Once again, The BetaKit Podcast is coming at you live from Startupfest in Montréal.
Our focus coming into the festival, which I have often described as summer camp for Canadian tech, was to check in on the state of the innovation ecosystem in Montréal and Québec. Madison McLauchlan has been all over that beat for BetaKit, tracking not only Notman House’s demise, but also the rebranding of Startup Montréal to Québec Tech, and the local community’s reaction to both.
“To be competitive with American startups—or Israeli startups, or European startups—we need that push. That push … comes with a bureaucratic cost, because the government wants to know what’s happening with their money.”
Overshadowing (or perhaps driving) many of the changes is the province’s $7.5 billion CAD research and innovation strategy, which is focused on improving productivity and fuelling sustainable and globally scaleable R&D. It involves picking winners, from innovation zones to accelerators to export-ready startups.
Unravelling the impact of this strategy, as well as how it intersects with other political decisions on more cultural lines, falls to none other than MAIN Executive Director Louis-Felix Binette, who does an admirable job explaining an entire provincial ecosystem to a visitor from out of town.
Binette provides historical context for many of the province’s decisions without really advocating on their behalf. He comes across as a guy more willing to work with the cards he was dealt than complain to the dealer. It makes sense for someone responsible for helping connect over 50 different incubators and accelerators across Québec.
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The conversation outlines the unique ways Québec is different from the rest of the country, what ecosystem leaders are trying to mirror from other provinces, and ultimately, the benefits that might come if innovation hubs from across the country pool data and best practices.
So what’s the current vibe of Québec tech at Startupfest? Let’s dig in.
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The BetaKit Podcast is hosted by Douglas Soltys & Rob Kenedi. Feature image courtesy Startupfest.