MONTREAL, Oct. 31, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - HEC Montréal is pleased to
announce the creation of the Institute for Entrepreneurship National Bank | HEC Montréal, thanks to a $10 million donation announced last January by the
National Bank as part of the Campus Montréal fundraising campaign.
The Institute, to be devoted to entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial
takeovers and business families, will give students from the Campus
Montréal institutions (HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal and
Université de Montréal) and the business community access to tools and
the opportunity to attend events to encourage and support the creation
and takeovers of businesses, by helping to develop innovative
entrepreneurs. The Institute will offer activities revolving around
education, research, spinoffs and networking, as well as training.
"The National Bank has supported the growth and success of local
businesses' since it was founded more than 150 years ago. So it was a
natural step for us to join with HEC Montréal to create this
Institute," explains Louis Vachon, President and Chief Executive
Officer of National Bank. "Starting from our combined strengths, we can
do more to help develop people and their talents. This is essential to
a dynamic entrepreneurial culture in Quebec."
"The Institute for Entrepreneurship National Bank | HEC Montréal
confirms the key role of the university community in creating and
transferring knowledge regarding entrepreneurial management," agrees
HEC Montréal Director Michel Patry. "Together, the National Bank and
HEC Montréal are building an institute of entrepreneurship that has no
equivalent in Canada."
An Institute at the heart of entrepreneurial growth
The Institute for Entrepreneurship National Bank | HEC Montréal will
have four roles:
-
An observatory of Quebec entrepreneurial trends and good practices. The goal of the Observatory is to serve as a platform for discussion and
sharing information, for everyone interested in issues related to
entrepreneurship, SMBs and family businesses. The Observatory is
intended to become a key source of statistics, information and
knowledge. In keeping with this ambition, the Observatory will be
associated with the Fondation de l'entrepreneurship to produce and share new data, drawing on the complementary expertise
of the two institutions.
-
An idea accelerator. This aspect of the Institute will be of interest mainly to undergraduate
students enrolled in the very promising Rémi Marcoux Entrepreneurship
Track, which focuses on business creation, takeovers and the growth of
family businesses. The accelerator will offer personalized support and
mentorship by experienced businesspeople. In addition, students will
receive financial support.
-
A centre for knowledge transfer and customized training. The Institute will offer seminars on the themes of entrepreneurship,
entrepreneurial takeovers and managing family businesses. In addition,
training given by HEC Montréal faculty and experienced businesspeople
will provide valuable tools for entrepreneurs, potential successors and
other professionals concerned. Case studies, presentations and
first-hand accounts by business leaders will give participants a chance
to draw on real-life business situations and develop skills they can
apply immediately in their professional lives.
-
A networking and event space. The Institute will organize many public activities, from symposia to
networking opportunities and a competition for new entrepreneurs, Les Médaillés de la relève. All these events will be opportunities for students, faculty and
entrepreneurs to forge bonds and discuss common interests in a
comfortable atmosphere, while encouraging the development of a culture
of entrepreneurship.
"Entrepreneurial initiatives will no longer be limited to a select few,"
says Luis Cisneros, Associate Professor with the Department of
Management at HEC Montréal and Director of the Institute for
Entrepreneurship National Bank | HEC Montréal. "The Institute will
offer new training and nourish and share knowledge in this field, as
well as creating bonds among students, faculty and entrepreneurs. By
bringing together in one place all the players needed to develop
creative start-ups and entrepreneurial takeovers, this ecosystem we are
creating will provide an ideal setting to address the entrepreneurial
challenges of today and tomorrow."
About National Bank of Canada
With $187 billion in assets as at July 31, 2013, National Bank of Canada
(www.nbc.ca), together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada's leading
integrated financial groups, and was named among the 20 strongest banks
in the world by Bloomberg Markets magazine. The Bank has close to
20,000 employees and is widely recognized as a top employer. Its
securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). Follow
the Bank's activities via social media and learn more about its
extensive community involvement at clearfacts.ca and commitment.nationalbank.ca
About HEC Montréal
A world-class French-language business school with an emphasis on
multilingual teaching, HEC Montréal has over 12,000 students and trains
more than 7,000 executives and managers from all industries every year.
The School holds numerous accreditations and offers some 40 academic
programs at all levels of university education. With 280 professors and
researchers trained at the world's most prestigious universities, HEC
Montréal boasts cutting-edge management teaching and research. Some
fifty research units, including 25 chairs—7 of them Canada Research
Chairs—give the School its reputation for innovation, attracting
students from close to 140 countries. HEC Montréal was Canada's first
business school and has trained over 71,000 students in all fields of
management since its founding in 1907.
hec.ca | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
About Campus Montréal
Campus Montréal is the umbrella organization bringing together HEC
Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal and Université de Montréal for a joint
fundraising campaign. These three institutions make up the biggest
Francophone university complex in the world, and the leading centre of
university research in Canada. The institutions that make up Campus
Montréal are in the top one per cent of the world's best universities.
John Parisella is Executive Director of the Campus Montréal major
fundraising campaign, with Louise Arbour, Hélène Desmarais, Geoffrey
Molson, Michael Sabia and Thierry Vandal serving as co-chairs. With a
goal of $500 million, this is the most ambitious fundraising campaign
ever launched by French-language university institutions. To date, the
Campus Montréal major campaign has raised over $200 million.
www.campus-montreal.ca
SOURCE HEC Montreal