Entreprendre ici
Entreprendre ici is a Quebec provincial non-profit that provides free guidance, referrals, and honorific grants of up to $25,000 to ethnocultural diversity entrepreneurs across all 13 regions of Quebec. Founded in 2018 and funded by the Quebec government, it serves as the reference organization connecting immigrant entrepreneurs to the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Entreprendre ici does
Entreprendre ici is a Quebec-based non-profit provincial organization founded in 2018 under the Government of Quebec's Plan d'action gouvernemental en entrepreneuriat (PAGE) 2017-2022, with initial investments exceeding $15 million. Its mandate is to serve as the reference organization supporting entrepreneurs from ethnocultural diversity backgrounds across all 13 administrative regions of Quebec, addressing barriers such as limited credit history, lack of collateral, unfamiliarity with the local ecosystem, and systemic and cultural integration challenges.
The organization delivers free guidance and accompaniment services through entrepreneurship counselors available by phone, video conference, and in-person at its Montreal headquarters, supplemented by an online registration extranet that classifies clients by country of origin, arrival date, business experience, and project type. Its service portfolio spans personalized counseling, an online directory of partner organizations, the "ABCs of Entrepreneurship" educational resource library, the flagship Honorific Grants program (Bourses d'honneur) offering up to $25,000 in non-reimbursable funding, and specialized programs including the Programme Avantages EICI, TELUS Santé telemedicine for entrepreneurs, a financial education program for women entrepreneurs, the Inter-Action Culturelle intercultural workshops, and the Perspectives program.
The business model is government-funded and non-commercial: the MEIE (Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy) provides primary operational and grant funding, with supplementary support from MIFI (Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration) for specific projects. Services are free to entrepreneurs; no fees are charged. Since 2018, 196 honorific grants totaling $4.72 million have been awarded to cohorts drawn from clients representing over 140 countries of origin, with 2022-2023 annual metrics of 1,277 entrepreneurs sensitized, 1,054 accompaniment sessions, and 1,459 referrals to ecosystem partners. The organization partners with academic (UQTR), corporate (TELUS Santé, TD Bank), media (La Presse), and regional economic development entities to extend its reach.
Entreprendre ici firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Entreprendre ici
- Legal name
- Entreprendre ici
- Website
- https://entreprendreici.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Entreprendre ici is a Quebec provincial non-profit that provides free guidance, referrals, and honorific grants of up to $25,000 to ethnocultural diversity entrepreneurs across all 13 regions of Quebec. Founded in 2018 and funded by the Quebec government, it serves as the reference organization connecting immigrant entrepreneurs to the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Entreprendre ici industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Entrepreneurship Support Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory (BPACAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Entreprendre ici is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Entreprendre ici business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Entreprendre ici is funded by the Quebec government (Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie - MEIE, and previously the Ministère de l'Économie, Science et Innovation). The organization was created as part of the Plan d'action gouvernemental en entrepreneuriat (PAGE) 2017-2022 with initial investments of over $15 million. Additional funding comes from the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) for specific projects like Inter-Action Culturelle.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Free guidance services for all ethnocultural diversity entrepreneurs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Entreprendre ici product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Entreprendre ici provides free personalized guidance and accompaniment services to ethnocultural diversity entrepreneurs in Quebec, supporting them from project ideation through business growth. It also delivers non-reimbursable honorific grants of up to $25,000 and a structured benefits program (PAEICI) that bundles partner services such as telemedicine and financial education.
Product overview
Entreprendre ici is a provincial organization that functions as a guidance and support hub for ethnocultural diversity entrepreneurs in Quebec, offering personalized accompaniment services, an online resource directory, and educational materials. The core service portfolio includes guidance and accompaniment (counselors directing entrepreneurs to appropriate resources), the flagship Honorific Grants program (Bourses d'honneur) providing up to $25,000 non-reimbursable funding, and a directory of support organizations. Specialized programs include the PAEICI program, Telemedicine Service in partnership with TELUS Santé, Financial Education Program for women entrepreneurs, Inter-Action Culturelle intercultural workshops, and Perspectives program. Educational resources include the ABCs of Entrepreneurship and an online client registration system. The organization connects entrepreneurs from 140 countries with Quebec's entrepreneurial ecosystem through services available in-person, by phone, or video conference.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Bourses d'honneur: Honorific grants program offering up to $25,000 to ethnocultural diversity entrepreneurs in Quebec for starting or growing their businesses
- Inter-Action Culturelle
- Programme Avantages EICI
- Services de télémédecine
Products and services
- Guidance and Accompaniment Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 196 honorific grants totaling $4.72 million awarded to ethnocultural diversity entrepreneurs since 2018
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Entreprendre ici
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Entreprendre ici technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Entreprendre ici partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major, regional and core.
- Leaders du Monde 2025minorEntreprendre ici served as official partner for the Leaders du Monde 2025 business mission to Tunis, supporting international business connections for Quebec entrepreneurs.
- Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR)majorUQTR's Institut de recherche sur les PME conducts evaluation of honorific grant applications and manages the selection committee. UQTR researchers also conducted the comprehensive impact study on the honorific grant program, analyzing data from 451 entrepreneurs.
- La PresseminorMedia partnership announced in April 2026 to strengthen visibility of ethnocultural diversity entrepreneurs and their businesses through La Presse's platform.
- Laval ÉconomiqueregionalRegional economic development partner collaborating on the Journée Entrepreneuriale de la Diversité Ethnoculturelle event for Laval, Lanaudière, and Laurentides regions.
- Connexion LaurentidesregionalRegional economic development partner in the Laurentides region, collaborating on intercultural entrepreneurship events and outreach.
- Lanaudière ÉconomiqueregionalRegional economic development partner in Lanaudière region, working together on entrepreneurship diversity initiatives.
- TELUS SantécorePartnership to provide telemedicine services to entrepreneur members of Entreprendre ici. The service addresses barriers such as lack of group insurance for small businesses (under 5 employees) and accessibility for incorporations. Services include general medical advice, prescriptions, lab/imaging requests, mental health support, and coverage for domestic partners and children up to age 25.
- Réseau de partenaires de l'écosystème entrepreneurialmajorExtensive network of partner organizations including technical and financial support organizations, economic development agencies, Chambers of Commerce, and community organizations across Quebec. The directory of organizations enables entrepreneurs to find appropriate resources at each stage of business development.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Entreprendre ici competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Halo Bloc / Startup Montréal: Quebec regional incubator and ecosystem promoter offering programs and visibility to local entrepreneurs including newcomers; comparable Montreal footprint and ecosystem-orchestration role, but with broader startup-stage orientation.
Emerging players
- COFFRE (Conseil des organisations noires et de la diversité ethnoculturelle du Québec): Quebec umbrella organization representing ethnocultural communities on integration, entrepreneurship, and equity issues; comparable targeted demographic and equity-focused mandate, with overlapping influence on Quebec's diversity support ecosystem.
- La Ruche (Honeybee): Quebec-based crowdfunding and social-finance platform supporting local entrepreneurs and social enterprises; partially overlapping because both channel capital and visibility to small Quebec businesses, including diversity-driven founders.
Direct peers
- Futurpreneur Canada: National non-profit providing financing, mentorship, and business resources to young entrepreneurs, including newcomers; comparable mission and referral-heavy service model, though broader demographic than ethnocultural-specific.
- PME MTL (Réseau PME-MTL): Quebec-city network of PME development organizations offering free advisory, financing referrals, and accompaniment to local entrepreneurs; most direct Quebec-level peer with overlapping value proposition (free guidance, ecosystem referral, grant/loan pathways).
- YES (Youth Employment Services) Montreal: Montreal non-profit providing entrepreneurship programs for diverse youth including newcomers, with counseling, training, and micro-financing; comparable clientele (immigrant and diverse founders), services (mentorship, referrals), and Quebec/Montreal footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Fondation du Grand Montréal: Quebec philanthropic organization funding community-building initiatives including economic integration and entrepreneurship for marginalized populations; comparable grant-distribution role and Quebec ecosystem positioning.
- BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada): Federal Crown corporation providing financing and advisory services to Canadian entrepreneurs, including dedicated programs for newcomer and minority entrepreneurs; comparable end-customer and adjacent support offerings, but operates at vastly larger scale and is capitalized differently.
- Chambers of Commerce (CCIQ, Chambres de commerce du Québec): Established Quebec business associations providing referral, networking, and advisory services to entrepreneurs, including dedicated services for immigrant members; comparable referral-driven model at much broader scale.
Others
- TNO (The NonProfit Centre / similar Quebec entrepreneurship intermediaries): Network of Quebec non-profits and community-based entrepreneurial intermediaries (CDC/CDEC and equivalent bodies) that share the same grass-roots accompaniment model for marginalized entrepreneurs, often without the explicit immigrant mandate.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Entreprendre ici social profiles
Digital presenceEntreprendre ici financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Entreprendre ici leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Entreprendre ici funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Entreprendre ici M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Entreprendre ici
What does Entreprendre ici do?
Entreprendre ici provides free personalized guidance and accompaniment services to ethnocultural diversity entrepreneurs in Quebec, supporting them from project ideation through business growth. It also delivers non-reimbursable honorific grants of up to $25,000 and a structured benefits program (PAEICI) that bundles partner services such as telemedicine and financial education.
Is Entreprendre ici a public or private company?
Entreprendre ici is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Entreprendre ici founded?
Entreprendre ici was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Entreprendre ici based?
Entreprendre ici is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Entreprendre ici make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Funding.
Who are Entreprendre ici's main competitors?
Halo Bloc / Startup Montréal is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are COFFRE (Conseil des organisations noires et de la diversité ethnoculturelle du Québec) and La Ruche (Honeybee). Direct peers are Futurpreneur Canada, PME MTL (Réseau PME-MTL) and YES (Youth Employment Services) Montreal. Broad incumbents are Fondation du Grand Montréal, BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada) and Chambers of Commerce (CCIQ, Chambres de commerce du Québec). TNO (The NonProfit Centre / similar Quebec entrepreneurship intermediaries) is listed as an others.
Does Entreprendre ici have an API?
No public API is recorded for Entreprendre ici.
What industry is Entreprendre ici in?
Entreprendre ici's product category is Entrepreneurship Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAH, Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms), with a secondary code of BPACAJAJ, DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8300.