CÉRSÉ (Centre d’étude en responsabilité sociale et écocitoyenneté)

What CÉRSÉ (Centre d’étude en responsabilité sociale et écocitoyenneté) does

CÉRSÉ (Centre d'étude en responsabilité sociale et écocitoyenneté) is a Centre Collégial de Transfert de Technologie (CCTT) hosted at Cégep de Rosemont in Montreal, founded in 2010. It conducts applied research in social responsibility, social innovation, and ecocitizenship, deploying a proprietary methodology (the "Méthode CÉRSÉ") grounded in "empathie méthodologique" and the anthropological fieldwork of David Puaud. The centre operates with a 17-person interdisciplinary research team and does not develop commercial software or productized technology offerings.

Its work is delivered through commissioned research, field studies, and co-development engagements with Quebec enterprises, municipalities, Indigenous communities (notably via CEDFOB), cooperatives, and NGOs. Active projects span agricultural succession (with L'ARTERRE and FQM), solidarity and cooperative markets (with Réseau COOP and Repreneuriat Québec), social economy policy (with the Chantier de l'économie sociale and CISA), and digital-governance/responsible-AI research.

The business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-commercialized. Operating revenue is drawn from Quebec provincial programs (MEIE, PART-IS, MELCCFP) and federal programs (CRSH), supplemented by project-based commissions from public, cooperative, and Indigenous partners. Pricing is project-by-project and is not publicly disclosed; there is no SaaS, licensing, or transaction-based revenue line. The 2026 visit by a Tunisian government delegation interested in adapting the CCTT model points to a nascent international knowledge-transfer dimension, but this remains exploratory.

Name

CÉRSÉ (Centre d’étude en responsabilité sociale et écocitoyenneté)

Legal name

Centre d'étude en responsabilité sociale et écocitoyenneté (CÉRSÉ)

Website

https://cerse.crosemont.qc.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CÉRSÉ is a Quebec CCTT applied-research centre at Cégep de Rosemont that conducts social-innovation and ecocitizenship research using its proprietary Méthode CÉRSÉ, serving enterprises, municipalities, Indigenous communities, cooperatives, and NGOs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research and Consulting Services: CÉRSÉ operates as a Centre Collégial de Transfert de Technologie (CCTT) affiliated with Cégep de Rosemont, providing research-action services, transfer of innovative practices, and knowledge valorization to enterprises, organizations, and municipalities in Quebec.
2. Government Research Funding: Projects are financed through various government programs including: Programme de soutien aux organismes de recherche et d'innovation (MEIE), Programme d'aide à la recherche et au transfert – Volet innovation sociale (PART-IS), Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada (CRSH), and various provincial ministry programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CÉRSÉ is an applied research center that delivers research-action services, transfer of innovative practices, and knowledge valorization to Quebec enterprises, organizations, municipalities, and government bodies seeking responsible innovation with a sustainability lens. Its work is conducted through the proprietary "méthode CÉRSÉ," an empathetic and collaborative research methodology, applied across themes including food security, agricultural succession, urban parks, social economy, citizen participation, and Indigenous partnerships.

Product overview

CÉRSÉ is a research center specializing in applied social innovation research, not a software product company. It offers consulting and research services focused on social responsibility and ecocitizenship, including research-action services, knowledge transfer, and accompaniment for innovative social projects. The organization does not offer packaged software products but rather delivers research expertise and methodological support across thematic areas including food security, agricultural succession, urban parks, social economy, citizen participation, and Indigenous partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research-Action Services Applied research-action projects conducted collaboratively with partner organizations using the "méthode CÉRSÉ" approach, addressing social innovation, ecological transition, and sustainability challenges. Targeted at Quebec enterprises, organizations, municipalities, and government bodies.
• Transfer of Innovative Practices Knowledge transfer and capacity-building service that shares innovative practices with Quebec enterprises, organizations, and communities through collaborative accompaniment and co-learning.
• Knowledge Valorization Services Service that translates research outputs into practical tools, publications, and usable knowledge for Quebec partners and communities pursuing responsible innovation and socio-ecological transition.
• Project Accompaniment (Accompagnement) Hands-on accompaniment of Quebec enterprises, organizations, municipalities, and ministries in their social innovation and sustainable development projects, delivered through the empathetic "méthode CÉRSÉ" approach.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple research reports and publications produced annually covering food systems, agricultural succession, urban parks, and social economy
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Conseil des Innus de PessamitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration with the Innu community of Pessamit on food security, climate change adaptation, and traditional knowledge preservation. Multiple projects including the Nutshimiu-mitshim laboratory focusing on traditional food and climate mobilization.
• Centre d'expérimentation et de développement en forêt boréale (CEDFOB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Nutshimiu-mitshim project focused on climate change, traditional food, and food security collaboration with Pessamit community.
• Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing researchers and expertise to various CÉRSÉ projects including climate research and urban studies.
• Repreneuriat QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal partner in collective business succession research project focused on facilitating business transfers to collective ownership models for Quebec entrepreneurs.
• Réseau COOPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal partner in collective business succession project, providing expertise on cooperative models for business transfers.
• Coopérative de développement régional du Québec (CDRQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal partner in collective business succession research focusing on cooperative development and regional support.
• Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaborator providing academic expertise to the collective business succession project.
• Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (CQCM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in agricultural collective succession research, contributing expertise on cooperative and mutual economy.
• Chantier de l'économie socialecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in social economy research and collective succession projects.
• Centre d'innovation sociale en agriculture (CISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaborator in agricultural innovation and collective succession projects.
• Marchés Ahuntsic-CartiervillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in solidarity markets research project providing case study context for food system innovation.
• Ville en vertsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in solidarity markets research project focused on urban food systems.
• La Corbeille Bordeaux-CartiervillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in solidarity markets research providing case study for food security initiatives.
• Les CocagnescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic and methodological partner in agricultural surplus recovery project for school food programs in Brome-Missisquoi region.
• La TransformeriecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-lead of Lab systèmes alimentaires project, working with CÉRSÉ on food system innovation.
• CERIECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-lead of Lab systèmes alimentaires project alongside La Transformerie, focusing on food system innovation.
• Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal partner in social economy and municipalities research project, providing municipal network perspective.
• Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal partner in social economy and municipalities research, representing Quebec municipal federation perspective.
• L'ARTERREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization helping non-family successors take over farms, partnered on collective agricultural succession tools development.
• Réseau québécois sur l'énergie intelligentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in CERBA project on agricultural biomethanization regulatory innovation, part of Escouade Énergie CCTT network.
• Collèges et instituts CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization facilitating international collaboration, involved in Tunisian delegation visit to learn CÉRSÉ model.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MaRS Discovery District: Large Toronto-based innovation hub supporting impact ventures, social finance, and cleantech — broader incumbent comparable to CÉRSÉ in providing applied research-to-practice infrastructure but at significantly larger scale and broader mandate.
• CIRANO (Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en analyse des organisations): Montreal-based inter-university research center producing applied socio-economic research and policy analysis — broader incumbent comparable in Quebec applied research ecosystem though with more quantitative/economic orientation than CÉRSÉ's social innovation focus.
• Centre for Social Innovation (Canada): Toronto-based hub and broader Canadian network supporting social innovation and social enterprise — operates at much larger national scale than CÉRSÉ but addresses overlapping themes of social innovation research, capacity building, and ecosystem development.

Direct peers

• Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM): Quebec non-profit focused on civic engagement, democratic participation, and citizen mobilization — comparable to CÉRSÉ on themes of citizen participation, public deliberation, and social transformation research/practice.
• IRIS (Institut de recherche et d'informations socio-économiques): Montreal-based independent research institute producing applied socio-economic analysis for civil society — comparable to CÉRSÉ as a Quebec applied research organization serving policy and community audiences.
• TIESS (Territoires innovants en économie sociale et solidaire): Quebec applied research and knowledge-transfer center on social and solidarity economy, with a similar CCTT-style mission of connecting research and community practice in Quebec — closely comparable operating model and clientele.
• Repreneuriat Québec: Quebec organization facilitating collective business succession — principal CÉRSÉ partner on agricultural succession research and a peer in the social economy/collective entrepreneurship space.
• Chantier de l'économie sociale: Quebec-wide network coordinating development of the social economy, including collective enterprise succession — same client base and policy space as CÉRSÉ. Listed as a CÉRSÉ partner.
• CRISES (Centre de recherche sur les innovations sociales): Université du Québec à Montréal-based research center focused on social innovation, social economy, and territorial development. Most direct academic peer to CÉRSÉ — same thematic focus (social innovation, social economy) but operating from a university rather than a CCTT/Cégep.
• CISA (Centre d'innovation sociale en agriculture): Quebec CCTT focused on social innovation in agriculture and agri-food — overlapping thematic domain with CÉRSÉ on agricultural succession and food systems. Listed as a CÉRSÉ partner, demonstrating direct comparability.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c%C3%A9rs%C3%A9

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CÉRSÉ (Centre d’étude en responsabilité sociale et écocitoyenneté)