Laval Innov

What Laval Innov does

Laval Innov is a Quebec-registered non-profit organization (OBNL) established in 2018 that operates as the official Espace régional d'accélération et de croissance (ERAC) for the Laval region — one of five government-mandated regional innovation poles created under the Plan d'action gouvernemental en entrepreneuriat (PAGE). Its mission is to catalyze and support innovation within the Lavallois ecosystem by providing personalized advisory services to SMEs and entrepreneurs covering business-model innovation, technology adoption, financing access (grants, tax credits, regional and national programs, private partnerships), and connection to research, training, and investor networks. Core service areas are financing, cybersecurity, impact measurement, and business networking, delivered through direct advisory, group workshops, webinars, and the flagship annual Forum IN! event (5th edition in 2026), complemented by the multi-season Simplement Audacieux podcast and a curated portal that refers SMEs to 18+ external digital tools.

The organization does not develop proprietary technology products. Its operational technology layer consists of third-party tools — notably Planbox for online collaborative ideation (used for projects such as the MIT Senseable City Lab "Parc du futur de Laval" citizen consultation), a website-based content and newsletter platform, and podcast distribution infrastructure — together with a small internal team of roughly 1–10 employees (including Director General Véronique Coutu, appointed January 2025; partnerships/innovation lead Sylvain Tardif; project office manager Eve Lacoursière; and communications, events, accounting, and administrative support staff). The Board of Directors is chaired by Ghani Kolli, with Stéphanie Girard-Beaudry as Vice-president.

Laval Innov's business model is that of a publicly funded regional coordinator rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue is derived almost entirely from recurring government grants — primarily from the Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation (MEI) of Quebec and Ville de Laval — supplemented by project-based public funding such as the 2024 envelope for sustainable agricultural practices and partnership contributions from regional ecosystem actors (Collège Montmorency, CCIL, PRESL, CJE Laval, CIQ, Investissement Québec, BDC, ABGI Canada, Université de Montréal, UQAM, MIT Senseable City Lab, HEC Montréal, and others). Advisory services to Lavallois enterprises are provided free of charge; pricing is not disclosed because the organization is government-funded. Its go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, anchored by direct enterprise outreach, Forum IN!, the podcast, a bi-weekly newsletter, and active social media presence targeting the regional SMB and entrepreneur base.

Name

Laval Innov

Legal name

Laval Innov

Website

https://lavalinnov.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Laval Innov is a Quebec non-profit (OBNL) that serves as the government-designated ERAC regional innovation accelerator for Laval, providing free personalized advisory, ecosystem connections, and financing access to Lavallois SMEs and entrepreneurs. It anchors its GTM around Forum IN!, the Simplement Audacieux podcast, and a curated external-tools portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Innovation Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional Capacity Building & Training (Workforce/Systems Strengthening) (BPADAEAC), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO)

Keywords

• Innovation ecosystem support
• Regional innovation accelerator
• SME advisory services
• Entrepreneur accompaniment
• Innovation network coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Laval

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Public Grants: Laval Innov operates as an ERAC (Espace régional d'accélération et de croissance) funded primarily by the Government of Quebec (Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation) and Ville de Laval. Revenue is derived from public grants and government program contributions for regional innovation ecosystem development.
2. Innovation Advisory Services: Laval Innov provides personalized innovation advisory services to Lavallois enterprises including accompaniment on business model innovation, technology adoption, access to financing levers (grants, tax credits, regional/national programs, private partnerships), and mobilization of research and innovation ecosystem actors.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Laval Innov is a non-profit regional innovation accelerator (ERAC — Espace régional d'accélération et de croissance) that provides personalized advisory and accompaniment services to SMEs, entrepreneurs, and startups in the Laval region of Quebec. Its core offering centers on mobilizing the local innovation ecosystem — connecting enterprises with research centers, technology advisors, financing programs (grants, tax credits), and networking opportunities — to support business model development, technology adoption, and innovation-driven growth. The organization also delivers collective innovation activities including the annual Forum IN! event, webinars, workshops, and the Simplement Audacieux podcast.

Product overview

Laval Innov is a non-profit organization (OBNL) that serves as the regional innovation acceleration and growth space (ERAC) for the Laval region in Quebec. Rather than offering a unified software product, Laval Innov provides an ecosystem of innovation support services including personalized business support (financing, cybersecurity, impact assessment, networking), the annual Forum IN! innovation event, and the Simplement Audacieux podcast series. Additionally, they curate and recommend a portfolio of external digital tools covering financing (Innovation Canada, Prévisio, Futurpreneur, BDC), cybersecurity (CyberÉco, Ma.Loi.25, Centre canadien pour la cybersécurité), innovation (SymbiotiQ, AQT - Techno Québec), business development (ICRIQ, Explorer PI, Entreprendre ICI, OnRègle, Budgeto), and business networking (Radar, Connect AIoT Canada, Mitacs, Axelys). These tools are external resources they recommend to entrepreneurs rather than products they build or integrate with.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Forum IN!: Annual innovation forum event organized by Laval Innov, currently in its 5th edition for 2026.
• Simplement Audacieux
• Semer les bases
• ERAC de Laval

Products and services

• Services d'accompagnement (Personalized Innovation Advisory) Personalized accompaniment and advisory services provided to innovative Lavallois enterprises covering financing access, cybersecurity guidance, impact measurement, and business networking facilitation. Services are delivered free of charge as part of the ERAC mandate.
• Forum IN! Annual innovation forum organized by Laval Innov that brings together entrepreneurs, startups, researchers, and investors from the Laval region for networking, knowledge sharing, and ecosystem convening.
• Simplement Audacieux Podcast

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of SMEs that developed innovations during COVID-19 crisis reported that these innovations helped them better weather the storm (Quebec Innove survey data for the Laval region).
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Conseil de l'innovation du Québec (CIQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission partner providing strategic alignment with the Quebec Innovation Council. CIQ and Laval Innov collaborate on regional innovation support and the network of innovation advisors across Quebec.
• ABGI CanadaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerABGI Canada specializes in innovation funding advisory (SR&ED tax credits, government grants). Partnership extends Laval Innov's service offering in innovation financing access for Lavallois enterprises.
• Entreprendre ICIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovative partnership providing telemedicine services for Laval Innov's entrepreneurial network in collaboration with TELUS Santé, offering virtual healthcare access at discounted rates.
• FemmessorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting women entrepreneurs in Quebec. Conducts surveys and shares resources on entrepreneurship support measures in partnership with regional innovation actors including Laval Innov.
• Québec InnoveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial innovation knowledge organization that produced the regional innovation survey 'Les PME et l'innovation en temps de pandémie' covering the Laval region. Laval Innov participates in and shares Québec Innove research.
• Senseable City Lab (MIT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT research lab partnered with Ville de Laval on the 'Parc du futur de Laval' project. Laval Innov collaborated on citizen ideation using Planbox as part of this international research collaboration.
• HEC Montréal (Mosaic)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEC Mosaïc summer school on creativity and innovation management. Laval Innov co-launched a challenge with Au Jardin de la Famille de Fabreville at the 2021 summer school on circular economy retail innovation.
• AquaHacking / C.I.EAU / Aqua ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaval Innov serves on the advisory committee of the AquaHacking Challenge 2021 focused on the Rivière des Mille Îles, contributing regional expertise on water innovation challenges.
• VM Vidéo Marketing QcminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaval-based video production company that co-produced the Simplement Audacieux podcast series with Laval Innov.
• Agence EMYminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative agency collaborating with Laval Innov on the Simplement Audacieux podcast production.
• Collège MontmorencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding and ongoing educational partner in the Laval Innov ecosystem. Co-founded the ERAC initiative, participates in innovation projects, and is a key actor in the PLAN (Pôle lavallois d'enseignement supérieur en arts numériques).
• Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Laval (CCIL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding and ongoing business chamber partner in the Laval Innov ecosystem. Collaborates on economic development initiatives, Forum IN! events, and the MEI regional prioritization mandate.
• Pôle régional d'économie sociale de Laval (PRESL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding and ongoing social economy partner. Collaborated with Laval Innov and Ville de Laval SDÉ on the MEI regional consultation and prioritization mandate.
• CJE de LavalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding youth entrepreneurship support partner in the Laval Innov ecosystem.
• Tourisme LavalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding tourism development partner in the Laval Innov ecosystem.
• Université de MontréalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding academic partner in the PLAN (Pôle lavallois d'enseignement supérieur en arts numériques) collaboration with Collège Montmorency and UQAM.
• Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding academic partner in the PLAN collaboration alongside Collège Montmorency and Université de Montréal.
• HumanYo+ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding entrepreneur-led partner that initiated the creation of the Laval Innov ERAC alongside Ville de Laval and Collège Montmorency.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sherbrooke Innopole: Sherbrooke Innopole is one of the other 5 Quebec ERACs designated alongside Laval Innov in 2018 under the PAGE initiative. It performs an analogous role as regional innovation accelerator and economic development coordinator for the Sherbrooke region, with similar government funding, advisory services, and ecosystem convening functions.
• District 3: District 3 is a Montreal-based innovation hub and startup accelerator focused on early-stage ventures. It shares Laval Innov's role of providing structured accompaniment, ecosystem connections, and capacity-building support for innovative Quebec ventures, though with a more startup-stage focus.
• Bonjour Startup Montréal: Bonjour Startup Montréal acts as a regional ecosystem coordinator and promoter of the Montreal-area startup and innovation community. Although more startup-focused than SME-focused, it plays an analogous ecosystem-orchestration, event-convening, and visibility-building role for Quebec innovation.
• Québec International: Québec International is another Quebec ERAC serving the Quebec City/ Capitale-Nationale region with a similar mandate of supporting SMEs, attracting investment, and coordinating the regional innovation ecosystem. It is funded through comparable public-private mechanisms and offers comparable accompaniment and ecosystem services.
• Centech (École de technologie supérieure): Centech is a Montreal-based technology incubator and accelerator that supports deep-tech and tech-enabled startups with programming, mentorship, and connections to industry. It operates a similar startup accompaniment model to Laval Innov's ERAC, though with a more technology-focused mandate and a larger national footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Investissement Québec: Investissement Québec is the provincial investment and economic development agency that co-funds Laval Innov's regional coordination mandate. It operates a much broader portfolio of innovation financing programs across Quebec, of which Laval Innov's ERAC is effectively a regional delivery partner.
• Communitech: Communitech is a Waterloo, Ontario-based innovation hub that supports tech companies and founders through ecosystem programming, corporate connections, and acceleration services. It offers a comparable publicly-anchored regional innovation intermediation model to Laval Innov.
• MaRS Discovery District: MaRS is one of North America's largest urban innovation hubs, providing advisory, programming, and ecosystem coordination services to innovators and entrepreneurs. While much larger and Toronto-based, it represents a comparable model of publicly-supported regional innovation intermediation that Laval Innov operates at a smaller regional scale.

Emerging players

• Founder Institute Montreal: Founder Institute operates a pre-seed accelerator program with a Montreal chapter that supports aspiring entrepreneurs through structured programming and mentorship. While more founder-stage focused than Laval Innov's broader SME mandate, it overlaps in providing ecosystem entry points and structured accompaniment for innovative Quebec ventures.

Others

• Conseil de l'innovation du Québec (CIQ): CIQ is the Quebec Innovation Council and a strategic partner of Laval Innov, providing province-wide strategic alignment of innovation policy and coordinating the network of innovation advisors across Quebec. It is an ecosystem enabler and policy counterpart rather than a direct competitor, but its provincial mandate substantially overlaps with the convening role Laval Innov plays regionally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/InnovLaval

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Laval Innov