HEC Montréal

What HEC Montréal does

HEC Montréal is Canada's first university-level business school, founded in 1907 and operating as a public educational institution under Quebec law. It delivers business education across the full degree spectrum — from the trilingual B.A.A. (French, English, Spanish — a North American first) through D.E.S.S., Master's, MBA, the bilingual EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal, and doctoral programs — alongside certificates, microprogrammes, executive education through École des dirigeant(e)s, and free online courses via EDU*lib* and edX. The institution holds the triple crown of international business school accreditations (EQUIS 1999, AMBA 2002, AACSB 2003), the first in North America, and serves more than 115,000 alumni worldwide.

The school's technology and experiential learning stack centers on the ERPsim Laboratory (SAP-based business simulation), the Business Builders gamified platform built with SAP and the NHL using ~1.5M data points per game, the FPHEC Student Investment Fund managing $1M in North American equities for ~30 BBA students, and the Salle des marchés trading room with Bloomberg Terminals. AI research is conducted through the NSERC Alliance project with SAP Canada, UQAM, and Université de Sherbrooke developing AI-powered data visualization tools, alongside participation in the IVADO AI consortium and Tech3Lab HCI research institute. Distribution spans three Montréal campus buildings (Édifice Lise-et-Giuseppe-Racanelli, Decelles, and the 2023-vintage downtown Hélène-Desmarais), a Paris international office managing 100+ European university partnerships, and digital channels.

Revenue mechanics are diversified: tuition and program fees across multiple levels, Quebec government appropriations (e.g., $928,000 for Le Certif), philanthropic donations ($13M in 2025; historic $20M from the Lise and Giuseppe Racanelli Foundation in 2026; $2M from Montreal Exchange in 2025), corporate partnerships (SAP, Schneider Electric, TD Assurance), and research grants (NSERC Alliance). The marketing and GTM approach is hybrid — direct enterprise field sales via École des dirigeant(e)s for corporate training, sales-led student recruitment via information sessions and campus outreach, and event-driven engagement through conferences (NatureX, COP30) and free EDU*lib*/edX MOOCs acting as top-of-funnel channels.

Name

HEC Montréal

Legal name

HEC Montréal

Website

https://hec.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

HEC Montréal is Canada's first university-level business school (founded 1907), offering undergraduate through doctoral business education with triple international accreditation (AMBA, AACSB, EQUIS) and serving students, executives, and corporate clients across Québec and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Business School

NAICS

Business and Secretarial Schools (61141), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Open Courseware & Course Modules (OCW) (EDAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Business education
• Executive education
• Graduate management
• Continuing education
• Business research

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, graduate, MBA, executive education, certificate programs, and continuing education offerings. Multiple program types from B.A.A. to Ph.D. with varying fee structures.
2. Government Funding: Provincial Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy funding for specific programs (e.g., $928,000 for 'Le Certif' professional certification program) and general operational support.
3. Philanthropic Donations: Annual donations and commitments of $13 million (2025), with major gifts including $20M from Lise et Giuseppe Racanelli Foundation and $2M from Montreal Exchange Regulatory Division. Supports scholarships ($3M distributed in 2024) and educational initiatives.
4. Corporate Partnerships and Research Funding: NSERC Alliance funding for research projects, SAP Canada technology partnerships, and corporate sponsorships for research chairs and specialized programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

HEC Montréal is a public university business school offering degree programs from undergraduate (B.A.A.) through doctoral (Ph.D.), plus executive education, professional certificates, and corporate training. It operates three Montreal campus buildings and a Paris international office, and delivers experiential learning through the ERPsim Lab, Student Investment Fund, and Business Builders platform. The institution also conducts funded research in areas such as AI, sustainability, and cybersecurity.

Product overview

HEC Montréal is Canada's first university-level business school, established in 1907, offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The institution operates as a multi-campus university with three buildings (Édifice Lise-et-Giuseppe-Racanelli, Édifice Decelles, and Édifice Hélène-Desmarais) providing degree programs from undergraduate certificates through doctoral studies, including the flagship B.A.A. (Bachelor of Business Administration) in trilingual format, MBA and Executive MBA programs, Master's degrees, D.E.S.S. graduate diplomas, and micro-programs. Beyond traditional degree education, HEC Montréal offers professional development through the École des dirigeant(e)s for executives, free online learning via EDU*lib* and edX, and specialized certification programs like 'Le Certif.' The institution enhances experiential learning through innovative platforms including the ERPsim Laboratory, Business Builders (SAP educational game), the FPHEC Student Investment Fund managing $1 million in equities, and the Salle des marchés trading room with Bloomberg terminals. Research and innovation are supported through institutes like Tech3Lab, IVADO (AI consortium), and IMC2 (cybersecurity). The institution publishes content through Revue Gestion and HEC Mag, maintains an active alumni network of over 115,000 members, and operates the Campus Montréal campaign partnership with Université de Montréal and Polytechnique Montréal. HEC Montréal holds the triple crown of international business school accreditations (AMBA, AACSB, EQUIS).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• École des dirigeant(e)s: Executive education division offering short-duration training programs for managers, executives, and business leaders.
• EDU*lib*
• Fonds de placement étudiant HEC Montréal (FPHEC)
• Laboratoire ERPsim
• Bureau international – Europe (BIE)
• Revue Gestion
• HEC Mag

Products and services

• Baccalauréat en administration des affaires (B.A.A.) Undergraduate business administration degree offered in a trilingual format (French, English, Spanish); flagship undergraduate program.
• MBA Program Full-time and part-time Master of Business Administration programs providing advanced management education and leadership development.
• Executive MBA (EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal) Bilingual executive MBA program jointly offered with McGill University for senior managers with at least 10 years of experience; over 700 alumni.
• Master's Degrees (Maîtrises) Graduate-level master's programs including M.Sc. and professional master's degrees across business disciplines.
• Doctoral Program (Ph.D.) Doctoral program in administration preparing students for academic careers and advanced research positions.
• Diplômes d'études supérieures spécialisées (D.E.S.S.) Graduate diplomas providing specialized professional education at the graduate level.
• Certificates (1er cycle) Undergraduate certificate programs offering targeted business education for career advancement or specialization.
• Microprogrammes (1er, 2e, 3e cycles) Short specialized programs at undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels providing focused skill development in specific areas.
• École des dirigeant(e)s Executive education division offering short-duration training programs for managers, executives, and business leaders, including customized corporate training for organizations.
• Continuing Education (Formation continue) Continuing education programs for working professionals, including short courses and professional development.
• Le Certif Professional Certification Program Professional certification program designed to train mentors and provide practical workshops and case studies for organizations supporting entrepreneurs in Québec.
• EDU*lib* Virtual Campus Free online university-level course platform offering courses in various business disciplines to the general public.
• Free Online Courses on edX Massive open online courses (MOOCs) offered free of charge through the edX platform, including French for Business and other business disciplines.
• Fonds de placement étudiant HEC Montréal (FPHEC) Student-managed investment fund providing experiential learning by managing $1 million in North American equities for HEC Montréal and its foundation.
• SAP Business Builders Educational Game Gamified learning platform developed with SAP and the NHL using real NHL game data on SAP Analytics Cloud to teach analytics and critical thinking; provided free to educators and students.

Quantifiable outcome

• First business school in North America with triple accreditation (EQUIS 1999, AMBA 2002, AACSB 2003)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability13 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• SAP CanadacoreTechnology or Integration · 15 April 2026SAP Canada provides financial support, technology access, and direct involvement in the ERPsim Laboratory and Business Builders educational platform. Partnership includes a three-year NSERC Alliance research project with UQAM and Université de Sherbrooke to develop AI-powered data visualization tools for SAP Analytics Cloud.
• NHLflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Collaboration providing real NHL game data (approximately 1.5 million data points per game) for the Business Builders educational platform. SAP, NHL, and HEC Montréal's ERPsim Lab jointly developed the gamified learning experience for analytics education.
• Schneider ElectricflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026Partnership to release Canada-wide analysis showing Canadians generating their own power through solar, batteries, and EVs approaching financial break-even. Study examined household-level energy patterns in Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, and Edmonton.
• UQAMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2025Partner in NSERC Alliance three-year research project to develop AI-powered tools that make data visualization more intuitive on the SAP Analytics Cloud platform.
• Université de SherbrookecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2025Partner in NSERC Alliance three-year research project to develop AI-powered tools that make data visualization more intuitive on the SAP Analytics Cloud platform.
• Université de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDU*lib* virtual campus partnership offering free online university-level courses in management disciplines. Also part of Campus Montréal campaign that raised record $581M.
• Polytechnique MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDU*lib* virtual campus partnership offering free online university-level courses in management disciplines. Also part of Campus Montréal campaign.
• TD AssuranceminorOthersAffinity partner offering discounts and privileges for HEC Montréal alumni through TD Insurance and other financial products.
• University of OxfordflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRich and ambitious partnership including student exchange programs and study abroad opportunities for B.A.A. students.
• WWF-CanadaminorOthersProvided financial contribution to support the Hectare urbain project, including the seed library initiative promoting food biodiversity and circular economy.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Desautels Faculty of Management (McGill University): McGill University's business school, based in Montreal and HEC Montréal's direct local peer. Operates a joint Executive MBA with HEC Montréal, holds triple-crown accreditation, and competes for the same Quebec-based students, faculty, and corporate clients.
• Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto): Canada's premier business school at the University of Toronto, offering a comparable full portfolio (BCom, MBA, PhD, executive education) with triple-crown accreditation. Direct competitor for top Canadian students, faculty, and corporate partnerships.
• Ivey Business School (Western University): Top-ranked Canadian business school with case-method pedagogy, MBA, EMBA, and executive education offerings. Triple-crown accredited and a direct competitor for graduate students and corporate clients across Canada.
• Schulich School of Business (York University): Major Canadian business school offering undergraduate, graduate, MBA, and executive education programs. Direct competitor for English-speaking students and corporate training contracts in the Greater Toronto Area and nationally.
• Sauder School of Business (UBC): University of British Columbia's business school with comparable BCom, MBA, and executive education programs. Direct competitor for Western Canadian students and corporate clients.
• Smith School of Business (Queen's University): Queen's University's business school, known for its MBA and Corporate MBA programs. Triple-crown accredited and a direct competitor for graduate business students in Canada.
• HEC Paris: France's top business school and the namesake European peer. Offers comparable French-language MBA, EMBA, and executive education programs, and is a global competitor for European and international business students.
• ESSEC Business School: French business school with programs in France and Singapore, offering undergraduate, MBA, and executive education. Triple-crown accredited and a comparable European peer focused on management education.

Broad incumbents

• INSEAD: Global top-tier business school with campuses in France, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi. Operates at a larger global scale than HEC Montréal, with a broader portfolio of programs and a more extensive international alumni network.
• London Business School: Top global business school offering MBA, EMBA, and executive education programs. Operates at a larger scale than HEC Montréal and serves as a benchmark for international executive education and MBA programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HEC_Montreal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hecmontreal
• Facebookfacebook.com/HECMontreal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hec-montreal
• Instagraminstagram.com/hecmontreal

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HEC Montréal