Université Laval partnered Babson College on Thursday to launch a summer accelerator program called Proto10 funded by private investor Geoffrey Molson and his family’s philanthropic office Molson Foundation.
The 10-week initiative will operate from Université Laval on a similar basis to Babson’s Summer Venture Program, which launched in 2008. The two initiatives will align their approaches to pitches and peer-to-peer monitoring while also pooling speakers and workshops.
Université Laval has also joined Babson College’s Collaborative for Entrepreneurship Education organisation, which connects universities and colleges looking to enhance their ability to deliver entrepreneurial training.
The Summer Venture Program accepts 15 founding teams per year consisting of college graduates and undergraduates, with each team receiving $200,000 worth of services including housing, workspace, advice and training seminars.
The 2018 cohort consists of bicycle trading marketplace BikeLord, medical services portal Dondoctor, fashion platform developer Exclusive, outdoor ice hockey event organiser Frostbite Face-Off, career counselling software developer Gaido, greeting cards e-commerce platform Gentle and sustainable apparel supplier Hope Sews.
The program will also welcome college application mentorship portal Ignited, domestic errands utility developer Nanny A La Carte, fashion marketplace Shay Jaffar, smoke filtration device developer Smask, restaurant recommendation engine TastePal, autonomous food delivery service Waec, eyewear producer William Palmer Eyewear and self-improvement service Wish Route.
Maripier Tremblay, president of Université Laval’s startup division, Entrepreneuriat Laval, said: “Babson College and Université Laval share the same vision of entrepreneurship, so this is a natural partnership. Sharing practices and strengthening relationships will benefit our entire entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“What is more, Babson places great importance on the social impact of entrepreneurship, which aligns well with our vision of responsible entrepreneurship.”
