• You are in the early stages of your idea
• You are not sure if you are ready to enter the pre-acceleration program
• You want to meet other women, like you, with an entrepreneurial ambition
• You need help to formulate and develop your project
• You are looking for advice, training, tools, and connections to get your project off the ground

Participate in our one-off activities! About once a month, Startup Montreal welcomes you with open arms for workshops, networking activities, friendly coaching with experts, conferences, and much more!

Rates: mostly free, with some exceptions

Rate: $35

BOOSTcamp is a full-day event, held twice a year, that aims to inspire and facilitate your transition to action.

On the agenda:

• A shot of inspiration: panels and exchanges with experienced women entrepreneurs: successful women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs who have participated in our Fondatrices program will share their experience, their daily life and their advice.
• Tools: we will give you tips and tricks to help you take action and introduce you to the Montreal entrepreneurial ecosystem (resources and organizations available to help you get started).
• Connections: small group sessions with peers about your business idea and opportunities to exchange with participants, attending entrepreneurs and speakers.

Winter 2023 Cohort:

• • Boost course: January 31 to March 3, 2023
  • Lift course: March 17 to June 2, 2023

(Call for applications closed)

Fall 2023 Cohort:

• Boost course: August 15 to September 15, 2023
• Lift course: September 22 to December 8, 2023

(Call for applications open in May 2023)

Rate : 100$

Tuesdays 5:30-8:30 pm and Fridays 8:30 am-1:30 pm.

Cohort of 20 women with a business idea who have been selected following the application process.

• Group workshops with experts
• 1:1 coaching sessions with a dedicated head coach
• Access to an entrepreneurial network of over 1000 alumni
• Peer-to-peer sessions
• Mutual aid between participants (sharing experience, tools, network of contacts)
• “1 hour with a CEO” activity (open and transparent discussion with a successful entrepreneur).

Topics covered :

• Deepen your Why
• Work on your value proposition
• Start developing your first prototype or minimum viable product (MVP)
• Prepare your landing page
• Understand your market and your customers
• Develop your startup and financial language
• Leave with a toolbox

How do you select the participants of the Boost course?

• Projects in the ideation phase and/or in the early stages of market validation
• Participants who are motivated and ready to commit to the program
• Projects with an impact on society and/or the environment
• Intention to launch the business project in Montreal

Rate : 150$

Fridays 8:30am-1:30pm.

Cohort of 10 women selected from the Boost cohort.

• Group workshops with experts
• 1:1 coaching sessions with a dedicated head coach
• Access to an entrepreneurial network of over 1000 alumni
• Peer-to-peer sessions
• Mutual aid between participants (sharing experience, tools, network of contacts)
• Recurring activity “1 hour with a CEO” (open and transparent discussion with a successful entrepreneur).

Topics covered :

• Test and adjust the development of your first PROTOTYPE OR minimum viable product (MVP) with potential customers
• Confirm your assumptions
• Define your business model
• Learn the art of pitching and practice in front of a caring jury
• Demystify financial forecasting and fundraising
• Develop the premises of a marketing strategy
• Structure your enterprise project

How do you select the participants of the Lift course?

From the Boost cohort, 10 participants will be selected for the next phase of the program (the Lift course).

We select the projects that stand out the most for their progress during the Boost course as well as the progress of the entrepreneurs themselves (learning, progress made, leadership demonstrated).

At the end of the Lift course, a finalist will be awarded a $5,000 grant that will allow her to advance her project + 6 months of personalized support from a network of 350 high-level experts.

For the Boost course:

• Profile: women, 18 years of age or older (no age limit)
• Status: Canadian citizen, permanent resident or CSQ holder
• Ideation Stage:
  • You are in the early stages of a business idea or project. You have not yet taken any serious steps to validate its feasibility
  • or you are at the very beginning of your market validation process

• Montréal : Launching your business on the island of Montreal
• Commitment: Availability on the dates of the course

Question? If you are not sure of your eligibility, don’t be left alone with your doubts. You can discuss it with the program manager, Josée Desjardins

• Non-profit projects
• Projects of a sexual, religious or political nature
• Illegal or recreational drug projects (therapeutic drug projects are considered)
• Bar projects
• Student projects: internships and university projects
• Projects whose main activities are outside the island of Montréal

Registration

How to apply?

It’s very simple!

Complete the registration form and, if you wish, include a short video, no longer than 3 minutes.

The video should answer the following questions: Why do you want to start a business? Why would you like to be part of the Fondatrices cohort? Tell us about your idea.