Two entrepreneurial paths in clean technologies and cybersecurity will be established by Polytechnique Montréal; existing entrepreneurial paths will also benefit. (Photo: Caroline Perron photographs)

Cléo Ascher, Head of Polytechnique Montreal’s Bureau de soutien à l’entrepreneuriat (BSE) enthusiastically notes, "This is great news for Polytechnique and the entrepreneurial community. On one hand, this funding represents recognition of what’s already been accomplished, but it also represents confidence in Polytechnique Montréal and its ability to play a distinctive role in technology-based start-ups."

The $600,000 funding over two years (from the Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation du Québec and the City of Montreal), will be used primarily to establish two new entrepreneurial paths, one specializing in clean technologies and the other focused on cybersecurity, as of next Autumn. Some of the funds will also bolster existing entrepreneurial programs.

The two new programs will enable entrepreneurs from across Québec to benefit from Polytechnique Montréal’s strength of expertise – just as they have with the sustainable mobility based trajet-m. "Participants will benefit from our professors’ and researchers’ knowledge and advice, in addition to having access to our labs and specialized facilities. They’ll also have privileged access to the industrial partners who are involved in these new entrepreneurial paths - partners who’ll perhaps become first customers," comments Cléo Ascher.

Embarking on this new entrepreneurial journey, participants will engage in a series of practical and interactive workshops with professionals from Montréal’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Professional support and mentoring sessions are also in the works.

"Everything is in place to create a pool of high-potential business projects," adds BSE Head, Ascher.
 

Cléo Ascher, Head of the Bureau de soutien à l’entrepreneuriat.

Two promising sectors

By supporting technological projects at their pre-launch or start-up stage, Polytechnique Montréal will help feed the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem by encouraging nascent, high-potential projects – something that represents a key role in overall ecosystem dynamics.

Cléo Ascher thoughtfully remarks: “There was clearly a need there that had to be met. With our entrepreneurial training path project offer, we’re hoping to assist numerous entrepreneurs to take their projects from the idea stage to their first sale."

Selecting clean technologies and cybersecurity was not a haphazard choice. According to the leader of Polytechnique’s BSE, these aforementioned sectors offer strong entrepreneurial potential, and this, reinforced by COVID-19’s effects and their resulting economic, political, and societal changes. She explains, “The pandemic has accelerated the use of digital technologies, and with this digital ubiquity comes an increased need for cybersecurity. Further governments are expected to stimulate economic recovery through investments in green technologies. "

These two sectors were selected based on the expertise available at Polytechnique Montréal, Ascher emphasizes. “By involving our experts in the development of these projects, we hope to have a positive impact on Québec society, and to help stimulate the development of our economy in these swiftly growing sectors. "

Simultaneously, the BSE intends to continue to stimulate Polytechnique Montréal entrepreneurship overall, with a range of interesting pathways exclusive to its own community members. In addition to the GéniD course, the engineering university’s students and professors will once again have the opportunity to participate in the ValiD path, as well as "from lab to market" internships.

The BSE team is now looking for a Program Manager for the cybersecurity and clean technologies pathways, as well as an entrepreneur-in-residence in the field of clean technologies to contribute to this new pathway’s success.

Learn more

Bureau de soutien à l’entrepreneuriat
City of Montréal communiqué
Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation communiqué