This is the track for undergraduate students. Judges, entrepreneurs and business leaders mentor students making their first steps as entrepreneurs.

• $14,000 in cash prizes and awards
• Deliverables: 10-minute investor pitch presentation, executive summary, financials and 60-second elevator pitch
• Travel subsidy of up to $1,000 per team available
• No fees to apply or compete

This is the track for graduate (masters, doctoral) students. 

• $14,000 in cash prizes and awards
• Deliverables: 10-minute investor pitch presentation, executive summary, financials and 60-second elevator pitch
• Travel subsidy of up to $1,000 per team available
• No fees to apply or compete

General eligibility

The BMO Apex Startup Challenge is for new, independent ventures in the seed, start-up, or early growth stages run by students.

• Applicants can register as an individual or in a team consisting of up to four members.
• Team members may be enrolled in any degree program.
• Teams may be comprised of students from different post-secondary institutions anywhere in Canada.
• All team members must be residents of Canada or the United States. Awards can only be provided to team members who hold a bank account at a Canadian or U.S. financial institution. All awards are paid in Canadian Dollars and are subject to relevant taxes.
• Teams are required to compete in the Track dictated by the highest educational level in the group.
  • For example, if a team consists of two undergraduate members and one graduate member, the team is required to compete in the Graduate Track
• Team members must have personally conducted the business plan analysis and prepared the presentation, pitch, and any other deliverables.
• Companies do not have to be incorporated.
• At least one member must attend Apex in person for the entirety of the event.

Undergraduate team eligibility

• All members must be full or part-time undergraduate students or recent graduates (graduated after May 1, 2024).

Graduate team eligibility

• All members must be full or part time students or recent graduates (graduated after May 1, 2024).
• At least one member must be enrolled in a graduate program (master's or doctorate)

Selection

This is a competitive event. A panel will review all applications and select the top participants to present in the BMO Apex Startup Challenge.

Executive summary

A one-page (maximum) executive summary. Examples to use as a guide: Syracuse University, Rice University.

Financials

Financial projections for a three-year period in any format that best demonstrates your venture’s financial potential. One-page maximum.

Investment presentation slides

PowerPoint or Keynote slide deck, 10-15 slides. Presentations are maximum of ten minutes, plus ten minutes question and answer period. A good guide for your investment presentation is the Kawasaki pitch deck or Sequoia pitch deck.

Elevator pitch

60-second verbal pitch delivered behind a podium with a mic to a large audience. No slide deck. No question and answer period.

Timing of deliverables

When your team applies, you will submit your executive summary, financials, and investment presentation slides. If you are accepted to compete, you may submit an updated executive summary and financials up to Jan. 16.

You will bring your final investment presentation with you to Apex, which may be updated before and at any time during the event. Your elevator pitch does not need to be submitted at any time.

Investment presentation prizes

Student track: Undergraduate

• First place: $8,000
• Second place: $4,000
• Third place: $2,000

Student track: Graduate

• First place: $8,000
• Second place: $4,000
• Third place: $2,000 

Elevator pitch prizes

• First place: $1,000
• Second place: $500
• Third place: $250
• Viewer’s choice: $250

Theme awards

Additional theme-based awards will be provided to selected teams.

Location

The BMO Apex Startup Challenge will be held at the Wu Conference Centre at the University of New Brunswick.

Travel subsidy

In addition to group rates on a downtown Fredericton hotel, Apex provides cash travel subsidies of up to $1,000 to teams traveling from outside Fredericton. Your university may also provide their own travel subsidy. Please see the Apex Competitor's Guide (Appendix) for full details.

Schedule

Final schedule to be provided in January 2026.

Thursday, Jan. 22

• TBD | Practice and qualifier rounds
• TBD | Lunch break
• TBD | Qualifier round continues
• TBD | Elevator pitch competition and networking
• TBD | Finalists announced

Friday, Jan. 23

• TBD | Wildcard round
• TBD | Lunch
• TBD | Final round
• TBD | Reception and awards presentations

• Oct. 24, 2025 | Noon AT | Apex virtual info session - Register now
• Nov. 14, 2025 | 11:59 p.m. AT | Early bird application deadline (draw for $250)
• Dec. 1, 2025 | 11:59 p.m. AT | Final application deadline
• Dec. 11, 2025 | Final selections announced
• Dec. 18, 2025 | Teams commit to attend
• Jan. 8, 2026 | Virtual orientation to Apex (1 Hour)
• Jan 16, 2026 | Deadline to submit revised financials and/or executive summary (optional)

One member of your team should be the main contact throughout Apex. This team member completes the online application by:

1. Reading the complete Apex competitor's guidebook
2. Completing the survey questions
3. Uploading your draft investment presentation slide deck (The slide deck you submit on the application does not have to be your final and may be updated for your presentations at Apex)
4. Uploading your company logo (JPG or PNG version)
5. Uploading your company summary (50 - 100 word synopsis of your startup)

There are no fees to apply or to compete (teams must cover their own travel costs to attend). Once an application is submitted, no changes can be made.

Apply now

Selection process

Entry into the BMO Apex Startup Challenge is competitive. Twenty four (twelve undergraduate teams and twelve graduate teams) will be selected from all applications to compete in January.

Invitation to compete

Confirmation to compete

Invited teams will have until Dec. 18, 2025, to confirm their participation.

• First place | $8,000 | Seline – Mount Allison University
  Seline is a reproductive clinic-lab hybrid focused on contraception-matching and endocrine care.
  
  
• Second place | $4,000 | Hexoris – University of New Brunswick

  Hexoris is developing an ultra-low carbon anode materials manufacturing process for lithium-ion batteries by converting waste biomass into high-performance synthetic graphite, which is a core component of EV batteries.

• Third place | $2,000 | Niavra – University of New Brunswick

  Niavra’s Vector is a rugged handheld two-puck baseline tool that delivers fast and reliable slope, distance, and elevation readings on uneven terrain using coordinated UWB, IMU, and barometric sensing, thereby reducing repeated measurements and saving time and money for constructions crews.

• First place | $8,000 | Wonder Guard – McMaster University
  Wonder Guard is an AI-powered catheter adaptor system that uses electrochemical biosensors to detect and predict oncoming urinary tract infections.
  
  

• Second place | $4,000 | CELLECT Laboratories Inc. – University of Waterloo
  CELLECT Laboratories Inc. makes gynecological diagnostics non-invasive and accessible by turning routine menstruation and vaginal fluid into lab ready samples.
  
  

• Third place | $2,000 | JTCipher – University of Waterloo
  

  JTCipher is a leading software company revolutionizing stone business inventory management.

First Place ($1,000):
CELLECT Laboratories Inc. – University of Waterloo

Second Place ($500):
Is This A Scam – St. Francis Xavier University

Third Place ($250):
Safe Mail Inc. – University of New Brunswick

Viewer's Choice ($250):
Operio – Dalhousie University & Queen’s University