About The Forge
The Forge is McMaster University's startup incubator in Hamilton, providing mentorship, workspace, founder resources and access to innovation and advanced-manufacturing infrastructure for early-stage ventures.
Operating context
The Forge is McMaster University's incubation route for ventures moving from a validated concept toward a sustainable business. Its Business Incubator expects an MVP, market traction or another significant validation milestone and does not require a McMaster affiliation. The current fall cohort is closed. The Forge takes no equity and offers mentorship, IP, legal and financial guidance, with potential access to programs requiring incubator affiliation. In May 2026 it reported twenty Ontario startups participating in Startup Survivor following a $300,000 IP Ontario program investment; the stated $230,000 prize and funding pool is a program total. Founders should distinguish the next Business Incubator intake from the completed summer competition and confirm eligibility for any associated funding.