Productivity Grant

Are you a startup based in Québec? This is your opportunity to grow.

The Fonds de solidarité FTQ is proud to launch, for the very first time, the Productivity grant — a $10,000 prize awarded to the startup that pushes the boundaries of efficiency. In today’s uncertain economic climate, productivity is more than ever a key competitive advantage. Whether your solution helps optimize processes, integrate new technologies, or transform business models to gain agility — this grant is for you. We aim to support startups that put innovation at the service of performance and sustainable growth. Just like last year, the partner funds of the Fonds will be involved throughout the process with the applicants.

Eligibility Criteria:

To apply for our grant, make sure you meet the following criteria: 

  • Your startup must be incorporated and have its headquarters in Québec;

  • At least one of the founders must work full-time in the startup;

  • Your startup must clearly demonstrate its impact on the productivity of its target client companies — whether through process optimization, automation, performance improvement, or the adoption of new technologies;

  • Your company must be in the pre-seed or seed stage.

 

The Process:

Pitch to the judges! 

Our investor judges will be on the ground, roaming around during the three-day festival. You’ll easily recognize them by their investor judge badges with a green lanyard. 

 You’ll find them at the Fonds de solidarité FTQ table in the Startupfest Village or directly on the site. The beauty of the concept is that you can pitch anywhere and anytime. 

You’ll have a few minutes to present your project to the judges. They can do so in their preferred language: French or English. 

Selection Process: 

Startups have until 5:00 PM on Thursday, July 10th, to present their pitch to the investor judges.

Subsequently, the judges will crown the winning startup during the afternoon closing ceremony. 

This is the very first edition of the Productivity Grant. Who will rise to the challenge?

Good luck to all! 

Judges

Justin Brasier

Justin has been working in the Quebec entrepreneurship market since 2012, where he has served as a lender, an investor in investment funds, and a venture capital investor. He has been involved in the technology sector for the same period and now exclusively focuses on this industry, seeking out promising technology companies on behalf of Fonds de solidarité FTQ.

Nicolas du Parc

As an investor and entrepreneur, Nicolas du Parc has in-depth knowledge of both sides of the industry.  He began his career in 2011 as a venture capital analyst, then specialized in technology transfer to help create companies focused on university intellectual property. Later, he co-founded Moodshine, a company aiming to measure customer experience through emotion recognition. He is now an investor in technology venture capital for the Fonds de solidarité FTQ.

Alexandre Boyer

Alexandre is an investor interested in impact investments and green technologies. Since joining the Fonds de solidarité FTQ in 2017, he has held various positions related to savings, finance and investment. He currently serves as an investment advisor in the IT, energy and environmental sectors. Alexandre has been involved in several financing projects for companies operating in these promising fields. He holds a bachelor’s in business administration (BBA), with a concentration in finance, from ESG UQÀM. Additionally, he is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certified by the CFA Institute.

Simon Bédard

Simon works at the Fonds de solidarité FTQ in impact investments, focusing on venture capital funds and technology companies. He began his career as an auditor at PwC before moving into corporate finance at PME MTL West Island, where he assisted startup entrepreneurs in developing their business plans and seeking funding. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) with a specialization in accounting from the University of Sherbrooke and is a CPA.

Camille Crueghe

Camille is an investor and advisor at the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, where she helps analyze investments in venture capital funds and early-stage companies, with a focus on biotech and medtech businesses. As a young entrepreneur, she founded a ready-to-eat startup and dealt with some of the challenges faced by entrepreneurs from immigrant backgrounds. With a master’s degree (MSc) in finance, she pivoted towards investment, developing strategic partnerships with various capital funding players and helping to set up a venture capital investment platform specifically for companies active in the energy transition and sustainable food sectors.