September 20
Opening date for projects
October 5
Information SessionOctober 17
Closing date for projects
October 28
Selection pitchs
November 15-16
Final selection boot camp
December 1st
Program start
Programme objectives
The Acceleration Super Cohort will support up to 12 organisations in maximising their environmental and social impact and sustaining their business model. This programme is tailor-made to propel your project and your team by building on the values that guide your actions, in order to address regional climate issues.
Understand how you can contribute to the system changes that are needed to achieve the 2050 carbon neutrality targets
Test your solution in Montréal in collaboration with local stakeholders
Accelerate your commercialisation and initiate the scaling up of your model
Develop your ability to define, measure and optimise your impact
Collaborate and co-create strategies with a community that is committed to climate action
Consolidate your financing strategy and access networks of climate action investors
Support
Spread over five months, this programme was designed to offer support that is tailored to the growth objectives and business sector of each organisation.
Selection boot camp : An intensive event to stimulate creativity, bring teams together, meet speakers and select the most promising start-ups.
Themed workshops : 8 workshops delivered by experienced speakers in the areas of impact, finance and business development.
Personalized coaching : Up to 80 hours of coaching with specialised experts, according to your business sector and needs.
Themed groups : Themed group coaching to coordinate your efforts for a more synchronised response to environmental issues
Testing grounds & technology showcases : Privileged access to our sectoral and regional partners, as well as opportunities to test your solution or develop technology showcases.
Visibility & events : Numerous opportunities to speak to an insider audience (coaches, peers, impact investors, economic developers), and on different platforms.
Programme content
The 5-month programme is based on a precise schedule of themed training, networking with partners and group coaching sessions, which will see us working together on four areas:
Impact
– Systemic leadership
– Strategic clarity
– Measuring impact
Marketing
– Go-to-market strategy
– Implementation plan
– Customer acquisition & retention
Strategic partnerships
– Commercial collaborations
– Engaging and mobilising decision makers
Finance
– Financial modelling
– Financing strategy
– Investment preparation
This cohort will lead a research project on impact measurement, conducted by innovation agency Rhizome, aiming to demonstrate the social transformation potential of multi-stakeholder collaborative action. Participants who join the cohort commit to actively participating in this research (answering questionnaires, identifying impact measurement indicators, etc.).
Format
Given the current health situation, all our programmes have been adapted, mainly through the acquisition of modern and innovative facilitation tools, and are now offered remotely. However, we are looking into the possibility of holding the final selection bootcamp in person. Information on this subject will be provided in the coming weeks.
The ability to connect with entrepreneurs, coaching teams and Esplanade’s ecosystem is one of the many things that make our coaching process so rewarding. Our team will make every effort to maintain this sense of social connection throughout our coaching process, despite it now being offered remotely.
A tailor-made coaching programme with training and resources that are available at all times.
A network of over 100 coaches and experts who will support you at every key step of your process.
Meetings and access to a network of climate finance investors.
The expertise of Esplanade's partner networks for environment and climate change.
Support from Esplanade's community of social innovators and entrepreneurs.
Feedback from over 100 organisations.
Increased visibility on Esplanade and partner platforms.
Personalized coaching from an experienced team that is committed to the success of your impact project.
Participation fees
Thanks to its funders, Esplanade covers nearly 95% of coaching costs: paying contributors, coaching team operations, logistics, etc. By joining the programme, participants commit to paying the remaining amount, which represents a symbolic participation of $750+taxes for the entire team and the programme.
You will be entitled to financial support from LOJIQ, which covers the entire cost of participation, if you are:
– Between 18 and 35 years old;
– A Canadian citizen OR a member of a French-speaking country and a permanent resident of Canada or on a work permit (does not apply to study permits).
Esplanade – Environment and climate change Unit
Combining social and environmental impact
The Environment & Climate Change Social Innovation Unit focuses on groundbreaking processes, products and services that address energy transition objectives and the fight against climate change.
In this cohort, we are particularly interested helping in the following areas:
Sustainable buildings and construction:
– New buildings
– Building renovations
– Contaminated land remediation
Circular economy:
– Residual materials management
– Eco-friendly product design
– Recovery of organic and recyclable materials
– Development of new consumption habits (rental, shared consumption, etc.)
Sustainable mobility:
– Transport electrification
– Urban logistics
– Active, collective and shared mobility
– Local shops and local production
Urban planning and greening:
– Neighbourhood redevelopment and resilience
– Combatting urban heat islands
– Urban agriculture
– Urban forest development
Nos partenaires en environnement pour cette cohorte :
Cycle Momentum: Expertise in clean technologies + Access to the Partner Funds Circle.
Greater Montreal Climate Fund: Expertise and network in climate finance.
Second Muse: Expertise in climate impact ecosystem development + investment capabilities with the Clio fund.
Rhizome: Programme design + expertise in social & environmental impact strategy and measurement.
Elements Financial: Investment readiness expertise.
City of Montreal: Understanding Montreal-specific issues + collaboration in identifying testing grounds for selected start-ups.
Ready to get started?
We are looking for…
– Entrepreneurial projects or social enterprises with a high impact potential that actively participate in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
– Projects with an innovative, efficient and realistic solution to a Montreal-specific challenge in the fight against climate change.
– Projects with a validated proof of concept (ensuring that your solution meets the needs of your users and that it is feasible) or a proven model that is ready to scale up.
– Projects of all legal structures (NPO, CO-OP, Inc.), as well as intrapreneurs and institutional projects.
What we expect from participants
– You are available for the entire duration of the programme; you are motivated and able to engage in the proposed activities.
– You are able to work in a collaborative environment with numerous stakeholders, in order to respond to complex and multidimensional issues.
– You value collaborative learning when participating in a coaching process (you are willing to question yourself, to make time for and prepare for coaching meetings, to commit to the steps you have identified with your coach, etc.)
– You demonstrate good observation skills and empathy in order to develop a solution that matches the problem you are trying to solve.
Would you like to meet with a member of our team to discuss your project and its eligibility?
Reserve a 15-minute time slot for a call.
Project selection
Selection process
The selection process is divided into three 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.
– First selection phase: Approximately 20 preselected candidates will be invited to present their project to a jury of coaches and experts, who will then select 15 projects for the final selection phase.
– Final selection: The 15 selected projects will be invited to take part in a two-day intensive bootcamp, at the end of which 12 projects will be selected to join the final cohort.
Evaluation criteria
We select a project based on its quality and impact potential, as well as on its team’s ability to manage and develop it.
– Entrepreneurial team’s expertise (business experience and industry knowledge), level of commitment and motivation
– Proof of concept validation status and solution development stage
– How innovative the project is and how it offers a value proposition that is different from and complementary to that of the other teams selected
– Ability to tackle one (or more) Montréal-specific challenges in the fight against climate change
– Potential for social and environmental impact in Montréal
– Impact is clearly integrated into the value proposition
– Project potential and scalability
Calendar
Selection process:
– Opening date for projects: September 20, 2021
– Information session : October 5, 2021
– Closing date for projects: October 17, 2021
– Pre-selection: October 20, 2021
– Selection pitchs: October 28, 2021
Workshops and meetings:
– Final selection boot camp: November 15-16, 2021
– Workshop 1: December 1st, 2021
– Workshop 2: December 15, 2021
– Workshop 3: January 12, 2021
– Workshop 4: January 26, 2022
– Workshop 5: February 9, 2022
– Workshop 6: February 23, 2022
– Workshop 7: March 9, 2022
– Workshop 8: March 23, 2022
Useful links
Schedule a meeting with a member of the team
If you have other questions: check out our FAQ (French) or send us an email at [email protected].
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About our programmes
Developed by Esplanade, impact8 is a coaching programme designed for change agents who wish to combine economic viability and social impact.
We want to facilitate your entrepreneurial journey towards the development of a sustainable business model that matches your social impact goals.
Through impact8, you will get continuous support over a period of 3 to 24 months. Composed of 4 programmes – Emergence, Collision, Acceleration, Transformation – impact8 is designed for all high potential individuals and organisations, regardless of their development stage or legal status (NPO, CO-OP, Inc.).
Our team is supported by a solid ecosystem of over 100 coaches and experts to provide you with the best entrepreneurial tools, tips and practices.
