Creative Destruction Lab

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a global nonprofit seed-stage program for massively scalable, science- and technology-based companies, founded in 2012 by Professor Ajay Agrawal at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. CDL employs an objectives-based mentoring process delivered by accomplished entrepreneurs, angel investors, economists, and scientists to help founders prioritize tasks, de-risk their businesses, and maximize their probability of success. Unlike traditional accelerators, CDL takes no equity and charges no fees, operating across 16 locations in six countries including Toronto, Vancouver, Paris, Berlin, Seattle, and Melbourne. Portfolio companies have collectively generated over CAD $51 billion in equity value since the program's inception.