Application deadline: March 27, 2022
⚠ This call for projets has been closed. To stay in touch, subscribe to our newsletter (it’s in French, though)!
February 21
Opening date for projects
March 8
Information sessionMarch 27
Closing date for projets
March 31
Pre-selection
April 21-22
Final selection bootcamp
May 13
Start of workshops
In collaboration with:
Who is the program for?
This Collision program is for you if:
You and your team members fit one or more of the following profiles:
Non-Profit/Coop
Entrepreneur
Professional
Inc.
Researcher
The development stage of your project is between post-ideation and pre-commercialization
Your project responds in an innovative, efficient and realistic way to an identified problem or need in circular economy, by
Rethinking our production and consumption habits to consume less resources and protect the ecosystems
Optimizing the use of resources being already in circulation in our society
Your team is located in Quebec.
For this cohort, we are particularly looking for circular economy projects that fall under the following themes:
Construction
Use fewer resources, favor local, recovered and biosourced materials, facilitate deconstruction and sorting at the source to optimize reuse and recycling
Agri-food
Rethinking production and consumption, using food to its full potential, giving new life to food resources
Tourism
Added value of a circular model in the tourist accommodation sector
Textile
Leveraging eco-design, responsible purchasing strategies and deploying innovative business models
* These are the main themes of the call for projects, but we invite all project leaders aiming at a significant impact on the circular economy theme to submit an application.
What are the program objectives?
Understand and define your impact
Clarify and validate the social, environmental and economic impact of your organization and your solutions.
Put impact at the heart of your business model
Consolidate your business model around an innovative approach that combines economic viability and social impact.
Integrate an ecosystem of change agents
Initiate meetings and collaborations that will guide you in your entrepreneurial journey.
Develop your soft skills
Reveal your entrepreneurial potential: embody the values that inspire your daily actions.
Understand your ecosystem
Explore your ecosystem to identify where issues, needs and solutions intersect.
Validate your idea
Challenge your ideas to develop a solution that meets the real needs of your users.
The Collision program aims to generate the necessary strategic thinking around the articulation of the impact placed at the heart of your project’s business model. We want each entrepreneur to finish the program with a validated proof of concept, a solid business model proposal and all the tools in hand to prepare for a commercialization phase.
What does this program include?
Personalized coaching over 3 months
Intensive final selection bootcamp: 2 days during which teams work through the Impact Gaps Canvas
Up to 30 hours of personalized coaching with coaches and experts in impact, innovation, entrepreneurship and business development
4 workshops on tools developed by our impact entrepreneurship experts, directly applied to your project
The Collision program starts with a 2-day bootcamp and is then spread over 3 months of intensive workshops, during which you are coached on key areas of development for your impact project. The program is composed of 4 theme-based modules: ecosystem, validation, impact and action plan.
For this edition, RECYC-QUÉBEC is also offering expert consultation sessions, allowing you to benefit from their industry expertise and network (dates and themes still to come).
Then, you will meet with coaches and industry experts who will offer you hours of personalized coaching. These hours can be spread over several months, depending on your availability and your coaches.
The workshops will take place on Friday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on the following dates:
Workshop 1:
Ecosystem
May 13
Workshop 2:
Validation
June 3
Workshop 3:
Impact
June 17
Workshop 4:
Action Plan
July 8
The bootcamp and all workshops will be online.
Our Environment and Climate Change Social Innovation Hub
The Environment and Climate Change Social Innovation Hub of Esplanade Québec focuses on innovatives approaches, in terms of process but also products and services that aim to answer various ecological transition issues.
Among them, we focus on:
GHG reduction
Waste management
Clean tech and green tech
Circular economy
Sustainable mobility
Why apply?
By joing this Collision program, you have access to:
30 hours of personalized coaching by experts identified according to your needs
Meetings and access to a network of climate finance investors
Access to the Esplanade's privileged partners to prepare pilot projects or technological showcases
Training and resources accessible at all times using state-of-the-art tools
Support from the Esplanade community of innovators and social entrepreneurs
Increased visibility on Esplanade platforms
Access to RECYC-QUÉBEC’s network and expertise in circular economy
We will make sure you leave the program with:
A validated proof of concept
An innovative business model
An impact strategy
A testing plan for your prototype
Contacts with the community to propel your development
How much does it cost?
Thanks to their financial partners, Esplanade cover nearly 95% of coaching costs. Once selected, participants will have to pay a remaining symbolic participation fee of $350 + taxes per team.
*Participants agree to pay a participation fee of $350 + taxes per project when they join the program.
Grants offered by LOJIQ
If you are between the ages of 18 and 35 and have been accepted into an Esplanade program, you may be eligible for financial support from the Offices jeunesse internationaux du Québec (LOJIQ) to cover part of your registration fees and receive a financial support for your participation (several conditions apply).
For more information, visit their website.
How are projects selected?
Evaluation criteria
We select projects based on their quality and impact potential, as well as on a team’s ability to carry the project forward.
The jury will therefore pay particular attention to:
Relevance and feasibility of the proposed project for the circular economy sector
Potential for social and environmental impact on identified communities and potential for scaling up
Project leader motivation, level of commitment to the program and proposed activities, and demonstrated expertise (business experience and knowledge of the industry)
A willingness to learn and collaborate during the coaching process (you are ready to question yourself, prepare for meetings and commit to achieving program-related tasks, etc.)
You must be available for the duration of the program (April to July) to attend the bootcamp, the 4 days of program modules and the expert consultation sessions
Observation and empathy skills to develop an appropriate solution to the problem you are trying to solve
We are looking for ambitious entrepreneurs who are determined to turn their idea into a viable entrepreneurial project that will have a positive impact on communities!
Selection process
The selection process is divided in two stages:
Pre-selection: A first selection will be made upon receiving applications. The applications will be analysed according to the evaluation criteria mentioned below by the coaching team and cohort partners.
Final selection bootcamp: up to 15 selected projects will be invited to take part in a two-day intensive boot camp, at the end of which up to 10 projects will be selected to join the final cohort Collision.
Questions?
Information session
An online information session was held in French on March 8th at 12:00.
Individual meetings
If you wish, you can also book a 15-minute meeting with a member of our team to talk about your project and its eligibility.
You can also visit our FAQ (French) or to write to us at this address: [email protected].