Centech
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Centech firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Centech
- Legal name
- Centech
- Website
- https://centech.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Centech industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Incubation and Acceleration Services
- NAICS
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus (EDAHAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)
Keywords
Where Centech is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Centech business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Government and Public Funding: Centech receives support from government bodies including Développement économique Canada and the Québec government. This public funding supports its incubator operations and programs.
- Corporate Partnership Programs: Centech generates revenue through managing open innovation programs for large corporations (e.g., Safran Explore Canada, AI@Centech with Thales, 5G Development Hub with Verizon/Bell). Corporations pay for program design, startup scouting, and implementation services.
- Incubator Programs: The Acceleration program is free for startups. The Propulsion program (2 years) may generate revenue through alumni fees or sustained engagement. Revenue model is not publicly disclosed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free 12-week acceleration program for technology startups |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 2-year personalized support program for established technology companies |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Centech product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Centech is a non-profit technology business incubator and open innovation hub based in Montreal that runs a 12-week free Acceleration Program and a 2-year Propulsion Program to help early-stage and growth-stage technology startups move from concept to commercialization. Through its Collision Lab, it designs and operates corporate open innovation programs (technology scouting, startup matchmaking, bespoke challenge programs) for large enterprises in aerospace, defense, telecom, energy, and pharma. It also hosts flagship events such as Open Innovation Day and the Dual-Tech Adoption event, and provides curated access to expert mentors, startup databases, and co-working space.
Product overview
Centech is a technology business incubator and accelerator based in Montreal, founded in 1996 by the École de technologie supérieure. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of programs and services structured around two core acceleration programs: the 12-week Acceleration Program (Programme Accélération) for early-stage startups, and the 2-year Propulsion Program for companies seeking sustainability and growth. Centech operates through its open innovation hub, Collision Lab, which facilitates collaboration between startups and large corporations via corporate programs, technology scouting services, and open innovation challenges. The portfolio includes corporate accelerators like AI@Centech with Thales, Safran Explore Canada, the 5G Development Hub with Verizon and Bell, and Merck Digital Sciences Studio. Centech supports startups across deeptech and medtech sectors including automation, transport, logistics, telecommunications, microelectronics, energy, environment, and healthcare technologies. The ecosystem provides access to expert communities, startup databases (PitchBook, Crunchbase), and hosts flagship events including the Open Innovation Day (JIO).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Collision Lab: Centech's open innovation hub that supports large companies in their open innovation initiatives and collaboration with technology startups.
Products and services
- Programme Accélération (Acceleration Program) A free 12-week acceleration program that supports early-stage technology startups with mentorship, resources, and ecosystem access, designed to help companies advance 6-12 months in just 12 weeks.
- Programme Propulsion (Propulsion Program) A 2-year personalized program offering tools and resources to ensure the longevity and sustainability of technology companies that have moved past the startup phase.
- Collision Lab (Corporate Open Innovation Hub) Centech's open innovation hub that supports large corporations in their open innovation initiatives, facilitating collaboration with technology startups through tailored corporate programs, technology scouting, and open innovation challenges.
- Technology Scouting Services A process that identifies, evaluates, and selects skills, knowledge, and technologies valuable for companies' futures, discovering and integrating external solutions to address internal challenges through startup scouting, with privileged access to databases including PitchBook and Crunchbase.
- AI@Centech (Thales Corporate AI Accelerator) A corporate accelerator operated by Thales Group at Centech that co-develops innovative solutions with startups and SMBs for digital identity and security, defense, aerospace, space, and transport markets.
- Safran Explore Canada A matchmaking initiative between Safran and Canadian startups/scaleups, identifying innovative solutions in strategic areas including defense systems, energy and propulsion, and position, navigation and timing technologies, with potential co-funding and investment via Safran Corporate Ventures.
- 5G Development Hub A program created by Verizon and Centech in collaboration with Bell Canada, providing startups and scaleups with access to Bell's 5G network and Mobile Edge Compute (MEC) to develop and test innovative solutions in manufacturing, transportation, smart cities, and energy sectors.
- Merck Digital Sciences Studio (MDSS) A hands-on accelerator program providing promising biopharmaceutical startups with mentorship, training, support, community, and strategic investment of $100,000 USD per startup for developing next-gen digital technologies in the pharmaceutical sector.
- Powered by Collins Initiative Collins Aerospace's initiative inviting deep tech small-medium businesses to directly work with Collins, accelerating solutions across collaboration opportunities focused on technologies critical to the future of aerospace.
- Open Innovation Day (Journée de l'innovation ouverte) Centech's largest open innovation event in Quebec, bringing together startups and large companies for conferences, keynotes, panels, workshops, and B2B meetings to explore best practices in open innovation.
- Dual-Tech Adoption Event A high-level event focused on the adoption of dual-use technologies in defense and security sectors, bringing together industry leaders, government stakeholders, and Canadian startups and SMEs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Startups advance 6-12 months in just 12 weeks through Acceleration program
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Centech
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Centech technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Centech partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MerckcoreMerck partnered with Centech as operating partner for the Merck Digital Sciences Studio (MDSS) accelerator in Montreal. The program supports 12 biopharmaceutical startups per cohort focused on digital technologies including AI solutions, with each startup receiving $100,000 USD in funding from Merck Global Health Innovation Fund, The Venture Collective, and CQDM consortium.
- SafrancoreSafran partnered with Centech for Safran Explore Canada, an ongoing matchmaking initiative identifying Canadian startups for collaboration in aerospace defense challenges. Focus areas include Defense, Energy & Propulsion, and Position Navigation & Timing. Collaborations include open innovation projects co-funded by Safran and potential investment through Safran Corporate Ventures (130 million euro investment fund).
- VerizoncoreVerizon partnered with Centech to create the 5G Development Hub, providing startups and scaleups opportunity to leverage 5G and Mobile Edge Compute (MEC) technology. Seven startups were selected to test solutions on Bell's 5G network with mentoring on business development and growth strategy.
- Bell CanadacoreBell Canada collaborated with Centech and Verizon on the 5G Development Hub, providing 5G network infrastructure and technical expertise for startup testing and integration.
- ThalescoreThales operates AI@Centech, one of the corporate accelerators of the Thales Group. Purpose is to co-develop innovative solutions with startups and SMBs for five major markets: digital identity and security, defense, aerospace, space, and transport. Also partnered for Trust My Tech platform.
- Collins AerospacecoreCollins Aerospace partnered with Centech for the 'Powered by Collins' initiative, inviting deep tech small-medium businesses to work directly with Collins Aerospace, accelerating solutions across collaboration opportunities focused on technologies critical to aerospace future.
- École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS)coreÉTS founded Centech in 1996 and continues as key partner. Provides academic resources, talent pipeline, and institutional support to the incubator ecosystem.
- MT LabminorMT Lab collaborates with Centech on the 2026 edition of Open Innovation Day as a co-organizer.
- Québec TechminorQuébec Tech collaborates with Centech on the 2026 edition of Open Innovation Day as a co-organizer.
- EY (Ernst & Young)minorEY collaborates with Centech on the 2026 edition of Open Innovation Day as a co-organizer.
- StrixminorStrix co-hosts the Dual-Tech Adoption event with Centech, focused on adoption of dual-use technologies in defense and security sectors.
- BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada)minorBDC presents the Dual-Tech Adoption event in collaboration with Centech and Strix, focused on defense and security technology adoption.
- McGill UniversityminorAcademic partner collaborating with Centech on aerospace research through Airbus Tech Hub initiative.
- University of WaterloominorAcademic partner collaborating with Centech on aerospace research through Airbus Tech Hub initiative.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Centech competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MaRS Discovery District: Toronto-based innovation hub and tech startup incubator; directly comparable as one of Canada's largest university-affiliated incubators running both startup programs and corporate innovation services.
- DMZ (Toronto Metropolitan University): University-affiliated tech incubator with startup acceleration programs and corporate partner offerings; mirrors Centech's dual-track model combining startup support and corporate open innovation.
- Creative Destruction Lab (CDL): Canada-based seed-stage accelerator affiliated with the Rotman School of Management; comparable objective- and mentorship-driven cohort model focused on science-based and tech startups.
- Innovation Factory (Hamilton): Regional Canadian tech incubator with accelerator programs and corporate innovation services; comparable scale and operating model within Ontario's innovation ecosystem.
- Cycle Momentum: Montreal-based cleantech accelerator with corporate-startup collaboration programs; comparable regional peer with focus on advanced tech and corporate partnerships.
- FounderFuel: Montreal-based Canadian tech accelerator with mentor-driven cohort programs; comparable regional peer in the same city and ecosystem as Centech.
Broad incumbents
- Founder Institute: Global pre-seed accelerator operating entrepreneur training programs across many countries; broader incumbent offering a comparable startup formation curriculum at much larger scale.
- Y Combinator: World's largest startup accelerator; broader incumbent offering cohort-based acceleration to tech startups with equity participation, representing the dominant global benchmark for the category.
Regional players
- Station F: Paris-based mega-incubator and open innovation hub; comparable dual model of startup programs and corporate partner offerings, but operating primarily in the European ecosystem.
- Investissement Québec: Quebec government economic development agency; comparable mandate of supporting Quebec tech companies and a frequent co-funder alongside Centech in the same ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Centech social profiles
Digital presenceCentech financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Centech leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Centech funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Centech M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments185 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Centech
What does Centech do?
Centech is a non-profit technology business incubator and open innovation hub based in Montreal that runs a 12-week free Acceleration Program and a 2-year Propulsion Program to help early-stage and growth-stage technology startups move from concept to commercialization. Through its Collision Lab, it designs and operates corporate open innovation programs (technology scouting, startup matchmaking, bespoke challenge programs) for large enterprises in aerospace, defense, telecom, energy, and pharma. It also hosts flagship events such as Open Innovation Day and the Dual-Tech Adoption event, and provides curated access to expert mentors, startup databases, and co-working space.
Is Centech a public or private company?
Centech is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Centech founded?
Centech was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Centech based?
Centech is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Centech make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government and Public Funding is the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnership Programs and incubator Programs.
Who are Centech's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MaRS Discovery District, DMZ (Toronto Metropolitan University), Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), Innovation Factory (Hamilton), Cycle Momentum and FounderFuel. Broad incumbents are Founder Institute and Y Combinator. Regional players are Station F and Investissement Québec.
Does Centech have an API?
No public API is recorded for Centech.
What industry is Centech in?
Centech's product category is Startup Incubation and Acceleration Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAH, Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus, with a secondary code of FSANAHAD, Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs. Its NAICS code is 541 and its SIC code is 8742.