Boreal launches project to support Francophone entrepreneurs

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College Boreal is partnering with an innovation hub in Quebec on a new initiative to train and support entrepreneurs.

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The Innovation and Entrepreneurial Financing project is being undertaken in collaboration with Pole entrepreneuriat – HEC Montreal, which is “ranked among the top 10 incubators and accelerators recognized by Quebec’s Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy as part of its provincial Research and Innovation Investment Strategy,” according to a release.

The new project was officially announced last week at Boreal’s campus in Toronto, with dignitaries from Ontario’s Ministry of Francophone Affairs and the Secretariat du Quebec aux relations canadiennes in attendance.

The launch on May 1 also brought together entrepreneurs, business experts, and representatives from community organizations.

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“This initiative is designed to support Francophone entrepreneurs in Ontario and foster collaboration with their counterparts in Quebec,” said Boreal. 

The three-year project is jointly funded by the governments of Quebec and Ontario in the amount of $60,000 under Canadian Francophonie support programs.

The partnership between Boreal and Pole entrepreneuriat is structured around four key priorities:

• Education and training — offering a variety of courses on innovation and entrepreneurial financing;

• Entrepreneurial project development — helping entrepreneurs turn their ideas into sustainable businesses;

• Creation of an entrepreneurial network — building a strong network of entrepreneurs and experts; and

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• Program sustainability — ensuring a long-term collaboration between College Boreal and Pole entrepreneuriat – HEC Montreal.

“College Boreal is delighted by this new collaboration with Pole entrepreneuriat – HEC Montréal, which provides Toronto’s Francophone business community with new opportunities for growth while encouraging the sharing of expertise and partnerships with Quebec entrepreneurs,” said Boreal president Daniel Giroux in a release. “We’re also grateful to the governments of Quebec and Ontario who, by supporting our Desjardins Space for Innovation, Research and Incubation, are contributing to the vitality of Franco-Ontarian and Quebec businesses and inspiring the next generation of French-speaking entrepreneurs in our province.”

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Luis Felipe Martinez Cisneros, the founder and co-director of Pole entrepreneuriat – HEC Montreal, said his organization is proud to partner with College Boreal to strengthen ties between the Francophone business ecosystems in Quebec and Ontario. 

“This initiative will not only spark innovation and new growth opportunities on both sides but also foster a space for knowledge exchange, networking, and co-creation,” he said. “We thank the Secretariat du Quebec aux relations canadiennes for its vital support of this promising initiative for the Francophone economic community.”

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