Upcoming Events at IMI

The Institute for Management and Innovation is proud to offer events and programming to our community partners, students, staff, faculty, and members of the public.  Review the events below, and please feel welcome to register!  We look forward to having you with us.

For questions or clarification, please reach out to us at: imi@utoronto.ca.

Upcoming Events:

ICUBE Artificial Intelligence Innovation Challenge: New era of value-driven AI

Date: Registration closes November 11, 2024.

The Artificial Intelligence Innovation Challenge in partnership with Weston Forest, is a competition dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence through student-industry collaboration. This challenge aims to bring together bright minds from diverse disciplines, encouraging innovative AI solutions to help find new revenue opportunities for Weston Forest.

Learn more and register

ICUBE Sustainable Innovation Challenge

Date: Registration closes November 11, 2024.

The Sustainability Innovation Challenge in partnership with Sobeys Inc., is a competition dedicated to advancing sustainability through student-industry collaboration. This challenge aims to bring together bright minds from diverse disciplines, encouraging innovative solutions to address pressing sustainability challenges faced by Sobeys.

Together, we can create a more sustainable future for all.

Learn more and register

robot hand

Sixth Annual 2024-2025 IMI BIGDataAIHUB Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Competition

Event style: Hybrid, with in-person presentations

Date: Registration opens October 22.  Competition culminates March 22, 2025.

The IMI BIGDataAIHUB Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Competition is designed as a developmental opportunity for students to gain additional hands-on exposure to big data and artificial intelligence through real-world data - with the chance to win $30,000 in cash prizes. This is a multi-faceted competition open to graduate students and undergrads with big data/AI experience from any academic discipline in any year of their academic career at the University of Toronto.

Learn more and register

IMI grad open house

IMI Grad Open House

Event style: In Person

Date: Saturday, November 16th, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm

Learn more about all of our professional graduate degrees.

Meet current students, staff & faculty, and tour our beautiful campus!

Learn more and register

mmpa

MMPA Info Sessions

Event style: Online (Zoom)

Date: Ongoing throughout the year

U of T Mississauga’s MMPA program draws talented students from ANY undergraduate degree and provides an integrated, experiential learning environment; including paid co-op work terms, a core MBA curriculum and an accredited CPA pathway. MMPA has become a leader in business AI and data analytics and prepares graduates for the changing world we live in. The MMPA recruitment team will cover admissions, student life, co-op, financial aid, the application process, and host a Q&A to answer any questions you have about the MMPA program.

Learn more and register

Past Events:

hand with teacups

Steeping Succcess: A Virtual Tea Session for Indigenous Entrepreneurs

Event style: Virtual

Date: Thursday, August 29, 12:00 pm, with more dates to come.

We are excited to announce that Redbird Circle Inc., in partnership with ICUBE at University of Toronto will continue to offer virtual coaching and mentorship sessions for Indigenous Entrepreneurs on an ongoing basis until mid-fall. This means you will have continuous access to mentorship and coaching to help you progress with your business ventures!

masterclass graphic with hands on paper

ICUBE: Masterclass on product development and prototyping

Event style: Online

Date: June 4, 2:00 - 3:00 pm

Get ready to dive deep into product development and prototyping in our hands-on masterclass!Join us for an insightful masterclass led by Dayyan Shahid, the founder of DSME Global, a renowned software development company specializing in product development. This session is tailored for startups eager to excel in the realm of product development and prototyping.

Learn more and register

Elephant

IMI BIGDataAIHUB: The 2024 Fighting Crime with Big Data & Artificial Intelligence Conference: The Illegal Wildlife Trade

Event style: In Person

Date: Saturday, March 23, 11:30 am - 5:00 pm

This year’s conference will address the Illegal Wildlife Trade, a USD $20 billion problem that is devastating wildlife and the environment, as well as funding organized crime, money laundering, and terrorism activities. 

Learn more and register

 

PUrple Box

IMIx Professional Development Program: Certificate in Data Analytics

Event style: Virtual

Dates: One half-day / week. March 15 – April 26, 2024
(there is no class on March 29, 2024)

This program is designed to help professionals maximize the use of data analytics to perform their jobs more effectively.Participants will learn about the methods and techniques of data analytics, the problems inherent in big data analysis, and the potential of using software that learns or improves its analytical approach with minimal or no assistance. No statistical or technical background is required.
 

Learn more and register

Pink box

IMIx Professional Development Program: Certificate in Effective Management of People

Event style: Virtual

Dates: 2 full-day sessions & 2 half-day sessions, once a week. February 9 – March 1, 2024.

The skills and requirements of a successful individual contributor and those of a manager are vastly different. This program’s main goal is to bridge this gap and make the transition for first-time managers more seamless. This program will enable you to deliver lasting value across your career, your team, and your organization.   

Learn more and register

Blue box

IMx Professional Development Program: Certificate in Governance & Ethics

Event style: Virtual
Dates: 1 half-day / week. February 8 – March 7, 2024.

This program will help you build the competencies needed to effectively navigate your compliance, governance, and risk management responsibilities. It will cover crucial topics using key cases to illustrate the practical aspects that managers, executives, and directors need to take into account to avoid disaster and gain stakeholder support.

Learn more and register

Man in front of blue backgorund

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series 

Census Data For Your Community

February 14, 2024 @ 12:00 pm

Event Style: Virtual

This session, presented by Paul Laffin from Statistics Canada, will provide you with a snapshot of the housing, household and overall demographic portrait from the 2021 Census of Population results.

Watch the on-demand recording

blue honeycomb graphic

ICUBE: Understanding Intellectual Property (IP) and Copyrights

January 29, 2024 @ 3:10 pm
 
Event Style: In Person
 
Join us for an insightful workshop on Understanding Intellectual Property (IP) and Copyrights, presented by ICUBE and Bereskin & Parr LLP.
woman in blue suit on blue background

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series 

Accelerating precision medicine for Canadians through big data and artificial intelligence.

January 24, 2024 @ 12:00 pm

Event Style: Virtual

Precision medicine is a framework for cancer care that targets the unique genetic characteristics of each cancer patient's tumour. Explore new ways to collect, share and analyze clinical and genomic data with advanced AI in hopes to revolutionize cancer treatment for Canadians.

Watch the on-demand recording

woman talking about MMPA admissions

MMPA Online Sessions: Admissions

September 12, 2023 - January 29, 2024, weekly 

Event Style: Virtual 

U of T Mississauga’s MMPA program draws talented students from ANY undergraduate degree and provides an integrated, experiential learning environment; including paid co-op work terms, an MBA curriculum and an accredited CPA pathway. MMPA has become a leader in business AI and data analytics and prepares graduates for the changing world we live in. Learn more by attending a virtual information session.

 

2023 Events

ICUBE

ICUBE: Tax Season Special

February 15, 2023 @ 5:30 - 6:30 pm

Event Style: Virtual

Attend this Tax Season Special with a Chartered Accountant to learn about general reporting obligations as an entrepreneur. The session will follow a casual Q&A, conversational format. Pop into this virtual chat to have your inquires answered! 

ICUBE

ICUBE: Sauga Pitch

February 16, 2023 @ 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Event Style: In Person - IDEA, 100 City Centre Dr. Mississauga, Ontario

Join us for Peel’s 2023 Flagship Startup Pitch Competition! Watch finalists compete for prize money, see examples of how the pitching process works, and understand what to expect from investors and interested parties. This partnered event is facilitated by ICUBE at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), Sheridan College’s EDGE Entrepreneurship Hub, and IDEA Mississauga, who are all delighted to support entrepreneurs’ innovative concepts.

Shane

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series – Data Privacy and Cybersecurity

February 16, 2023 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Event Style: Virtual

The way we leverage big data and AI continues to reshape the way work is done across all industries, and cybersecurity is no exception. Whether it be in threat prevention, hacker identification, or post-facto damage analysis, big data and machine learning techniques are becoming increasingly popular and pervasive in the ways cybersecurity and legal professionals approach tackling cyber incidents. In this seminar, join BLG’s Shane Morganstein (Associate, Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Protection group) as he shares stories from the cybersecurity war room, and insights into how big data, machine learning, and AI are helping to transform how organizations respond to increasingly complex cyber incidents.

Watch the on-demand recording

Laura and Kyle

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series – Technology and the Law: Corporate Strategy and Intellectual Property Basics

March 1, 2023 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Event Style: Virtual

New advancements in technology constantly challenge the area of intellectual property law, including the onset of rights in digital assets like software and data. It is critical to ensure that intellectual property is properly protected, not only does it help a business stand out from a competitor, but it is no secret that many early-stage companies show strength with a well-managed IP portfolio, including patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyright. Join us for this interactive seminar co-presented by LaBarge Weinstein LLP’s Kyle Lavender, partner in the firm’s corporate group, and Laura Crimi, an associate in the firm’s technology group, where they will share their first-hand experience advising early-stage technology companies on the ins-and-outs of protecting intangible assets and navigating day-to-day corporate needs.

Watch the on-demand recording

ICUBE

ICUBE: Pitch with a Twist

March 8 @ 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Event Style:  In Person

PITCH showcases innovation and entrepreneurship from University of Toronto and our greater community. Focusing on early-stage ventures, we bring together innovators from a variety of sectors to pitch their businesses for cash prizes and in-kind support. 

Anish Verma's Session

BIGDataAIHUB: Quantum Computing: Overview and Applications in Finance

March 13, 2023 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Event Style: Virtual

An accessible overview of quantum computing highlighting recent advances in the industry will be given, with applied examples of how quantum algorithms can be used to solve applied problems in finance. In particular, a quantum machine learning framework to solve a credit scoring problem and a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm to solve a portfolio optimization problem are demonstrated. The talk will also feature an interactive Q&A session to answer any questions the audience has about quantum computing in general and its current and near-term applications

Watch the on-demand recording

Financial Crimes

BIGDataAIHUB: Fighting Crime with Big Data Conference

March 25, 2023 @ 11:30 am - 5:00 pm

Event Style: In Person - UTM Campus

Global experts will be discussing the ways in which big data and artificial intelligence are being used to fight money laundering and human trafficking.  An estimated USD $2 trillion in illegal funds is laundered every year around the globe.These funds represent the proceeds of crime. In the case of human trafficking, these crimes include sexual exploitation, forced labour (slavery), organ removal, sale of children and more.

SustainabiltiY Week

Love + Sustainability: A Panel

Monday March 13th @ 9:00-10:30am

Event Style - In Person: UTM, KN 137

In memory of the loss of Professor Barbara Murck and Rose Mary Craig, we will be dedicating this year’s Sustainability Week to these two fierce advocates of both love and sustainability. As such, we will be opening Sustainability Week on Monday March 13th with a panel discussion on Love + Sustainability. Join Professors Shashi Kant, Stephen Scharper, Andrea Olive, and Blake Poland to discuss why both Love and Sustainability are two sides of the same coin.

 All are welcome and light refreshments will be served. 

UTM Building

Frontiers in the Economics of Markets and Organizations Workshop

May 12, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Event Style:  In Person

This workshop invites a diverse group of world-renowned scholars to present cutting edge research to faculty and students from the University of Toronto and other academic institutions in the Toronto area. The objective of the workshop is to engage the local academic community with ideas at the frontier of economics and management research, which address the social, psychological, technological, and structural determinants of market response and market failure in our changing world.

More information here.

GPT 4 graphic with man in blue jacket

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series – GPT-4 Use Cases for Enterprise

May 18, 2023 @ 12:00 pm

Event Style: Virtual

Aaqib Azeem (VP, Strategy and Innovation at Wysdom) will introduce ChatGPT for the enterprise, and present three sample use cases of how companies today are tapping into this innovative technology to fast track chatbot development, and build more engaging virtual agent experiences for their customers.

Watch the on-demand recording

AI in healthcare graphic with man in suit and glasses

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series – AI in Healthcare: A Canadian Context

June 7, 2023 @ 9:00 - 10:30 am

Event Style: Virtual

The rise of AI & its implications for the Canadian healthcare landscape are significant. With the rise of large language models like Chat GPT and concerns around safety and regulations, what can we come to expect in the Canadian context? How will this shift policy and ultimately delivery of care?

Members of CPA Ontario may receive CPD credits for attending the seminar.

Watch the on-demand recording

Prompt Engineering graphic with two men

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series – Prompt Engineering

June 22, 2023 @ 12:00 - 1:30 pm

Event Style: Virtual

Do you want to make GPT-3.5, and GPT-4 do cool things with just a few words? Then you need to learn prompt engineering, the skill of writing magic words that make these models happy. In this session, you will learn how to write prompts that work, how to avoid prompts that don't, and how to make your own chatbot that talks like a human (or an alien, or a cat, or whatever you want).

You will also get to play with the OpenAI API and see what these models can do. Join us for a fun and interactive session on prompt engineering, and become a wizard of words! 

Watch the on-demand recording

Responsible AI graphic with woman in gray shirt

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series – Responsible AI

July 12, 2023 @ 12:00 - 1:30 pm

Event Style: Virtual

An accessible overview of quantum computing highlighting recent advances in the industry will be given, with applied examples of how quantum algorithms can be used to solve applied problems in finance. In particular, a quantum machine learning framework to solve a credit scoring problem and a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm to solve a portfolio optimization problem are demonstrated. The talk will also feature an interactive Q&A session to answer any questions the audience has about quantum computing in general and its current and near-term applications.

Watch the on-demand recording

Man with glasses talking about synthetic data

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series - Synthetic Data

September 20, 2023 @ 12:00 – 1:30 pm via Zoom

Event Style: Virtual

Did you know that according to The State of Synthetic Data Survey by KDnuggets, 28% of AI practitioners say a lack of data access is the main reason for failed AI projects? Of the same cohort surveyed, over 80% report wanting to work with synthetic data and 72% plan to adopt invest in the next three years. In this presentation, we'll discuss the latest advancements in synthetic data, and why synthetic data is a key component in the future of AI. We'll also discuss Arima's contribution to the space and how the Synthetic Society has changed the field of consumer analytics.

Watch the on-demand recording

Man in front of housing talking about big data

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series - Housing is the number one issue in Mississauga: Telling the story through data 

October 4, 2023 @ 12:00 – 1:30 pm via Zoom

Event Style: Virtual

The City of Mississauga has always been compiling a robust data set on development and housing. But historically not much was done with it. This presentation will show how the city is making the data accessible to the public and the story it tells.

Join Jason Bevan for this timely discussion.  Jason is the Director of City Planning Strategies for the City of Mississauga. He is responsible for planning and housing policy and data.

Watch the on-demand recording

Sustainability Wheel

STTPA Conference: 

Sustainability: Transdisciplinary Theory, Practice and Action

October 11 - 13, 2023

Event Style: In Person

The Sustainability: Transdisciplinary Theory, Practice, and Action (STTPA) Conference engages transdisciplinary and intersectoral dialogue on the pressing issues, solutions, and actions for confronting the wicked problems and move towards greater sustainability. STTPA brings together voices of all stakeholders, such as academics, practitioners, policy makers, governments, Indigenous people, and civil society to create evidence-based and action-oriented agendas for transdisciplinary research, policy, practice, and action.

Three men in suits talking about data and market integrity

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series - How the OSC leverages data and collaboration for market integrity

October 25, 2023 @ 12:00 – 1:30 pm via Zoom

Event Style: Virtual

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) works to protect investors, foster fair and efficient markets, and contribute to the stability of the financial system by monitoring compliance with rules governing the capital markets in Ontario. In this seminar, we will discuss the types of investigations the Enforcement Branch of the OSC works on, with real-life examples, the type of data we use and how we leverage that data to fulfill our mandate efficiently and effectively. We will also discuss how close collaboration between the forensic accountants and data scientists from the onset of an investigation is key and how technologies can assist in uncovering wrongdoing.

Watch the on-demand recording

Blue square with woman in admissions to mbiotech

MBiotech Admissions: Weekly Coffee Chat

Tuesdays, September 26 - November 21

Event Style: Virtual

If you are a prospective student, interested in our MBiotech Program, please join us for a Coffee Chat with the MBiotech Admission’s Team. The sessions are open on Zoom for one hour. You can join the session for the whole hour or just a few minutes. Register in September to reserve your spot, then join us online and ask your questions! All times are in Eastern Time.

IMI Grad Open House

IMI Grad Open House

November 18, 2023 @ 9:30 am - 12:00 pm

Event Style: In Person

Learn more about all of our professional graduate degrees.

Meet current students, staff & faculty, and tour our beautiful campus!

Man on green background

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series - ESG Reporting

Scott Morrison, Partner, ESG and Sustainability, PwC Canada

November 22, 2023 @ 1:00 pm via Zoom

Organizations need to take cross functional approaches to address rising stakeholder expectations through investor-grade integrated financial and ESG reporting. 

Through this session, you will be able to explore the maturity of the global marketplace with ESG reporting, including incoming ESG regulations. You will also learn about how ESG data, technology solutions and AI are becoming more and more common in our ways of working.

Watch the on-demand recording

Man on mountains background

BIGDataAIHUB: Seminar Series - AI in Climate Action: Challenges, Opportunities and Recommendations

David Rolnick, McGill University

November 29, 2023 @ 12:00 pm via Zoom

AI can be a powerful tool in helping society reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate, from optimizing electrical grids to monitoring land cover and crop yield.

In this presentation, we will explore opportunities and challenges in AI-for-climate, as well as policy levers by which governments can facilitate such work. We will also consider ways that AI is contributing to climate change, and how to better align the use of AI overall with climate goals.

Watch the on-demand recording