Value proposition

Creative Destruction Lab's mission is to enhance the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind.

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

CDL’s mission is to enhance the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind.

The nine-month program employs an objectives-based mentoring process to enhance the performance of technical founders who learn from the insights of experienced entrepreneurs, with the goal of maximizing equity-value creation.

The program combines 5 elements to help companies transition from science projects to scalable and financeable companies:
- An emphasis on objective-setting, helping companies focus on what’s most important to their business
- Focused mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs who have founded, led, and sold significant tech companies
- Technical advice from world-leading scientists, engineers, and economists
- Hands-on support from top business students, who embed within the company to provide business support
- Opportunities to raise capital, including angels and VCs from Europe and North America

Founded by Professor Ajay Agrawal in 2012 at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, the program has expanded to 13 sites across seven countries: Oxford, Seattle, Paris, Atlanta, Madison, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Berlin, Estonia, and Melbourne.

The successful commercialization of cutting-edge science and technology achieved through the program has led to the creation of over CAD $32 billion in equity value.

General Technology, Energy, Health, Space, Supply Chain, Oceans, Quantum, Artificial Intelligence, Startup Support, Incubator, Climate, Matter, Materials, Risk Management, Commerce, Innovation, Commercialization, Digital Society, Risk, FinTech, and Blockchain