Quebec Cleantech Investment Challenge

The Problem: Access to Capital

Between 2014 and 2019, national cleantech exports grew at an annual pace of 9.7% – three times faster than all other product categories. While Canada does not lack in entrepreneurial ambition, several factors are hampering the growth of Canadian cleantech, and high among these is a lack of venture capital.

On a per capita basis, our cleantech venture capital investments represent half of what is seen in the United States. Accessing capital at critical earlier stages of growth can be the difference between creating impact at scale, or delaying the solutions to our climate challenges.

The Solution: Training & Matchmaking

The Quebec Cleantech Investment Challenge is based on a proven impact investor challenge model that addresses the access-to-capital challenges facing early-stage cleantech ventures from TRL 3-6, as well as a lack of private capital.
This innovative collaborative model builds a thriving ecosystem by simultaneously developing more qualified investors through cleantech investor training, and developing more qualified deal flow by providing investor readiness training to ventures.

How It Works

The Challenge will support 15 cleantech ventures from funding needs through to investor readiness, and will develop 20+ early-stage climate solutions investors from Quebec and across Canada. By the end of the program, at least one cleantech venture will raise $100,000 in investments from the investor stream to further develop their climate solution.

The Challenge undertakes a cohort-based approach to training with two intersecting streams:

1. Investor Stream: for angel investors looking to make early-stage investments into Quebec cleantech ventures.
2. Venture Stream: for climate-focused ventures looking to fundraise, including access to investor readiness training for participants.