A look back at the Sommet des accélérateurs

the 5thSommet des accélérateurs, held in February 2024 at the Manoir du Lac Delage, brought together more than 200 professionals involved in supporting innovative companies. 

The participants, who came from all over Quebec and even France, came to two main conclusions: the importance of taking care (of oneself and of entrepreneurs) and of working together toward a common goal.

The table was already set with an opening statement by Frantz Saintellemy, co-founder of Groupe 3737 and CEO of LeddarTech (recently listed on NASDAQ). 

"[Support staff] are unsung heroes, and their mission goes beyond providing technical advice: they are guardians, catalysts, intermediaries, architects. But we must avoid the trap of measuring success solely on the basis of quantifiable data. It is important to value intangible aspects. Emotional support, in the end, is what makes all the difference."

the importance of taking care

People were indeed at the heart of all the discussions, whether during the workshop on managing entrepreneurs' mental health led by psychologist Marie-Ève Landry, or during the moving conversation around the campfire between Manon Théberge (OSEntreprendre), Louis-Edgar Jean-François (Groupe 3737), and Géraldine Martin (evol), who emphasized the importance of taking care of oneself in order to better support others, and of putting inclusion at the heart of all decisions. Above all, it was important to "differentiate between the driver (the human) and the vehicle (the company)," as Manon Théberge mentioned.

The same sentiment was echoed from a financing perspective, where Sylvain Carle (Impact Investor), Hélène Olland (Desjardins Entreprises), Louis Delorme (Amplify Capital, member of Espace CDPQ), and Velina Sarafimov (Impak Analytics) emphasized the importance of a complete transition to a responsible entrepreneurial ecosystem. Financing players have a big role to play in this shift, and pivoting toward financial support guided exclusively by impact and ESG criteria is becoming much more than just a "nice to have."

Richard Chénier (Startup Montreal) emphasized the need to change our perspective on the "entrepreneurial ecosystem."

 "startups startups don't have to integrate 'into the ecosystem': it's up to the ecosystem to integrate into society, to return to the tangible."

Isabelle Thibaut, director ofaccelerator Esplanadeaccelerator , emphasized the importance of a place that is rooted in its community and keeps social and human impact at the heart of all its actions. 

diversity and equity

Then, a touching segment on the importance of diversity as a driving force for our ecosystem. Luis Cisneros (HEC) presented compelling data comparing theQuebec Entrepreneurial Index and the Guide to the Health and Well-being of Entrepreneurs. Speaker and businesswoman Danièle Henkel then took over, first to recount her difficult journey in entrepreneurship, then to invite everyone present to participate in a practical workshop to learn how to better see themselves and understand the context of inequality in which people can find themselves.

Finally, during the satellite event held on February 16 at Quantino, the high-tech incubator, we discussed collaboration between stakeholders in Quebec City. And what exactly makes collaboration possible in the end? 

"Humans who pick up the phone to talk to each other," according to Annie Champagne (Mycelium).

As the highlight of the accelerator Summit, MAIN invited everyone to join the Circle of Support Professionalsto bring together, unite, consult, and foster a close-knit community that aspires to help our entrepreneurs grow, wherever they are in Quebec.

a circle of support professionals

as reflected in the findings of the 5Accelerator Summit Sommet des accélérateurs Lac-Delage, the "Innovation Accelerator Movement" is first and foremost a circle of support professionals who believe that:

• It takes a community to help our entrepreneurs grow.
• There is a place for all those who put the interests of entrepreneurs at the top of their priorities.
• our diversity is our strength
• Everyone's contribution is appreciated and welcome.
• Our collaborations will not always yield the desired results, and that's okay, because at the very least we will have come part of the way together.

At the time of writing, more than 160 professionals specializing in supporting innovative companies had joined Le Cercle. 

you too, join the circle

See you on February 12-13 and 14, 2025, for the 6thedition edition of Sommet des accélérateurs