We’re Josephine, Rosalie, Eric and Sarah – program officers at Startup in Residence. We have years of experience supporting entrepreneurs like you, we know how investing works, and we understand what it means to be a startup founder.
Powered by Desjardins, a leading cooperative financial group in Canada, our program is human centered and focused on helping you grow your business while also developing yourself as a founder.
Startup in Residence supports and invests in early-stage technology companies with high growth potential and a positive socio-economic impact on communities in Canada.
Startup in Residence is designed to guide early-stage, growth-driven companies — like yours — to market success.
You are the determined founders of a business.
You have a strong and reliable team. There is chemistry on your team and you have complementary skills.
You have a solution to a genuine problem.
Whereas most residence programs place emphasis on the initial idea, we think differently, helping evolve your product through the program and even afterwards.
You have time.
Building a startup requires sustained effort. You have to invest time and resources in the process. We will do the same!
Participating businesses will receive top notch mentorship from over 50 entrepreneurs and experts, office space for 8 months and a host of other benefits. In addition, they could receive up to $250,000 investment.
This non-dilutive grant makes it possible to finance all types of external services useful for the feasibility of your projects: legal, accounting, design, etc.
What startups need today is genuine support to guide them in their growth—particularly their human growth!
We connect startups with each other and bring them into our community in order to give them the network they need to translate their ambitions into reality.
Startup in Residence will launch three calls for applications during 2024 related to issues in AgTech, PropTech and AI.
We offer a collaborative work environment with invaluable opportunities for mentorship and networking within the leading cooperative financial group in Canada.
Your work involves financing, online payment, savings management, loans and bank account aggregators.
Your work involves compliance, identity management and control, risk management, regulatory reporting and transaction monitoring.
You develop security technologies for applications, operations, information and networks.
You develop new medical equipment or technology-based medical software or services.
You’re working to improve and transform the real estate industry by applying technologies.
You respond to a social or environmental problem and, to achieve this, align your entire organization with this objective.
Apply for our calls for applications on specific issues.
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The aim of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of social impact startups.
Context
Climate change, social inequalities, deforestation, poor waste management, and increasing natural and industrial disasters have led to society's growing search for innovative technological solutions to build a better world for future generations.
Scientific journals and UN institutions continue to sound the alarm:
ESG factors are shaping the business environment and affecting the financial performance and long-term success of companies.
The Startup in Residence program and its partners understand the growing pressure stakeholders and regulators are putting on businesses. Entrepreneurs are thinking up innovative and sustainable tech solutions, but they need support to develop their ideas. That's where Startup in Residence comes in. It prepares entrepreneurs for venture capital funding so they can significantly accelerate their company's growth.
Preferred Areas of Focus
Technology solutions addressing the following themes (non-exhaustive list):
Environmental
Social
Governance
Selection Criteria
● Operate a business incorporated in Canada
● Have potential to make a positive impact on the social and economic development of communities in Canada
● Have at least a working prototype of your solution
● Have raised less than $1 million in dilutive funding
● Have at least 1 co-founder working full-time for the business
● Have growth potential
● Have a founding or management team interested in governance with skills for entrepreneurship and IT
● Have applied to participate in the Startup in Residence program, according to program rules
Important dates
Application period starts: September 12th, 2024
Info session: October 2nd, 2024 - Register Here
Application period ends: October 9th - 23h59, 2024
At the selection stage
Up to 3 startups will receive a non-dilutive grant of $15,000.
Teams from these startups :
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The aim of this call for applications is to stimulate the emergence and growth of innovative technology startups whose business model is based primarily on the development or use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Context
For over 40 years, artificial intelligence (AI) has been the subject of intense debate in the technological, socio-economic and political spheres.
Remarkable advances in AI have given rise to solutions that are ubiquitous in our daily lives, such as :
AI arouses both fascination and apprehension. Questions about its limits, regulation and impact on employment remain crucial.
Investing in AI paves the way for significant technological advances, promoting task automation, improved operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making. By supporting AI startups, we are helping to shape a more connected, efficient and ethical society.
Technology solutions addressing the following themes (non-exhaustive list):
We encourage applications that incorporate ethical principles and transparency in all AI applications, ensuring safety, confidentiality and fairness in the use of data and algorithms, while minimizing potential bias.
Selection Criteria
Important dates
Application period starts: May 21st, 2024
Info session: June 3rd, 2024 - Recording link here
Application period ends: June 16th, 2024
At the selection stage
Up to 3 startups will receive a non-dilutive grant of $15,000.
Teams from these startups :
THE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IS CLOSED
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The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of AgTech startups.
We are seeking startups that offer innovative solutions capable of optimizing resource management and reducing ecological impact, while addressing labor challenges, enhancing operational and economic efficiency, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of agriculture.
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The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of social impact startups.
How can impact tech companies enhance the lives of Canadians by considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects?
The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of social impact startups1.
CONTEXT
Climate change, social inequalities, deforestation, poor waste management, and increasing natural and industrial disasters have led to society's growing search for innovative technological solutions to build a better world for future generations. Scientific journals and UN institutions continue to sound the alarm:
ESG factors are shaping the business environment and affecting the financial performance and long-term success of companies. The Startup in Residence program and its partners understand the growing pressure stakeholders and regulators are putting on businesses. Entrepreneurs are thinking up innovative and sustainable tech solutions, but they need support to develop their ideas. That's where Startup in Residence comes in. It prepares entrepreneurs for venture capital funding so they can significantly accelerate their company's growth.
*Sources :
1 Startups that have a positive socioeconomic impact on communities
TECH PRIORITIES
Technological solutions addressing the following (non-exhaustive list):
SELECTION CRITERIA
IMPORTANT DATES
The call for applications includes mentoring and workshops to support and guide participants through the development of their business.
PRIZES (Mentoring and support)
Up to 3 startups will receive a non-dilutive grant of $15,000.
Startups teams:
1. Startups that have a positive socioeconomic impact on communities (2021 Social and Cooperative Responsibility Report).
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The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of startups in the PropTech sector.
The digital transformation of the real estate industry has been a long time coming. This revolution is a response to the resistance that had held the real estate market back in recent decades, against a backdrop in which ink and paper reigned supreme, data lagged behind and developers, unable to take advantage of the changes that were happening in real time, left precious dollars on the table. There are now more than 6,000 PropTech companies worldwide. International investments in this sector totalled $32 billion in 2021, up 28% from 2020.[1]
Today's PropTech trends with the greatest impact are focused on aspects like finance (alternative financing platforms that make home ownership more accessible), construction (technologies that unlock value and help prepare developments for a sustainable future), and omnichannel experience (a strategy that combines digital and physical activity to create a more solid client experience).
Stakeholders are placing increased pressure on businesses. Startup in Residence and its partners want to support entrepreneurs who are building innovative and sustainable real estate solutions. That way, they can take their businesses further and be ready for the venture capital stage to significantly accelerate their growth
Call for applications starts: May 22nd, 2023
Information session: June 13th, 2023, at 4 p.m. (EDT) - REGISTER HERE
Call for applications ends: June 22nd, 2023
Up to 3 startups will receive a non-dilutive grant of $15,000.
Startup teams:
*Sources :
Canada’s Proptech Journey – responding to 2021’s real estate disruptors
La technologie immobilière : nouvelle frontière de l’immobilier
Proptech in Canada 2022 Report (Proptech Collective)
Canada’s proptech sector includes over 450 startups: Report
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The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of cybersecurity companies at a time when cyber threats to Canadian citizens and businesses are on the rise.
The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of cybersecurity companies at a time when cyber threats to Canadian citizens and businesses are on the rise.
What do a small town in Ontario, a plastics manufacturing firm in Winnipeg, an arts centre in PEI, and a fighter jet training company in Montreal have in common? They were all victims of a ransomware attack over the last several months. That's how CIRA's Éric Brynaert started his October 2022 blog.
The 2020 Cyberthreat Defense Report (CDR) published by CyberEdge Group provides a wealth of information on cyberattacks. The report revealed that over a 12-month period, 78% of companies had suffered at least one cyberattack. Of those companies, over 70% had been hit by ransomware. That's a huge number!
A recent Leger survey shed some light on this worrisome phenomenon: Of the companies surveyed that said they'd been the victim of a cyberattack, more than half (56%) admitted to having paid the requested ransom. These threats and attacks translate into skyrocketing costs for businesses and can put them at risk or even lead to bankruptcy.
Whether perpetrated by cybercriminal groups such as Conti, BlackCat, LockBit, Karakurt and Qilim or by individuals acting alone, ransomware attacks expose companies to risks ranging from disrupted operations and significant financial losses to reputational damage and loss of data security. Cybercriminals' preferred means of access is through the actions of poorly informed employees. The recent ransomware attack on Sobeys, where an employee clicked on a link they received in an email, is a case in point. What technological solutions can prevent this type of incident?
Ransomware attacks pose a threat to Canada's national security and economic prosperity, as they're lucrative to cybercriminals.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre had received some 68,259 reports of fraud as of September 30, 2022. Aside from raising awareness about cybersecurity, what can we do to better protect Canadians? For example, how can we prevent them from having their identity stolen so hackers can use it to apply for a mortgage or credit card?
Cybercriminals are putting increasing pressure on businesses and citizens. In response, Startup in Residence and its partners want to support cybersecurity entrepreneurs who are coming up with innovative and sustainable technology solutions. They want to encourage the entrepreneurs to push their development further and prepare them to receive venture capital to significantly accelerate their growth.
Call for applications starts: February 13th, 2023
Information session: February 28th, 2023, at 4 p.m.
Call for applications ends: March 9th, 2023
Up to 3 startups will receive a non-dilutive grant of $15,000.
Startup teams:
Sources:
BRYNAERT, Eric. « L’état des rançongiciels au Canada »
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
GAGNON, Frédérick, Danny GAGNÉ, Gabrielle GENDRON, et Alexis RAPIN. « Geopolitical Cyber Incidents in Canada, 2022 Assessment
HOWLETT, Debbie. « Using technology to protect your security assets, workforce and data »
PORTRAI.TI. Novipro
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The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of social impact startups.
How can impact tech companies enhance the lives of Canadians by considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects?
The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of social impact startups1.
CONTEXT
Climate change, social inequalities, deforestation, poor waste management, and increasing natural and industrial disasters have led to society's growing search for innovative technological solutions to build a better world for future generations. Scientific journals and UN institutions continue to sound the alarm:
ESG factors are shaping the business environment and affecting the financial performance and long-term success of companies. The Startup in Residence program and its partners understand the growing pressure stakeholders and regulators are putting on businesses. Entrepreneurs are thinking up innovative and sustainable tech solutions, but they need support to develop their ideas. That's where Startup in Residence comes in. It prepares entrepreneurs for venture capital funding so they can significantly accelerate their company's growth.
*Sources :
1 Startups that have a positive socioeconomic impact on communities
TECH PRIORITIES
Technological solutions addressing the following (non-exhaustive list):
SELECTION CRITERIA
IMPORTANT DATES
The call for applications includes mentoring and workshops to support and guide participants through the development of their business.
PRIZES (Mentoring and support)
Up to 3 startups will receive a non-dilutive grant of $15,000.
Startups teams:
The call for applications is now closed
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The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of startups that can help simplify how we make payments in Canada.
With strong demand for payment solutions that are practical, fast and secure, how can fintech companies help make Canadians' lives easier?
The goal of this call for applications is to inspire the launch and growth of startups that can help simplify how we make payments in Canada.
CONTEXT
With real-time payments set to roll out in Canada in 2023, financial institutions and fintech companies are constantly looking for new ways to provide top-quality products and services that are instant and secure.
The driving force behind this trend is the increase in online payments and the high demand for quick, secure and practical payment solutions. The data from Payments Canada1 shows just how important it is to create solutions that fit our fast-paced world:
Startup in Residence and its partners understand the legal, technical and development challenges that entrepreneurs building practical, fast and secure payment solutions can face. The program's goal is to support these entrepreneurs so they can go further and be ready for the venture capital stage to speed up their growth in a big way.
The startups we're targeting must have solutions that improve Canadians' payment experience.
1 Payments Canada is responsible for the physical infrastructure and associated bylaws, rules and standards that support payment systems in Canada.
PRIORITIES
ELEGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The call for applications will include mentoring sessions and workshops to support and guide the participants as they develop their company.
PRIZES
Up to 3 startups selected for the program with a $15,000 grant each.
These teams will be accepted to the Startup in Residence program, Desjardins' 8-month business accelerator. The teams would also be eligible to receive a potential investment of up to $250,000.
THE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IN PAYMENT TECHNOLOGIES IS CLOSED
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This call for applications is designed to stimulate the appearance and growth of startups that will help our society rise to the challenges of revitalizing and adapting healthcare technology.
How can Canadian healthtech startups accelerate and improve the digital transformation of healthcare?
This call for applications is designed to stimulate the appearance and growth of startups that will help our society rise to the challenges of revitalizing and adapting healthcare technology.
OVERVIEW
The past 2 years have shown just how much transformation and innovation our healthcare ecosystem needs globally. With rising costs and issues around quality and access, there is ample room for innovation.
We believe that technology and innovation hold many of the answers. This call for applications is meant to support healthtech entrepreneurs so that they can go further in their development and get ready to raise venture capital funding to meaningfully accelerate their growth.
The startups we're targeting must offer solutions that improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare.
PRIORITY AREAS
ELEGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The call for applications will include mentoring sessions and workshops to support and guide the participants as they develop their company.
PRIZES
The winning team will receive a non-dilutive grant of $25,000. The runner-up team will receive a grant of $15,000.
Both these teams will be accepted to the Startup in Residence program, Desjardins' 8-month business accelerator. The teams would also be eligible to receive a potential investment of up to $250,000, as well as dedicated coaching and support from Esplanade Ventures.
The third-place winner will receive, a non-dilutive grant of $5,000 and coaching from Esplanade Ventures.
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The goal of this call for applications is for startups to grow and make a name for themselves by helping financial institutions and their clients deal more effectively with the challenges of cybersecurity threats, both at home and abroad.
How can fintech startups help Canadians and Canadian businesses address cybersecurity challenges and become more resilient to cyberthreats?
DESJARDINS AND CYBERSECURITY
Desjardins has made great strides in information security over the past 18 months and will continue to apply international best practices. To prevent and detect data breaches, organizations need a wide range of personnel, technical and procedural security measures in place. The security program as a whole—including people, processes and technology—is what helps protect organizations from fraud and information security threats.
HOW CAN FINTECH BUSINESSES HELP?
Canadian individuals and businesses are more dependent than ever on the internet to carry out their day-to-day activities. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, this trend has gained speed so that Canadians can work, shop and socialize safely, in accordance with the physical distancing policies issued by public health authorities. However, as devices, information and activities move online, their vulnerability to cyberthreats increases.
According to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security the number of cyberthreat actors is rising and their actions are becoming more sophisticated. Given the scope of these challenges, a whole range of innovations will have to be deployed to transform our ways of thinking and acting to help Canadian individuals and businesses prevent, detect and respond to cyberthreats.
These ideas—and many others— are some of the potential approaches for making Canadian individuals and businesses more resilient.
PRIORITIES
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
CHALLENGE PROGRAM
The Cyber Challenge features mentoring sessions, workshops and pitches to help participants grow their businesses.
PRIZES FOR WINNING TEAMS
The team that wins the Cybersecurity Startups Call for Application will receive a $25,000 non-dilutive grant.
The second place team will receive a $15,000 grant.
Both winners will earn a spot in Startup in Residence, Desjardins's 8-month startup accelerator, and will be eligible for a potential investment of up to $250,000.
Third place will get a $5,000 grant and coaching under the Fintech Cadence Sandbox program.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
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The goal of this call for applications is to spur the emergence and growth of startups that will help financial institutions and their clients overcome the challenges of climate change both at home and abroad.
How can canadian fintech startups help society address the challenges of climate change and support a just transition to a low-carbon, more sustainable, resilient and inclusive model?
The goal of this challenge is to spur the emergence and growth of startups that will help financial institutions and their clients overcome the challenges of climate change both at home and abroad.
OVERVIEW
Desjardins and climate change Climate change is taking a heavy toll on the environment, society and the economy, and this can affect people's physical, mental and financial health.
Since 1990, we've been taking action to protect the environment and mitigate climate change. We recognize the urgent need to act—and act fast—in response to the challenges that climate change poses.
In late 2017, we made a number of commitments toward achieving the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global temperature rise to below 2 degrees. These commitments included achieving operational carbon neutrality, focusing our infrastructure investments on renewable energy projects, and reducing the carbon footprint of our own investments.
We stepped up these commitments in 2019 with a new target to reduce GHG emissions under our operational control to 20% below 2018 levels by 2024. In 2020, we became the first financial institution in North America to join the Powering Past Coal Alliance and issued what NGO Reclaim Finance called one of the world's most robust coal exit policies.
Learn more about our commitment to the climate and the environment.
In 2021, we renewed our climate strategy, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality (net zero emissions) by 2040 in our operations, procurement and lending, as well as our own investments in 3 key carbon-intensive sectors of the economy: energy, transportation and real estate.
We'll achieve this ambitious goal through the support and engagement of all our employees, managers and directors, and through the joint efforts and progress of our partners in the financial sector and Canadian society.
Learn more about our 2040 climate strategy.
How can fintech companies help?
Given the magnitude of these issues, it will take a great deal of innovation to transform the way we think and act to support the financial sector and its clients, whether by raising awareness, measuring impacts, analyzing climate risk or developing financing solutions for green projects.
These are just some of the ways fintech companies can support a just transition to a low-carbon, resilient economy.
REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPANTS
CHALLENGE PROGRAM
The Fintech Climate Challenge is an 8-month program featuring mentoring sessions, workshops and pitches to support participants in growing their businesses.
AWARDS FOR WINNING TEAMS
1st prize: $25,000 cash grant,
Plus:
• A spot in Startup in Residence, Desjardins's 8-month program;
• A possible investment of up to $250,000.
2nd prize: $15,000 cash grant,
Plus:
• A spot in Startup in Residence, Desjardins's 8-month program;
• A possible investment of up to $250,000.
3rd prize: $5,000 cash grant,
Plus:
• access to Fintech Cadence's Sandbox program.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
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Progressing towards financial empowerment means learning to better manage personal budgets and making sound financial decisions, while protecting your personal data.
Faced with these challenges, fintechs can bring solutions to help Canadians.
How can we help Canadians reach financial empowerment?
The challenge aims to support entrepreneurs in order to propel them further in their product development and give them the maximum chance for a successful collaboration with Desjardins. “Desjardins continually seeks feedback from members and clients. As soon as the pandemic struck, we took action to provide assistance and reassure members and clients that we’re committed to doing everything we can to help them get through these challenging times and manage their finances. Desjardins intends to continue playing an active role in the socio-economic recovery of our communities,” said Guy Cormier, President and CEO of Desjardins Group.
Financial empowerment is the ability to manage daily life in a sustainable way and achieve set goals. It includes:
To participate in the Fintech Challenge, the startups must be working on at least one of the above scenarios by providing financial technological solutions that improve personal finance management, planning financial goals, automating savings, learning about online brokerage and investing, and financial education as a whole.
Additionally, the Fintech Challenge is looking for startups that work on the uptake of responsible investment. This can include educating consumers on responsible investing, categorizing and measuring impact of investments and providing opportunities to invest responsibly.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
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The Startup in Residence program also means rewarding meetings with dedicated experts.
With years of experience to their credit, they are useful resources for supporting your business as it grows.
Have you ever had a game-changing idea, only to have your momentum fizzle out when you realize you don’t know how to take it to the next level?
Don’t let your next big flash of genius go to waste! Apply to join the Cooperathon, the award-winning open innovation competition. Over several sprints and dozens of training hours, you’ll work on developing a prototype, becoming enterprise-ready and perfecting your market pitch.
Learn more about Cooperathon
State-of-the-art workspaces designed for startups. Get unparalleled access to our program that includes training, workshops and events, plus an exclusive opportunity to connect to the wider Canadien startup ecosystem.
Submit your application
Tap into Desjardins’s global network of experts. We’re committed to helping program residents grow and succeed. We’ll provide the training and support you need to build a solid foundation for your startup.
Learn more about DesjardinsThe program is aimed first and foremost at startups that are likely to have a positive socio-economic impact within Canada. The goal is to guide them as they grow through investment, education, mentoring and networking.
Through meaningful and extensive coaching and mentoring, we help Canadian tech founders focus on what matters most so that they are equipped to succeed. Our goal is to get them investment-ready, while also prioritizing on their wellness.
What we offer:
- High-touch and customized guidance, over 8 months
- A $15k non-dilutive grant from day one
- Access to highly knowledgeable experts, mentoring, and psychologists
- Possibility of up to $250k in financing
- Access to a huge network and meaningful, ongoing support
8 months.
Keep checking our home page for information on when to register for the various call for applications.
No, there is no cost to participate in the Startup in Residence program.
Our program is highly personalized and tailored to meet the strategic objectives of Startup in Residence and each Startup in order to guarantee that our partnership generates genuine value for all parties involved. In addition, we work alongside other accelerators to create a path to support you in your growth.
The startup participating in the program could receive an investment of up to $250,000 in the form of a subordinated debt at a discount and convertible into a preferred share.
Through the call for applications, we like to meet financial, real estate and healthcare technology companies with a business solution focused on solving a real problem.
No. The company must be headquartered in Canada.
Although we hope this happens, it isn't the objective of the program. Desjardins set up Startup in Residence to support startups as they grow and help them validate and increase their value proposition.
If you meet the criteria for one of the call for applications, please fill out the appropriate form.
The selection committee will then review your application.
Our validation process includes an initial selection by committee. If your Startup is selected, a meeting will be planned with you and your team to discuss the terms and conditions and the next steps.
We do not provide allowances.
Desjardins could invest up to $ 250,000 in companies participating in Startup in Residence, in addition to a non-dilutive grant of $ 15,000 that will be awarded to them at the beginning the program.
To assess your application, the selection committee will focus primarily on the concept's validity, the product development stage, the competitive landscape and the team's makeup and experience. In addition, your solution should have a positive socio-economic impact within Canada.
You must then authorize us to carry out a credit check and criminal record check of you and your team. We will then arrange a meeting to discuss the terms and conditions of the residence, identify your needs, inform you of our needs and jointly determine key performance indicators.
The general conditions of participation in the Startup in residence program will be presented to you if you are selected.