other experts trained at universities, Mr. Orsini said.
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Orsini → need → universities
“These big investments need to be supported by a very strong ecosystem,” he added.
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he → need → ecosystem
“So a lot of our research enterprises are supporting those projects.”
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lot → support → projects
The COU compiled the report by surveying member universities this month, and by drawing on reports to the provincial Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.
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COU → compile → Colleges
That effort led the council to conclude that Ontario universities attracted $1.02-billion in private-sector investment between 2023-24 and 2025-26.
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universities → lead → 2023
The sector established more than 7,500 corporate partnerships in the same period, the research found.
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research → establish → period
The report also said that 2,840 new startups and spinoff companies came out of universities in a single year, 2024-25.
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startups → say → year
University startups and spinoffs secured more than $15-billion in investments from 2023-24 to 2025-26.
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startups → secure → 2025
Susan Tighe, the president and vice-chancellor of McMaster University, said it is “extremely important” that universities tout their partnerships with industry.
“I think universities, generally speaking, have not done a good job in stating what kinds of contributions we’re having to the local economy,” she said.
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she → say → economy
More than 400 companies have been spun out from her Hamilton institution alone, Prof. Tighe said.
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Tighe → spin → institution
The nearby University of Waterloo just cracked the top 10 in Pitchbook’s international rankings of the best schools for entrepreneurs.
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University → crack → entrepreneurs
Pitchbook, a market tracking company, counts the number of alumni entrepreneurs whose businesses have raised venture capital money in the past 10 years to produce its list.
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businesses → track → list
Waterloo placed seventh globally in the 2026 rankings, released last week – the first time a Canadian school made the top 10.
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school → place → top
Eight Canadian schools made the top 100, including the University of Toronto at number 17 and McGill at 23.
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schools → make → 23
The Aporia
