STARTUP BETA JOURNEY – COOPERATHON 2024 

The 2024 edition of the Cooperathon STARTUP BETA offers participants a journey for the development of their entrepreneurial project. 

=> These rules apply only to participants of the STARTUP BETA Journey (hereinafter “the program”)
The rules for the ENTREPRENEURS ALPHA Journey can be consulted here <=

DURATION OF THE STARTUP BETA JOURNEY – COOPERATHON 2024 

The Cooperathon (hereinafter the “program”) is powered by the Mouvement des caisses Desjardins (hereinafter “Desjardins”) and Montreal NewTech (hereinafter “MNT”) and takes place from October 14, 2024, 12:01 AM (EDT) to November 30, 2024, 11:59 PM (EDT) in Canada (hereinafter “the Cooperathon period”). 

THE STARTUP BETA JOURNEY – COOPERATHON 2024 

• From June 15, 2024 to October 10, 2024 11:59 p.m. (EDT): registration period for the Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024
• October 1st, 2024: Start of the Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024;
• November 28, 2024 (to be confirmed): Announcement of the winners of the Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024 challenges and end of the Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024

ELIGIBILITY
The Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024 is open to all legal entities meeting the following criteria: 

• Residents of Canada aged 18 and over at the time of registration.
• You are a STARTUP BETA startup if your team consists of at least two people with a functional prototype at the time of registration for the Cooperathon. 
• You have a startup with a legal status (Inc., Cooperative, NPO) or are in the process of obtaining one. 
• Depending on the Open Innovation Challenges, other conditions may apply. For the eligibility criteria of each challenge, please refer to the challenge sheets at https://cooperathon.ca/betachallenges. 

Ineligible participants include Desjardins executives, jury members and their household members, mentors and their household members, and members of the Desjardins Innovation and Emerging Business Opportunities Directorate and their household members. 

HOW TO PARTICIPATE 

Eligible participants must: 

1. Join the https://cooperathon.ca/betaregistration and complete the submission form. 
2. Acknowledge having read the Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024 Rules and approve them. 
3. Be selected as startups that will pitch to the open innovation partner. 

 

PROGRESS OF THE STARTUP BETA JOURNEY – COOPERATHON 2024
 

1. Registrations will be open from June 15, 2024, to October 10, 2024: 

Registrations for the Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024 are done via an online form to be completed by October 10, 2024, 11:59 PM (EDT). This form must present the problem, the value proposition regarding the proposed challenge, and their prototype, if applicable. 

Only startups selected by the Cooperathon team can participate in the journey. 

2. Presentation of challenges by open innovation partners: October 1st, 2024 

The challenge partners present the challenge, the context, opportunities, and expectations that the sector related to the challenge represents. It’s time for the selected startups to ask questions to the partners. 

3. Pitches of the selected startups for their challenge: October 22, 2024 

Selected startups will pitch before the open innovation partner. The pitch duration will be 4 minutes. The question-and-answer period time will be communicated no later than October 18, 5:00 PM (EDT). 

4. Announcement of the selection of 3 startups by open innovation partners: October 25, 2024, before 5:00 PM (EDT) 

The Cooperathon will announce the 3 startups selected to continue the journey by each open innovation partner among those who pitched. 

5. Business Meetings: Week of October 28, 2024, and week of November 4, 2024 (optional) 

During the week of October 28, the challenge partner individually meets the 3 startups they selected. Each one-hour meeting allows the open innovation partner and the selected startup to get to know each other better and complete market knowledge. 

If the partner wishes, a second meeting can be scheduled with one of the 3 startups during the week of November 4. 

The open innovation partner has until November 8, 2024, 5:00 PM (EDT) to communicate to the Cooperathon team the winning startup of their challenge. 

 

STARTUP BETA JOURNEY – COOPERATHON 2024  GRAND PRIZE: PITCH & ANNOUNCEMENT 

1. Pitch for the best Startup Beta – Cooperathon 2024: November 13, 2024 – Between 9 AM and noon (EDT) 

Each of the 3 startups selected by the open innovation partners (see PROGRESS OF THE STARTUP BETA JOURNEY – COOPERATHON 2024, .4) will also be invited to pitch before a jury to win the Startup Beta – Cooperathon 2024 Grand Prize. 

The startups will pitch on November 13 between 9:00 AM and noon (EDT). The pitches will be held online. An invitation will be sent no later than November 8 with all logistical aspects. 

The pitch duration will be a maximum of 4 minutes. The duration of the jury members’ question period will be shared no later than November 8, 2024. 

2. If the startup cannot be present for the pitch on the indicated dates and times: 

Startups that cannot attend the scheduled times can prepare a video of their pitch, which will be broadcast by the Cooperathon team during the pitch session. They will not have the opportunity to answer the jury members’ questions. 

The pitch video must meet the following criteria: 

• Maximum of 4 minutes 
• In MP4 format 
• Size less than 140 MB 
• Must be sent no later than November 12 at noon (EDT). 

Startups that do not attend or do not share their pitch video according to the established rules above will be considered disqualified. 

3. Evaluation Grid 

A common Evaluation Grid for all projects will be used by the juries to rate each startup and will be shared no later than November 1, 2024, on https://cooperathon.ca/gridbeta 

4. The members of the Grand Prix Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024 Jury 

The members of the jury for the Cooperathon Grand Prizes are recognized experts in the Quebec and Canadian startup ecosystem and within the open innovation partners. Their selection is under the responsibility of the Cooperathon organizing team (Principal Directorate of Innovation and Emerging Business Opportunities Desjardins). 

 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNERS 

1. November 28, 2024 (TO BE CONFIRMED) is the scheduled date for the announcement of the Cooperathon prize winners. 
2. The payment of the cash amounts of the Open Innovation Challenge prizes will be made by direct deposit into the Canadian bank account of the winning startups. The leader of the winning startup is responsible for providing the bank account details to be used for the prize deposit by Desjardins or its partners. The prize payment must be made within 30 business days after receiving the bank details of the winning startup. 
3. The payment of the Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024 Grand Prize cash amount will be made by direct deposit into the Canadian bank account of the winning startups. The leader of the winning startup is responsible for providing the bank account details to be used for the prize deposit by Desjardins or its partners. The prize payment must be made within 30 business days after receiving the bank details of the winning startup. 
4. The amount of each prize will be paid to the legal entity (Incorporation NPO Cooperative) registered in the registration form. 
5. Each member of the winning teams of the Cooperathon Grand Prizes agrees to sign a declaration and release form prior to receiving the prize. 

 

STARTUP BETA JOURNEY – COOPERATHON 2024  PRIZES 

• The Cooperathon Grand Prize for the best Startup Beta startup: $10,000 
• Prize per challenge launched by the Open Innovation Partner: $5,000 maximum 

A startup can win more than one of these prizes. 

All prizes are listed on the Cooperathon website (https://cooperathon.ca). 

Several prizes may be added as new open innovation challenges are added, and the organizing team reserves the right to add additional Cooperathon prizes and strategic & community partner prizes before the start date of the Cooperathon on October 1st, 2024. All eligible participants will be notified of the prizes to be added and the conditions associated with awarding these prizes. 

 

GENERAL CONDITIONS  

1. To be declared a winner for a Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024 Grand Prize, the selected winning startup must meet the following conditions: 
   1. Confirm that they meet the eligibility conditions and other requirements of these rules; and 
   2. Be present (in-person or virtually) during the pitch on November 13, 2024. Failing to meet any of the conditions mentioned above or any other condition mentioned in these rules, the selected startup will be disqualified, and at the discretion of the organizers, the prize will be canceled or awarded to another startup in accordance with these participation rules. The same conditions will then apply with the necessary adaptations, if any.  
2. To be declared a winner for an open innovation challenge prize, the selected winning startup must meet the following conditions: 
   1. Confirm that they meet the eligibility conditions and other requirements of these Cooperathon rules; 
   2. Confirm that they meet the eligibility conditions of the Open Innovation Challenge as defined by the partner of each challenge; 
   3. Be selected by the Open Innovation Challenge partner as the winning startup; 
   4. Be present at the prize award ceremony; and 
   5. Commit to continue their project in collaboration with the partner who offered the Open Innovation Challenge and the Desjardins Open Innovation Directorate team (La Foundry) for up to 5 months for challenges from the Startup Beta Journey – Cooperathon 2024.  

Failing to meet any of the conditions mentioned above or any other condition mentioned in these rules, the selected startup will be disqualified, and at the discretion of the organizers, the prize will be canceled or awarded to another startup in accordance with these participation rules. The same conditions will then apply with the necessary adaptations, if any. 

3. Prize Awarding. If the selected startup refuses to receive its prize, Desjardins and its partners will be released from any obligation regarding the awarding of this prize and may, at their discretion, cancel the prize or re-award it in the manner described in paragraph (1) of the General Conditions. The prize will be awarded to the startup through a mechanism defined between the winners and the Cooperathon organization. 
4. Verifications. All entries and Declaration Forms may be subject to verification by Desjardins. Entries that are incomplete, inaccurate, illegible, mechanically reproduced, mutilated, fraudulent, submitted late, containing an invalid phone number, or otherwise non-compliant may be rejected and will not qualify for the prize. 
5. Disqualification. Any person participating in the Cooperathon or attempting to participate by means contrary to these rules and in a manner that is unfair to other participants (e.g., computer hacking, failure to declare previous intellectual property) will be automatically disqualified and may be referred to the appropriate judicial authorities. 
6. Intellectual Property. Participants agree that the intellectual property of the prototype and the presentation of solutions during the Cooperathon belongs to the startup. It is the responsibility of the startup to determine how to allocate this intellectual property and to ensure its confidentiality if necessary. If the startup uses pre-existing and/or third-party intellectual property elements, the startup must ensure that it has obtained all necessary rights before using them in the Cooperathon. Participants who are employees of an organization wishing to use intellectual property elements derived from their work must first ensure that their employer authorizes their participation and the use of these elements. 
7. Program Conduct. Any attempt to sabotage the legitimate conduct of the program may constitute a violation of civil and criminal laws. If such attempts are made, Desjardins reserves the right to reject the participant’s entries and seek compensation under the law. 
8. Acceptance of Prizes. Prizes must be accepted as described on the Cooperathon website and cannot, under any circumstances, be transferred in whole or in part to another startup, replaced by another prize, or exchanged for cash, subject to the organizers’ sole discretion. 
9. Survey. Finalist and/or winning participants agree to participate in surveys and interviews to inform Desjardins about the progress of their project. 
10. Being an Ambassador of the Cooperathon Program: Cooperathon winners and alumni in general commit to:
    1. Promote and convey a positive image of the Cooperathon and Desjardins, in accordance with all guidelines provided by the Cooperathon manager;
    2. Obtain Desjardins’ consent before making any announcement or statement regarding your participation in the Cooperathon (including on your website or in your marketing materials) and agree to remove or modify any such announcement or statement, including requests for modification regarding the use of Desjardins’ trademarks on the web or in your marketing materials;
    3. Display the Cooperathon logo on their website (with Desjardins’ consent) with a hyperlink to https://cooperathon.ca for at least 12 months from November 28, 2024;
    4. Communicate (with Desjardins’ consent) at least once on their social media within 6 months after the end of the Cooperathon, sharing a positive post about their experience and the prize won (if applicable). 
11. Liability Limitations:
    1. Prize Awarding. If Desjardins cannot award the prize as described on the Cooperathon website (https://cooperathon.ca), it reserves the right to award a prize of the same nature and equivalent value or, at its sole discretion, the value of the prize indicated in these rules.
    2. Use of Prize. The winner releases Desjardins from any liability for damages that may result from participation in the competition, acceptance, and use of the prize. The winner acknowledges that from the receipt of the prize or the letter confirming their prize, the execution of obligations related to the prize becomes the sole and exclusive responsibility of the various product and service providers. The winner agrees to sign a declaration and release form to this effect. The prize winner acknowledges that the only applicable warranty is the usual warranty of the provider.
    3. Force Majeure. Desjardins will not assume any liability in cases where it is unable to act due to a situation beyond its control, including strikes, lockouts, or any other labor conflict in the establishments of the organizations or businesses whose services are used for this program.
    4. Participation in Cooperathon. Desjardins will not be responsible for lost entries, any website failures during the program period, or any damage caused to a participant’s computer or mobile device.
    5. Participation Cooperathon Participation. By participating or attempting to participate in the Cooperathon, each person releases Desjardins from any liability and any damage they may suffer due to their participation or attempt to participate in the program.
    6. Other Participants. Desjardins will not assume any responsibility for the behavior of other Cooperathon participants. 
12. Program Modification. Desjardins reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend, in whole or in part, this program in the event of an event or human intervention that could alter or influence the administration, security, fairness, or conduct of the program as planned in these rules; no liability can be attributed to them. 
13. End of Program Participation. If, for any reason, participation in the Cooperathon ends, in whole or in part, before the scheduled end date in these rules, the awarding may be made, at Desjardins’ discretion, among the duly registered and received entries up to the date of the event ending participation in the competition. 
14. Personal Information. By registering, any participant authorizes Desjardins to use, if necessary, their names, photographs, images, voices, information about their place of residence, and statements regarding the prize, if part of a winning startup, for advertising purposes, without any form of remuneration. 
15. If any paragraph of these rules is declared or deemed illegal, unenforceable, or void by a competent court, then that paragraph will be considered void, but all other unaffected paragraphs will apply within the limits permitted by law. 
16. These rules are available on the site https://cooperathon.ca/rulesbeta2024. 
17. In case of discrepancy between the French and English versions of the rules, the French version will prevail. 
18. The Cooperathon is subject to all applicable laws. 
19. Personal Information. The personal information collected from participants will be used in accordance with the privacy policy available at https://www.desjardins.com/ca/privacy/privacy-policy/index.jsp
20. Decisions. Any person who participates in the Cooperathon agrees to comply with these rules and the final and binding decisions of the organizers who administer the Cooperathon. 

N.B. The masculine gender is used without any discrimination and solely to simplify the text.