Nouvelles

12th Edition of the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest: Spotlighting tomorrow’s innovators

The honorary president, Marc DeSerres, noted the creativity and audacity of this year's participants: “The candidates proved themselves not only by their originality but also by their decision to be respectful toward the environment, in particular, through ecologically responsible projects.” In this year's 12th edition, approximately 25% of the projects submitted were in keeping with sustainable development.

Natacha Jean, President and Director General of the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest, stated, “The Contest is proof that a new generation of entrepreneurs is gaining momentum in all regions of Québec. Their contribution is especially crucial given the current economic situation. Moreover, the provincial Contest winners illustrate the innovative spirit of young Québec entrepreneurs.”

Student Entrepreneurship Division

In the Student Entrepreneurship Division, 67 756 students submitted 2729 projects. The Student Entrepreneurship Division encourages students to create projects that contribute to the development of entrepreneurial values in schools, from the elementary to the university level. This year, more than 8% of young people enrolled in elementary or secondary schools in Québec took part in an entrepreneurship project entered in the Contest.

Business Creation Division

Through its Business Creation Division, the Contest encourages entrepreneurs of all ages who are just starting a business. The division had a record participation rate this year, with a 26% increase compared to last year. A total of 1162 projects were submitted by 1787 candidates. Among them, 62.5% were under 35 years of age and 46.8% were women, which represents a significant increase in the number of young or female entrepreneurs.

In this 12th installment of the Contest, 16 prizes were awarded in the Student Entrepreneurship Division and 24 prizes in the Business Creation Division. In addition, the Regional Commitment Prize, was awarded to the regional organization that most distinguished itself. Considering the grants recently distributed in the 17 regions of Québec and the prizes awarded at the Provincial Grand Prize Gala on June 17, participants in this year's Contest have received almost half a million dollars in total.

And the winners of the top prizes are...

This year, the Défi de l'entrepreneuriat jeunesse Grand Prize, worth $20 000, was awarded to Optika, a business from Laval that, in addition to being a photography studio at the cutting edge of technology, provides a turnkey service for the management agencies of Québec artists touring in Québec, including transportation, logistics and the sale of derivative products. Jury members especially appreciated this entrepreneur's self-confidence, entrepreneurial profile and dynamism in offering a wider variety of services.

The prizes awarded also include the Business Transition Award, given to a business that preserves assets and our collective wealth by taking over an existing business. This year, the prize worth $10 000 was awarded to DIBF inc., a business in the Centre-du-Québec region specializing in the distribution of spray equipment and in innovative solutions, in particular for clients in the woodworking and metals sector. The jury was impressed with the company's well-defined renewal plan and its growth potential, both of which would ensure a smooth transition.

The Contest's provincial organization invites you to consult the complete list of winners, available on the Contest Web site at www.concours-entrepreneur.org - WINNERS.

Regarding the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest

The purpose of the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest is to develop a culture of entrepreneurship in Québec by discovering and recognizing new businesses and entrepreneurial projects in schools and the community at large. The Student Entrepreneurship division encourages students to create projects that contribute to the development of entrepreneurial values in the education community, from elementary school to university. Meanwhile, the contest's Business Creation division encourages entrepreneurs who are in the first stages of launching a business. The Contest is present in all regions of Québec through the committed involvement of hundreds of resource people.

This initiative is made possible by more than forty partners, including the government of Québec, its Défi de l'entrepreneuriat jeunesse, Argent – groupe TVA, Quebecor Média, Rogers, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton and Service Canada.