His problem
A solid project, credibility still to build
Jérémy was working out of a small office in Verdun. Despite his grant and a solid project, he struggled to be taken seriously by sustainability directors at large companies and by cleantech investors.
1
His business address
It hurt his credibility with large companies.
2
Meetings in his office
Hosting clients and investors in a small office did not help his case.
3
His isolation
Quebec’s environmental sector is a tight-knit community: connections and referrals open doors, and he was cut off from the green tech ecosystem.
His search
Three spaces visited in Montreal
Jérémy is targeting the Tour de la Bourse in Montreal, where innovation and green economy players are concentrated. His budget: $3,500 to $5,000 a month.
Space A · General coworking space downtown
- Good address, varied clientele
- Nice meeting room
The catch: no ties at all to the environmental or cleantech ecosystem. The community is mostly marketing agencies and HR consultants. A nice storefront, but the wrong soil.
Space B · Hedhofis Square Victoria
His pick
- Innovation hub specializing in cleantech, circular economy and clean technology startups
- Built-in partners: Écotech Québec, Fondaction, a few carbon certification firms
- Regular events: GHG conferences, regulatory workshops, startup demos for investors
- $4,250 a month, including 40 hours of meeting rooms and access to events
Space C · Human-scale coworking, about sixty members
- Strong in R&D and product development, access to labs and researchers
- $3,000 a month, very attractive
The catch: less focused on commercialization and investor networking, and an 8- to 12-week selection process.
