Pôle des entreprises d'économie sociale C-N

What Pôle des entreprises d'économie sociale C-N does

Pôle des entreprises d'économie sociale de la Capitale-Nationale (Pôle CN) is a Quebec-based non-profit (OBNL) operating as a regional business regroupement for social economy enterprises in the Capitale-Nationale region. The organization functions as an intermediary and capacity-builder for cooperatives, NPOs, and collective enterprises, offering a portfolio of services rather than a unified technology product. Its core offerings include Économie sociale 101 training sessions, the Parcours d'accompagnement guided startup program, the Lab Créatik innovation laboratory (with editions in Québec and Charlevoix), the Bourse SISMIC and Bourse entrepreneuriat collectif jeunesse scholarship programs ($3,600 per recipient), awareness activities such as the Série Changement de Cap and Mois de l'économie sociale, and community events including Pub Quiz on social economy and the Atelier des couvertures reconciliation workshop. Distribution occurs through a mix of in-person workshops (Maison de la Coopération, Centre Durocher), online sessions via Zoom and Microsoft Teams, an interactive tourism map built jointly with other regional Quebec poles (~700 addresses, ~65,000 views), and a radio partnership with CKIA FM for member visibility.

The business model combines recurring membership fees from social economy enterprises with government and institutional grant funding, principally from the Gouvernement du Québec, the Chantier de l'économie sociale, and the Fonds étudiant. Most activities are free for members and non-members with registration; the principal paid offering is an exclusive CKIA FM radio advertising package priced at $100 + taxes (regular value $350) for regular members. The organization is governed democratically by its member enterprises in line with social economy principles and operates with a small staff of approximately 4-6 people based at 155 boulevard Charest Est in Quebec City, recently expanded with two development advisors in 2025. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying infrastructure consists of a standard WordPress website, Zoom/Teams for virtual sessions, and standard social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube) plus an email newsletter. Customer segments are diversified across healthcare, agriculture/food, housing, heritage, and social services, with no single enterprise materially concentrated.

Name

Pôle des entreprises d'économie sociale C-N

Legal name

Pôle des entreprises d'économie sociale de la région de la Capitale-Nationale

Website

https://polecn.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pôle CN is a Quebec-based non-profit business regroupement that supports cooperatives, NPOs, and collective social economy enterprises in the Capitale-Nationale region through training, accompaniment programs, innovation labs, scholarships, and networking events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Economy Support Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Social economy support
• Collective entrepreneurship
• Cooperative development services
• Nonprofit business regroupement
• Community economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Quebec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Regular members pay membership fees to be part of the business regroupement. The organization offers member-exclusive benefits including radio advertising packages at preferential rates.
2. Government Funding: Financial support from government partners including the Gouvernement du Québec for various programs such as youth entrepreneurship scholarships (Bourse entrepreneuriat collectif jeunesse) and collective project emergence initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pôle CN is a non-profit business regroupement that provides accompaniment, training, and funding support services to social economy enterprises (cooperatives, NPOs, and collective enterprises) in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec. Its core offerings include introductory information sessions (Économie sociale 101), guided accompaniment programs for collective project startups (Parcours d'accompagnement), an innovation lab (Lab Créatik), youth entrepreneurship scholarship programs (Bourse SISMIC, Bourse entrepreneuriat collectif jeunesse of $3,600), and networking events. The organization operates on a membership-based model with government and non-government funding support.

Product overview

Pôle des entreprises d'économie sociale C-N is a business regroupment for social economy enterprises in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec, offering a coordinated portfolio of support services rather than a unified technology product. The organization's offerings center on accompaniment and training services (Économie sociale 101, Parcours d'accompagnement), innovation labs (Lab Créatik), grant programs for youth entrepreneurship (Bourse SISMIC, Bourse entrepreneuriat collectif jeunesse), awareness campaigns (Série Changement de Cap, Mois de l'économie sociale), and community events (workshops, webinars, Pub Quiz). These services collectively support the development, launch, and growth of social economy enterprises through training, funding, and networking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Économie sociale 101 An introductory information session on social economy covering the fundamentals, possible legal structures, myths to deconstruct, and democratic governance principles, designed for individuals and organizations exploring social economy enterprise models.
• Parcours d'accompagnement - Accompagnement au prédémarrage de projets collectifs A guided accompaniment program for collective project startups that supports entrepreneurs from ideation through the pre-launch and development phases of their social economy initiatives.
• Lab Créatik An innovation laboratory that fosters collective project emergence through collaborative workshops and creative problem-solving sessions, with editions in Quebec and Charlevoix.
• Bourse SISMIC (Soutien à l'Implication et la Stimulation de la Mobilisation et l'Innovation Collective) A scholarship program supporting the emergence of social economy enterprises led by young entrepreneurs aged 35 and under, with bursaries of $3,600 to enable intensive focus on project reflection and pre-launch activities.
• Bourse entrepreneuriat collectif jeunesse A collective youth entrepreneurship scholarship program offering $3,600 bursaries funded by the Government of Quebec, the Student Fund, and the Chantier de l'économie sociale to enable young entrepreneurs to focus on project ideation and pre-launch.
• Émergence de projets collectifs Support services for the emergence and development of collective social economy projects including pre-launch accompaniment and tools for social economy enterprises.
• Série Changement de Cap A series of awareness activities focused on social economy topics, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Mois de l'économie sociale An annual month-long campaign to raise awareness about social economy and promote conscious consumer choices.
• Membership Directory and Member Services Membership-based service for social economy enterprises providing visibility through the online member directory, access to exclusive radio advertising packages, and reserved member activities.
• Atelier des couvertures An interactive workshop on Indigenous realities and reconciliation, held in the context of the Day of Truth and Reconciliation, facilitating understanding of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis history.
• Webinaire - Codes culturels et intégration en milieu de travail A webinar exploring cultural codes in the workplace and their influence on integration dynamics, designed to help social economy enterprises develop more inclusive practices.
• Pub Quiz sur l'économie sociale A social quiz event on social economy topics for youth aged 18-35, combining education, networking, and entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65,000 map views for social economy tourism initiative

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CKIA FM - Maison de la radiocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to offer radio visibility opportunities to member social economy enterprises. The collaboration provides 30 radio broadcast insertions for regular members at a preferential rate of $100 + taxes (regular value $350).
• Chantier de l'economie socialecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for youth collective entrepreneurship initiatives. Collaborates on the Bourse entrepreneuriat collectif jeunesse program and the youth wing (Aile Jeunesse) co-organizes events like the Pub Quiz on social economy.
• CDEC de QuebecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Couvertures Workshop event focused on Indigenous Peoples Day awareness and reconciliation education.
• Libre emploiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner animating the webinaire on cultural codes and workplace integration for social economy enterprises pursuing inclusive practices.
• Regional Poles d'economie sociale du QuebeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative network of all regional social economy poles across Quebec, jointly developing the interactive tourism map with nearly 700 addresses showing social economy enterprises province-wide.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins: Financial cooperative within the Desjardins Group focused on social economy clients. A confirmed Pôle CN financial partner; comparable in operating as an ecosystem infrastructure player serving cooperatives, NPOs, and social enterprises.
• Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (CQCM): Provincial council representing cooperative and mutual enterprises in Québec. Operates as a larger, sector-wide association with overlapping membership/intercoopération functions compared with Pôle CN's regional regroupement role.

Direct peers

• Chantier de l'économie sociale: Québec's coordinating body for the social economy and Pôle CN's strategic partner. Operates at a provincial scale supporting collective entrepreneurship and the regional poles, directly comparable in mission and program areas (e.g., Bourse entrepreneuriat collectif jeunesse).
• CDEC de Québec: Local economic development partnership organization in Québec City and a confirmed Pôle CN partner (co-organized the Atelier des couvertures). Operates an adjacent community/economic development mission and convening role across the same territory.
• Pôle d'économie sociale de la Mauricie: Sibling regional pole in the Mauricie region. Closely mirrors Pôle CN's value proposition — membership-based support, accompaniment, and visibility for cooperatives, NPOs and collective enterprises.
• Réseau COOP: Federated network supporting Québec cooperatives across sectors. Comparable networking, training, and representation mandate for cooperative and collective enterprises — a primary member category for Pôle CN.
• Pôle d'économie sociale de l'Estrie: One of Pôle CN's direct regional-pole peers under the Chantier network. Offers the same business regroupement model, membership services, and program portfolio to social-economy enterprises in the Estrie region.
• TIESS (Territoires innovants en économie sociale et solidaire): Québec-based social innovation support organization active in research, training, and tooling for social economy and solidarity actors. Closely comparable in providing capacity-building services and accompaniment to social-economy enterprises.
• Pôle d'économie sociale de la Montérégie: Montérégie regional pole providing the same kind of intercooperation, commercialization support, and member directory services for social-economy enterprises as Pôle CN does in Capitale-Nationale.

Emerging players

• Innoweave: Canadian capacity-building program supporting social-purpose organizations with innovation, impact measurement, and growth tools. Closely comparable to Pôle CN's Lab Créatik and Parcours d'accompagnement offerings, though operating at a national scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@polecn1074
• Facebookfacebook.com/polecn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/polecn
• Instagraminstagram.com/polecn/?hl=fr-ca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Pôle des entreprises d'économie sociale C-N