Are you a startup in Quebec? This is your chance to shine! The Fonds de solidarité FTQ is excited to once again launch the Impact grant, a $25,000 prize reserved for the most innovative impact startup. We celebrate the boldness and creativity of startups that aim to create a better future for everyone. Candidates for the grant will be automatically added to the pipeline of our partner funds: Accelia Capital, AQC Capital, i4 Capital, Amorchem and Theodorus.
Impact Grant
Eligibility Criteria:
To apply for our grant, make
- 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 demonstrate its positioning as an impact-driven enterprise, aiming for both fi
nancial performance and positive impact on environmental and/or social aspects. This impact should align with at least one of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. - 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 11th, to present their pitch to the investor judges.
Subsequently, the judges will crown the winning startup during
Last year, it was the company Iris+Arlo that took the prize. Who will be next?
Good luck to everyone!
Judges
Nicolas du Parc
As an investor and entrepreneur, Nicolas du Parc has a deep understanding of both sides of the industry. His career began in 2011 as a venture capital analyst, before focusing on tech transfer, to help create startups based on university intellectual property. Later, he co-founded Moodshine, a company dedicated to measuring customer experience through emotion recognition. He now serves as a technology venture capital investor for Fonds de solidarité FTQ.
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.
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.
Nadine Carney
Nadine specializes in energy, environment and cleantech impact investing. Before joining the Fonds de Solidarité FTQ, Nadine worked as a senior consultant in transaction services at KPMG, after transitioning from a role as a venture capital funds controller. Currently, Nadine serves as an investment advisor in the energy and environment sector. She holds a bachelor’s in business administration (BBA), with a concentration in finance, from the Université de Sherbrooke, as well as an MBA from Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. She also holds a CPA designation (CPA Ontario).
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.
Hugo Gamache
An investor with a keen interest in venture capital and fund management, Hugo began his career at Deloitte in 2021 as an auditor before moving into business valuation. He joined the Fonds de solidarité FTQ as an investment analyst on the fund management team and has since participated in a number of investments in this area, notably in venture capital. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration (BBA), with a concentration in accounting, from HEC Montréal. He is currently a CPA candidate and is working towards earning his CBV (Chartered Business Valuator) designation.