VOTING IS FINISHED! GRAB YOUR GALA TICKETS BEFORE THEY’RE GONE!
THE GALA RETURNS ON NOVEMBER 28th, 2024
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🌟 CELEBRATE OUR FINALISTS! 🌟
Help us honor the finalists who are transforming our startup ecosystem.
Voting is now closed!
Join the Celebration
Join the highlight event of the year to celebrate the heroes of innovation. Reserve your tickets for the 2024 Startup Community Awards Gala and don’t miss this exclusive evening!
Want to help make it an unforgettable night? Volunteer with us and get free access to the gala, plus complimentary drinks. Help us make this event a huge success!
SCA is a celebration fueled by the community, created by the community, and dedicated to the community. It’s a heartfelt tribute to those who tirelessly shape our startup ecosystem day in, day out.
SCA Is About You and Us
SCA is more than an event; it’s a reflection of our collective strength. It embodies the spirit of giving first and our genuine commitment to shaping our future together.
Unifying Our Community
SCA’s mission is simple: to bring us all closer, to inspire, to strengthen friendships, and to foster trust among us.
Nominate, Vote, and Join Us
Nominate those you believe deserve recognition and cast your votes in each category. Then, join us at the gala, where we celebrate the unity that propels our ecosystem forward. Let’s shine a spotlight on the dedicated individuals who make our startup community thrive, inclusive, and engaged.
Together, Let’s Celebrate Those Who Make a Difference!
The Schedule
Nominations
September 5 to October 6 (extended)
Nominate the people and organizations that make Quebec a must for startups from here and abroad. A selection committee composed of community stakeholders will then identify up to 5 finalists per category.
Votes from public
October 23 to November 10
Vote for your favourites! Winners will be determined through an equal 50% public vote and 50% jury vote.
Gala & announcement of the winners
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Join us for the grand unveiling of the winners at the Startup Community Gala in person and online. Reserve your spot!
Award Categories 2024
We are excited to present the updated roster of award categories for 2024. This year, we’ve worked closely with community leaders and founders to ensure our awards remain impactful, inclusive, and relevant. By listening to your feedback, we’ve carefully adapted our categories to better reflect the evolving needs of our ecosystem.
Thank you for helping us shape Startup Community Awards 2024 into a true reflection of our vibrant startup ecosystem.
Individual Awards:
🏆 INVESTOR COMMUNITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR
This award celebrates an investor – angel, corporate, family office, foundation, institutional, VC, or other – who is actively involved in the startup community, mentoring startups, hosting and participating in events, and going beyond their role to support the growth and success of the startup ecosystem as a whole.
🏆 PUBLIC SECTOR ALLY OF THE YEAR
This award honours a civil servant who has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to go beyond the line of duty to contribute to the growth, well-being, and prosperity of the Quebec Startup and innovation ecosystem.
🏆 TOUGH LOVE MENTOR AWARD
This award recognizes a mentor who consistently provides entrepreneurs with the unfiltered, tough love they need to succeed. This individual is unafraid to deliver hard truths and reality checks, cutting through the noise to offer meaningful, actionable advice. What sets this mentor apart is their ability to do so in a way that supports the entrepreneur’s growth without negatively impacting their mental health. The Tough LOVE Mentor understands that true mentorship isn’t just about being supportive—it’s about challenging entrepreneurs to push their limits while ensuring they feel valued and empowered on their journey.
🏆 NEWCOMER ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
This award recognizes an immigrant entrepreneur who has demonstrated exceptional resilience in overcoming the unique challenges of starting and growing a business in a new country. The recipient has not only achieved business success but has also actively shared their story and strategies within the startup community, inspiring others to persevere and succeed despite obstacles. Nominees must have immigrated to Canada within the last 5 years.
🏆 RIPPLE EFFECT AWARD
This award honours an entrepreneur OR an academic who has created a lasting positive impact on the startup ecosystem by meaningfully contributing to the growth and prosperity of the startup community beyond their own business activities. The recipient of this award is someone whose actions—whether through mentoring, coaching, resource sharing, or leading community initiatives—have sparked a ripple effect, inspiring and uplifting others within the ecosystem to do the same. Their contributions extend beyond their own ventures, fostering a culture of collaboration, support, and growth across the startup community.
Organization and Program Awards:
🏆 BORN GLOBAL STARTUP AWARD (startups only)
Awarded to a startup that has demonstrated exceptional growth in international sales while actively promoting Quebec’s innovation on the global stage.
🏆 STARTUP OF THE YEAR (startups only)
This award honours a startup that has demonstrated exceptional potential for long-term success through a holistic approach. Beyond financial achievements, this startup embodies strong and inclusive leadership, disrupts and shifts industries, and has a significant societal impact. It is committed to a triple bottom line—economic, social, and environmental impact—and has a born-global mindset, executing strategies that extend its reach and influence on a global scale.
🏆 STARTUP-RESEARCH IMPACT AWARD (projects only)
This award honours a project that stands as a testament to the power of collaborative research between a startup and a student or researcher. By merging their expertise, they’ve turned pioneering research into impactful solutions, demonstrating how such partnerships can drive innovation and meet the development challenges of start-ups. The success of this project highlights the transformative potential of university-business collaboration to create significant change in our society.
🏆 IMPACTFUL INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
This award celebrates an initiative or program, regardless of its origin—whether grassroots, university-led, government-supported, or led by an established organization, that has positively impacted the startup ecosystem in the last 2 years. Eligible initiatives should demonstrate exceptional leadership, and tangible metrics that highlight their contributions to the well-being, sustainability, and inclusivity of the startup community.
🏆 STARTUP PROGRAM OF THE YEAR (program of one or multiple organizations)
This award recognizes a program that has provided exceptional support, resources, and/or infrastructure to support founders in the creation and growth of their startups. If you’ve been part of a program that went above and beyond, whether they helped you scale, fostered your innovation, or provided critical resources at the right time, nominate the program that had the most impact on your startup’s success and long-term growth.
Nominations for this award can ONLY be submitted by founders or teams who have personally benefited from the program’s offerings.
A call for collaboration
By the community for the community.
In the spirit of unity and growth, we’re excited to announce the upcoming 2024 Startup Community Awards. To make this year a success, we invite you to play a pivotal role in shaping this event.
Here’s how you can contribute:
● Become a Financial Sponsor: Fuel the Community: Join us as a financial sponsor and invest in excellence. Your contribution will enable us to honor outstanding individuals and organizations who are shaping our startup ecosystem. Find out more about sponsorship opportunities.
● Become a Community Catalyst: Mobilize Your Community: As a community engagement leader help us inspire action for nominations and votes, ensuring that the brightest talents receive the recognition they rightfully deserve. Join our Community Catalyst Team by reaching out to us and sharing our news within your community.
● Volunteer for Impact: Join the Team: By donating your time, you’ll be contributing to something incredible. Get involved as a volunteer and help shape the success of the Startup Community Awards.
Let’s come together, make connections, and build a stronger community through the 2024 Startup Community Awards.
About
Organized by Montreal NewTech with support from Startupfest we are proud to invite you to the 6th edition of the Startup Community Awards.
MONTRÉAL NEW TECH
MTL NewTech is a non-profit organization based in Montreal since 2008 and dedicated to the success of startup entrepreneurs and the realization of ambitious impact innovations. Our community is excited about technological innovation and eager to explore new trends, create transformational new products and connect to global innovation ecosystems.
Startupfest
Startupfest is not only Canada’s original startup event–but widely regarded as one of the world’s must-attend startup conferences. It is the annual gathering at which entrepreneurs, investors, makers, large enterprises, industry veterans, and startup communities chart the course of technology entrepreneurship in a one-of-a-kind festival atmosphere.
Winners 2022 – 2021 – 2018
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Community Leaders
