Strengthening the K-12 Connection: Creating Value Through the InnovED Accelerator

A recent visit brought this to life. Toronto District School Board students, led by educator David Oppenheimer, came to the University of Toronto Entrepreneurship True Blue Expo to meet founders and innovators from InnovED and the broader U of T entrepreneurship community. The students were preparing for Junior Achievement’s Pitch Your Vision program, and rather than learning about entrepreneurship from a textbook, they got to talk directly with people who are building the future of education right now.

The impact runs in both directions.

For students, meeting real founders demystifies entrepreneurship. They see how ideas evolve through creativity, research, failure, and persistence, and begin to imagine what’s possible for themselves.

For educators like David, these connections open doors. Exposure to emerging innovations and the people behind them helps bring richer, more relevant experiences into the classroom.

And for InnovED members, the interactions are genuinely useful, not just feel-good outreach. Direct feedback from students and educators helps entrepreneurs test assumptions, refine their thinking, and stay grounded in the real challenges schools face every day.

This is what a healthy innovation ecosystem looks like: not just startups pitching on a stage, but practitioners and builders learning from each other in ways that make everyone’s work better.

As InnovED grows, deepening these K-12 relationships remains central to the mission. The accelerator’s value isn’t only in the ventures it supports; it’s in the connections it makes possible.

 

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By Joe Romano
Associate Director, Learning Innovation & Continuous Improvement,
OISE Continuing & Professional Learning

March 12, 2026

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