Lead the change. (Re)boot together.
Lead the change.
(Re)boot together.
Kick-off week begins in:
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Cooperathon
in 60 seconds
2020
Recap
2020
Recap
Cooperathon
in 60 seconds
2019
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2018
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Cooperathon: what and why?
Cooperathon is the largest Open Innovation challenge in Canada. Our mission is to connect citizens, communities, entrepreneurs, researchers, academics & large institutions to develop, together, a socially responsible future.
Cooperathon is the largest Open Innovation competition in Canada – open to all ideas.
New to Cooperathon ?
Watch these videos to learn more.
+ 15 M
PEOPLE
joined on social media
+ 6,000
PARTICIPANTS
citizens & experts
from all fields
+ 100
PARTNER
ORGANIZATIONS
+ 550
MENTORS &
VOLUNTEERS
+ 550
INSPIRING
STORIES
The 6th edition of Coopérathon
Lead the change – (Re)boot together!
When your idea generates a global social impact, it means that you take part in a more human and sustainable prosperity, that is to say a shared prosperity. This is our ambition this year: Lead the change, (re)boot together!
Cooperathon is a 6-weeks initiative that includes:
- a very rich training program, with workshops led by renowned experts and, moreover, with multiple educational resources in the entrepreneurial field.
- support from a network of exceptional mentors, from multiple provinces of Canada, and subject-matter experts from different industries.
- the Pitch Competition in front of a jury made up of renown ecosystem players from the best incubators and accelerators in Canada.
Again this year, more than $100,000 in prizes and grants to be won!
All across
au Canada
+ $100,000
in prizes
8 socio-economic
challenges
1 goal:
Social impact
Lead the change!
Transform your ideas into impactful innovations!
2 Team Profiles
For the 2021 edition, we have reviewed the type of teams. This distinction will allow teams to benefit from custom accompaniment and training and notably to compete against teams of the same level.
It is a team in the making with an idea but not working prototype at the time of registration for the competition.
Advantages
• Group Mentorat
• Group & private meetings with challenge partners
• Structured training journey to launch your startup
Alpha
It is a team in the making with an idea but not working prototype at the time of registration for the competition.
Bêta
It is a startup in development, composed of at least 2 people, with a working prototype at the time of registration for the competition.
It is a startup in development, composed of at least 2 people, with a working prototype at the time of registration for the competition.
Advantages
• Dedicated Mentors
• Group & private meetings with challenge partners
• A la carte journey / regarding needs
• Personalized follow-up (concierge) by Foundry / Montreal NewTech team
3+1 kinds of challenges
Alpha and Beta teams will have the opportunity to answer one of the three + one types of challenges we have redefined for this edition:
Inspiration
Challenge proposed by an industry leader organization that wants to encourage ALPHA teams to solve a real and pressing issue in the industry.
Collision
Challenge proposed by an industry leader organization that wants to encourage the ALPHA and BETA teams to solve a real and pressing issue in the industry. The partner undertakes to follow the winning team of the Challenge for a period of 3 months afterwards the end of the Cooperathon.
Collaboration
Challenge proposed by an industry leader organization that wants to encourage BETA teams to solve a real and pressing issue in the industry. The partner undertakes to follow the winning team of the Challenge for a period of 5 months after the end of the Coopérathon.
Your idea, your project
Challenge yourself! If your innovative idea or project does not match any of the 8 proposed challenges, you can also participate in the Cooperathon with your own idea or project. Open to ALPHA and BETA teams.
More than $100,000 in prizes & grants for the winning teams!
Open Innovation Grants
Each Challenge Partner offers a grant to the winner of their Open Innovation Challenge.
Furthermore, for the Collision and Inspiration Challenges, a supplementary in-kind grant is offered to support the winning teams of these challenges to develop their solutions in the period after the Cooperathon.
Cooperathon Prizes
Cooperathon and its strategic partners are offering 7 prizes:
Cooperathon
Grand prize
Alpha
$15,000
Cooperathon
Grand prize
Beta
$25,000
Ontario-Atlantic-west ca
Prize
$5,000
Diversity & inclusion
Prize
$5,000
Team
Engagement
Prize
$2,500
Audience
impact
Prize
$2,500
Mentor/expert
Engagement
Prize
Recognition
$5,000
$5,000
$2,500
$2,500
Recognition
Global will be at the heart of the 2021 edition
Global is our platform for Open and Social Innovation platform. A truly dedicated digital space, where you will be able to access training, calendar of activities, mentors and more! In short, you are just one click away from the whole community!
Launched last year, the platform is offering now even more: let’s meet up on Global !
Discover now some features of the Global platform. Watch the videos we have prepared for you.
(Version en français disponible bientôt)
Lead the change!
Transform your ideas into impactful innovations!
4 weeks of training & accompaniment
2 weeks of competition
Endless possibilities
A 100% virtual training and dedicated support in four stages (Sprints) where participants engage in a 4-week (part-time) marathon composed of training and teamwork on Saturdays, as well as specialized workshops in the evenings during the week: dozens of hours of training worth more than $5,000.
A 2-week competition follows, where teams present their project to Open Innovation challenge partners, ecosystem experts and sometimes even to the public!
Ligne de temps de la compétition
2021 EDITION UNVEILING
KICK-OFF WEEK: UNITE
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 TO FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1st
Kick-off of Cooperathon with team building activities for those looking for talent or co-founders to develop their ideas as well as the introduction to the mentors that will guide you all along your journey.
KICK-OFF WEEK: UNITE
SPRINT 1: UNDERSTAND
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2
Sprint 1: dedicated to deepening your understanding of the problem and starting the ideation phase in order to find the solution that has the most impact.
SPRINT 2: DESIGN
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8
Sprint 2: Design stage to build the business model and design sustainable solutions with maximum social impact.
SPRINT 2: DESIGN
DEADLINE TO REGISTER - ALPHA TEAMS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15
Deadline for Alpha Teams to register for the competition
(11:59 PM EST)SPRINT 3: BUILD
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16
Sprint for shaping solutions through prototype development that demonstrates the viability of your ideas in concrete terms
SPRINT 3: BUILD
DEADLINE TO REGISTER - BETA TEAMS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22
Deadline for Beta Teams to register for the competition
(11:59 PM EST)SPRINT 4: CONVINCE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23
The last sprint! Now is the time to prepare your pitch and submit your project for the semi-finals…
SPRINT 4: CONVINCE
PROJECTS SUBMISSIONS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5 AT NOON
PRIZES & GRANTS SEMI-FINALS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13
It’s time to convince the Jury with your efforts. You will have little time to get their attention. It’s show time: impress them!
PRIZES & GRANTS SEMI-FINALS
ANNOUNCEMENT FINALISTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17
PRIZES & GRANTS FINAL
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 & SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21
It’s the culmination of one great journey. The tension is palpable. Finalist teams pitch to the Jury who then will select the winners. Will you be one of them?
PRIZES & GRANTS FINAL
GALA: ANNOUNCEMENT WINNERS PRIZES & GRANTS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1st
The Roles
Team Cooperathon
A team of passionate experts dedicated to guiding you in your Cooperathon journey at all times. They will help you to get the most of the resources and opportunities available to you.
Open Innovation Challenges Partners
They constitute the cornerstone of Cooperathon because their industry challenges make possible to mobilize the community around challenges allowing local projects to have global societal impacts.
Strategic Partners
They provide key support throughout the year to promote the Coopérathon across Canada, recruit the best candidates and co-organize activities. “Alone we go fast, together we go far”: Our partners propel Cooperathon to go further!
Mentors & Experts
More than 150 mentors and subject-matter experts from across Canada offer feedback, guidance and advice to teams during the Cooperathon, whether in dedicated or group sessions. A kind reminder to our participants: mentors do not offer training sessions.
Workshop facilitators
Cooperathon offers a 4-weeks training program with foundation or expert workshops, founders stories and experience sharing! Furthermore, you’ll have access to our online entrepreneurship educational ressources.
Lead the change!
Transform your ideas into impactful innovations!
Overview of previous editions
8 GREAT
OPEN INNOVATION CHALLENGES
The participants of the Cooperathon 2021 are called upon to find innovative solutions to 8 socio-economic challenges proposed by our partners all across Canada.
How can we inspire citizens to take concrete action to reduce the energy footprint?
Challenge proposed by
Open to teams
How can artificial intelligence be used to speed up the development of a circular economy and reduce the impacts of climate change?
Challenge proposed by
Open to teams
How to better quantify and assess greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions to address climate change?
Challenge proposed by
Open to teams
Looking for ways to empower local businesses and attract talent to overcome the regional labour shortage
Challenge proposed by
Open to teams
How to develop and promote responsible consumption at the urban and peri-urban level, in local agrifood production, processing and distribution?
Challenge proposed by
Open to teams
How to boost the use of public transit in a post-pandemic context?
Challenge proposed by
Open to teams
How to help all size enterprises to simply get access to comprehensive and reliable data on cybersecurity capabilities of third parties to minimize cybersecurity risks?
Challenge proposed by
Open to teams
None of these challenges match your idea?
Work on
Your own idea & project!
Challenge yourself
Open to teams
Lead the change!
Transform your ideas into impactful innovations!
Une expérience marquante
Depuis 2016, des dizaines d’histoires à succès ont vu le jour. En attendant de vous compter parmi nos anciens de 2020, nous vous invitons à découvrir le livret des anciens.
Without our partners and sponsors, there would be no Cooperathon .
We are looking for industry leaders who share our passion, values and vision
to make the 2021 edition the most impactful yet.
Imagined & Produced by
With the support of
Strategic partners
Challenge partners
Community & training partners
Lead the change!
Transform your ideas into impactful innovations!
We connect passion and talent, communities and academics. Together we develop a socially responsible future.
“Cooperathon” is a Trademark of the Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec.
Subscribe to the Cooperathon Newsletter
Subscribe to the Cooperathon Newsletter
We connect passion and talent, communities and academics. Together we develop a socially responsible future.
“Cooperathon” is a Trademark of the Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec.