MONTRÉAL, June 22, 2021 – Desjardins Group, North America’s largest financial cooperative, is collaborating with Bonjour Startup Montréal and Centech to launch an open innovation program aimed at finding Canadian startups with solutions to challenges facing the manufacturing sector.
The program will allow the selected startups to present their solution at an event that will bring together several manufacturing companies and members of Desjardins. Startups will have the chance to make a business proposal to these members at the end of the program.
“The pandemic exposed some of the vulnerabilities in the supply chain and reminded us of the importance of a more local and diversified industrial production to build resilience in our economy. This will be achieved through innovation and the development of initiatives such as the challenge we are launching today, which will help propel our manufacturing companies,” says Jean-Yves Bourgeois, Executive Vice-President of Desjardins’ Business Services Group.
The purpose of the challenge is to build resilience in manufacturing. Specifically, Canadian startups interested in this challenge must offer innovation solutions to three key challenges in the manufacturing sector:
- Reducing risk in manufacturing chains
- Improving production processes
- Speeding up strategic shifts
“The challenges of the manufacturing sector are tailor-made opportunities for startups. We hope that this program will help address some of the challenges of the manufacturing sector through the agility and specific skills of startups. We are very proud to have a partner like Desjardins to help more startups build the manufacturing industry of tomorrow,” says Guillaume Courcy, Director of Innovation at Bonjour Startup Montréal.
Interested startups have until July 30 to submit an application. To know more about the program, visit the Inno Startup website: https://innostartup.ca/defis/desjardins/
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About Desjardins
Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the fifth largest cooperative financial group in the world, with assets of $377.0 billion. In 2020 it was ranked as one of the world’s Top 100 Employers by Forbes. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world’s strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has one of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry.
About Bonjour Startup Montréal
Bonjour Startup Montréal is a non-profit organization whose mission is to facilitate the creation, growth and influence of Montréal startups and position Montréal among the world’s most dynamic ecosystems. It is supported by the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation, Ville de Montréal, Canadian Economic Development, the Business Development Bank of Canada and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. https://startupmontreal.com
Source:
Information about Bonjour Startup Montreal and interview requests:
Guillaume Lajoie, Advisor, public and government relations
guillaumelajoie@bonjourstartupmtl.ca
