Only a few weeks ago, a private initiative was launched to help and assist start-ups located in Montreal: InnoCité MTL. This program is a business accelerator that funds and promotes smart start-ups and emerging companies. Innocité MTL is “composed of workshops, development sprints, pitch and demo sessions”, as well as “a 12-week prototyping program in an urban setting”.
This program is based on the Montréal Ville Intelligente (Montreal Smart City) campaign set in place by Denis Coderre, the mayor of Montreal. It aims to transform Montreal into a model technological and numerical city by 2017.
As these two programs are very closely connected, InnoCité greatly favors technological start-ups that support the interests of Coderre’s campaign. The businesses that are given priority are related to urban mobility, direct services to citizens, general lifestyle, the democratic process, and economic development.
This initiative can provide many good things to the city of Montreal. As new modernized and smart businesses emerge, Montreal will become a model technological city. Developing start-ups will create jobs and new opportunities for citizens, increasing the overall standard of living. Denis Coderre stated that this program “will generate economic spinoffs that will contribute to the growth of our metropolis”. InnoCité MTL will boost entrepreneurship in Montreal and will contribute to the sharing of ideas and the development of solutions to current technological and economic problems.
However, this business acceleration program is extremely competitive. Start-ups are judged based on their business plan quality, growth potential, and their relevance to Montréal Ville Intelligente (Smart City). If selected, businesses will receive a $50,000 down payment and constant guidance until their prototype stage.
This initiative is a great opportunity for start-ups in Montreal, and will provide great benefits to the city. New jobs, better technology, Montreal may soon become a model digital city!
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