2. Presentation The Québec Entrepreneurship Contest is an organization that MOBILIZES a large network of partners to PROMOTE entrepreneurial initiatives in order to INSPIRE more people to believe in themselves, to transform their ideas into action and to achieve fulfilment. It comes at a key moment when the experience of starting a business or initiating a project in the school context fuels a desire to become an entrepreneur and to transform Québec one project at a time.

3. To foster the spirit of entrepreneurship in order to help build a proud, innovative, committed and prosperous Québec Mission

4. To be a symbol of mobilization and to help people discover their entrepreneurial passion. Vision

5. More than 700 000 $ for prizewinners throughout Québec. In 2014... –12 provincial prizes in Sudent Entrepreneurship Division –20 provincial prizes in Business creation Division –1 prize for Regional Commitment More than half of that amount is given in REGIONAL prizes all over the 17 regions of Québec. A Province-Wide Contest

6. Clients Two major project divisions : – Student Entrepreneurship – Business Creation

7. Student Entrepreneurship

8. A chance to dare, to persevere and to test one’s limits! Young people and school staff who design a project together transform their lives! Indeed, the positive impact on self-confidence, identity and student retention rates persuaded a third of Québec schools to participate in the QEC in 2014. The 50 000 students involved had the pleasure of learning while contributing to their community, while 15 000 students from schools in disadvantaged areas received special encouragement through the Valoris project “Believe in yourself and just go for it!”

9. Student Entrepreneurship Student Entrepreneurship Eligible Applicants The Student Entrepreneurship division of the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest is open to residents of Québec enrolled in a public or private educational institution recognized by the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) such as: an elementary or secondary school, a vocational training centre or an adult education centre a college (or an affiliated centre) a university (or an affiliated centre) a government school any educational institution recognized by the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS)

10. Entrepreneurial projects done as school or extracurricular projects and completed over the course of the year between June 2014 and June 2015. Most project activities must have begun before the application deadline of March 16, 2015, so that the development of the students’ entrepreneurial values can be evaluated and validated. Student Entrepreneurship Student Entrepreneurship Eligible projects

11. Student Entrepreneurship Student Entrepreneurship Categories Elementary Cycle One (Elementary 1 and 2)One or more people Elementary Cycle Two (Elementary 3 and 4)One or more people Elementary Cycle Three (Elementary 5 et 6)One or more people Secondary Cycle One (Secondary I and II) One or more people Secondary Cycle Two (Secondary III, IV andV) One or more people Secondary school – Special Education One or more people Vocational Training and Adult EducationOne or more people College - Individual and Small GroupOne to three people College - Group Four or more people University - Individual and Small Group One to three people University – GroupFour or more people

12. Projects are evaluated according to the following criteria: la mise en contexte la réalisation du projet la mobilisation les retombées l’envergure l’originalité et l’innovation l’appréciation globale du projet Student Entrepreneurship Student Entrepreneurship Evaluation Criteria

13. Carry out an entrepreneurial project as a school or extracurricular project. Fill out the online entry form on the Contest website at concours- entrepreneur.org/en. The Accompanying Documents section allows contestants to add PDF or PowerPoint documents, photos and links to videos or websites related to the project. When the online entry form is complete, click on Send form to officially submit the project to the Contest. Once the registration form has been sent, the local Contest representative will ensure that it is complete, that the project corresponds to the definition of an entrepreneurial project and that it respects the eligibility rules. If it fulfills these criteria, the local representative will send an online message confirming the project’s eligibility for the Contest. Student Entrepreneurship Student Entrepreneurship Entering the Contest

14. Student Entrepreneurship Student Entrepreneurship MELS Introduction to Entrepreneurship Measure Financial assitance to encourage and support entrepreneurship in schools: o Option 1, "Entrepreneurial Spirit", is intended to fund entrepreneurial projects in elementary and secondary school, as well as in adult education. Projects can be carried out in school or as an extracurricular activity. o Option 2, "Entrepreneurship Spirit", is intended to fund entrepreneurship awareness activities carried out in vocational training centers and colleges as an extracurricular activity. The Québec Entrepreneurship Contest is not directly related anymore to the IEM, nor appointed to disseminate information towards it. For additionnal information on the two options of the IEM and the related funding, please contact the person responsible for this file in your school or consult MELS website (french only) www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/entrepreneuriat

15. Student Entrepreneurship Student Entrepreneurship Prizes at the Provincial Level CategoriePrize Elementary Cycle One (Elementary 1 and 2)$2000 Elementary Cycle Two (Elementary 3 and 4)$2000 Elementary Cycle Three (Elementary 5 et 6)$2000 Secondary Cycle One (Secondary I and II) $2000 Secondary Cycle Two (Secondary III, IV andV) $2000 Secondary school – Special Education $2000 Vocational Training and Adult Education$3000 College - Individual and Small Group$2000 College - Group $3000 University - Individual and Small Group$2000 University – Group$3000

16. Buisness Creation

17. A chance to make one’s dreams come true! Armed with gumption, participants achieve self-fulfilment and further the development of their region by founding a new business. Whether they act individually or as a group, they make a crucial contribution to Québec’s pride, solidarity and prosperity. A source of pride, the QEC gives the 2 000 new entrepreneurs who participate each year an opportunity to improve the visibility of their project, win prizes and broaden their support network and chances of success.

18. Any adult or group of adults 18 years of age or over, residing in Québec and holding Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status is eligible for the Business Creation division of the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest. A contestant or team of contestants may enter only one project in the Business Creation division in one category in any given year. Business Creation Business Creation Eligible Applicants

19. Business Creation Business Creation Eligible Businesses Business projects or businesses that did not take in any sales revenue before April 1, 2014, which is to say that they had no orders or contracts, either underway or completed, whether or not payment was received before that date. Projects designed to create a new business in Québec to be launched no later than December 31, 2015.

20. Business Creation Business Creation Categories Bio-Food Business Operation, Processing, Production Commerce Services to Individuals Services to Companies Social Economy Technological and Technical Innovation

21. Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria: the market analysis the marketing plan the operational plan the funding plan the entrepreneurial profile of the promoter(s) the overall assessment of the project Business Creation Business Creation Evaluation Criteria

22. A first prize of $10 000 and a second prize of $5 000 will be awarded in each of the seven official Contest categories: Bio-Food Business Operation, Processing, Production Commerce Services to Individuals Services to Companies Social Economy Technological and Technical Innovation Business Creation Business Creation Prizes at the Provincial Level

23. Provincial level : Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Grand Prize – $20 000 Successful Buisness Inc. Prize. – 25 000$ People's Choice Prize : A prize worth up to $5 000 and offering the advantage of high visibility Business Creation Business Creation Special Prize

24. Fill out the online entry form on the Contest website at concours- entrepreneur.org/en. Please include a photograph and a business plan. We recommend a maximum of 50 pages in length, including a table of contents, financial statements and appendixes. It is possible to send up to four documents in PDF, Word or Excel format. When the online entry form is complete, click on “Send form” to officially submit the project to the Contest before the deadline. Once the registration form has been submitted, the local Contest representative will ensure that it is complete and that the project is eligible for the Contest. If it is, the local representative will send an online message confirming the project’s eligibility for the Contest. The project will then be considered by the jury members using the official evaluation criteria. Business Creation Business Creation Entering the Contest

25. Contest Organization

26. Active Throughout Québec 400 local and regional Contest representatives in Québec’s 17 administrative regions Each region has an organizing committee that includes representatives of the Centre local de développement, the Société d’aide au développement des collectivités, the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi, school boards, colleges and universities, regional offices of Québec ministries, chambers of commerce, etc.

27. Contest Organization Contest Organization Contest Levels Local Level: Student Entrepreneurship Territory under the jurisdiction of a school board; Private schools, government schools, colleges and universities. Business Creation Local responsability may be shared between the educational institutions and economic development organizations in a given geographic territory within their administrative region.

28. Contest Organization Contest Organization Contest Levels Regional Level: Each of the 17 administrative regions of Québec corresponds to a regional level and coordinates both the Student Entrepreneurship division and the Business Creation division. Provincial Level: The provincial level organizers are the Contest’s permanent staff.

29. Action Plan: promoting the Contest supporting applications confirming acceptance of applications that meet the Contest criteria organizing the local juries identifying the winning projects using the Reserved section of the website sending a thank-you letter to participants who are not selected (a form letter is available in the Tool Box) sending a certificate of excellence to local prizewinners (samples are available in the Tool Box) Contest Organization Contest Organization Local Contest Representative

30. Contest Organization Contest Organization Regional Contest Representative Action Plan: taking part in the two official meetings for regional representatives coordinating the activities of the local representatives organizing a regional launch ceremony finding sponsors forming the regional juries naming the prizewinners using the Reserved section of website organizing a gala publicly announcing the regional winners collaborating in inviting the finalists for interviews at the provincial level collaborating in sending out invitations for the Desjardins Grand Prize Gala producing a final report on activities

31. Contest Organization Contest Organization Provincial Level Action Plan: providing support for the activities at the local and regional levels seeking provincial sponsors drawing up the provincial communication plan organizing training sessions when necessary for the local and regional representatives coordinating and ensuring compliance with regulations updating promotional and organizational tools organizing the provincial juries organizing the Desjardins Grand Prize Gala in June

32. Juries

33. Juries Local and Regional Juries select: For Business Creation Division One project per category and one additional project for every 15 applications, for all categories For Student Entrepreneurship Division One project per category and one additional project for every 20 applications, for all categories

34. Juries Provincial Jury select: Student Entrepreneurship Division one grand-prize winner per category Business Creation Division two winners (1 st and 2 nd place) per category

35. Partners