Eligibility and Application Process
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The program is open to recently graduated or current graduate students, postdocs and researchers in STEM or social sciences and humanities in all Quebec universities and research institutions.
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You must reside in Quebec in order to take part in the program, unless you are a francophone student outside the province of Quebec who is affiliated to a Canadian university or research institution. Anglophone students or recent graduates from universities in the rest of Canada may be eligible for the Lab2Market Discover program.
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It’s free to take part in the QcSE program, which has a value of $1250.00. The program is funded by the Fonds de Recherche du Québec (FRQ).
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Applications are assessed on a rolling basis; we will contact you as soon as possible.
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No, it’s not necessary to have a startup idea. In fact, many participants join the program without having a specific idea. The program is open to anyone who’s curious about entrepreneurship and interested in learning more about it. However, over the course of the program, you will be encouraged to come up with an idea for an entrepreneurial project, even if it’s fictitious, so that you can practice some of the concepts we cover and so that you can develop your communication skills. This means you’ll have the opportunity to explore and develop a business idea, even if it’s at an early stage.
Program Structure and Content
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The program runs twice a year, in the Fall and Spring. Between application periods you can join our waiting list so we can let you know when to apply for the next cohort.
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The program was created with your already busy schedule in mind. It represents commitment of up to 3 hours on a weekly basis (1 hour/per week for live online workshops and 1-2 hours per week for independent work and material review) over a 12-week period.
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Yes, the program is offered in both official languages. The English sessions are on Tuesdays from noon to 1pm, while the French sessions are on Thursdays between noon and 1pm. Exceptionally, some of the sessions run from 12pm through to 1:30pm.
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The program introduces you to fundamental entrepreneurial concepts including how to map out your business idea using business model canvases, identify your target audience, zero-in on the value of your solution for a specific market and plan your product/service development. You’ll also learn about protecting your intellectual property and practice pitching an entrepreneurial project.
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The program aims to dispel myths surrounding entrepreneurship, allowing you to explore the potential for your research beyond academia. Whether you’re driven to create a startup or just curious about entrepreneurship, the QcSE program equips you with essential knowledge for any path—be it launching your own business, pursuing a career in industry, or advancing in academia. See the program page for the full curriculum.
Certification
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In order to obtain the QcSE’s certificate of completion, you must meet 4 deliverables, which includes attending at least 80% of the program sessions. Deliverables will be explained in detail during the first session. These deliverables serve to evaluate participants’ progress and development over the course of the program.
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You are indeed encouraged to attend all of the live sessions in order to get the most out of the experience. In order to obtain the program’s certificate of completion, it’s mandatory to take part in at least 80% of the sessions.
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No, the QcSE program does not include any exams. However, you will need to produce 4 deliverables including attending at least 80% of sessions in order to receive the QcSE program completion certificate. Deliverables will be explained in detail during the welcome session.
Support and Follow-up
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At the end of the QcSE program, participants get a chance to pitch their project idea to representatives from incubators and accelerators throughout Quebec, a session during which they receive feedback in real time. The focus is on how you make your pitch rather than a critique of the project or idea itself. The objective here is to develop your pitching skills by communicating the value of your entrepreneurial idea to others you’re trying to connect with as clearly as possible.
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No, the QcSE program does not offer individualized feedback or mentorship. This is a general program that offers access to foundational entrepreneurial knowledge, several experts and pools resources together in order to support participants. You will benefit from sessions hosted by experts in entrepreneurship, you’ll receive feedback on your project pitch, and you will access varied educational resources, such as articles and case studies. You will get the most of our program by leaning into the approach and reaching out to the resources we make available to you.
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The QcSE program does not currently include in-person networking events or collaborations with industry experts. However, it does give participants access to several of Quebec’s entrepreneurial ecosystem experts throughout several workshops.
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The QcSE program does not directly offer finance resources. However, the program’s objective is to develop and reinforce scientific entrepreneurial skills so that you can further explore and access funding sources for your project.
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After the program, next steps include developing your idea by joining an incubator or exploring other programs such as Researchers in Entrepreneurship (REN) to work on your networking and communications skills or Lab2Market Validation, which provides funding while you explore market potential for your business idea.
Participants who receive the QcSE’s certificate of program completion and who want to pursue their entrepreneurial journey benefit from the following:
Network with fellow program alumni: Join a community of former QcSE participants who can offer ongoing support, share their experiences, and collaborate on projects.
Ongoing access to program materials: We give you access to program documents and recordings for 90 days after the end of the program so that you can continue to consult them as needed on the next steps in your journey.
Orientation for other programs and opportunities: We’ll provide information on post-QcSE programs via our Slack community.