MONTREAL – Quebecor and its asterX innovative entrepreneurship unit announced today they have partnered with French-language university HEC Montréal to help start-ups in Quebec refine their digital strategies.
As part of the partnership, Quebecor is donating $1 million so HEC Montréal’s research chair in user experience (UX chair), can “support a hundred entrepreneurs over a 10-year period under the Quebecor asterX Digital Entrepreneurship Program,” a press release says.
HEC Montréal’s UX chair is powered by the university’s Tech3Lab. “Every year, it will provide around ten local start-ups with support, at no charge, with testing and enhancing the user experience offered by the products and/or services they develop and market,” says the release.
“Entrepreneurship is part of HEC Montréal’s DNA,” said Federico Pasin, director of HEC Montréal, in the release. “Our School has a solid ecosystem that brings together young talent, experts and numerous partners. It offers an array of services related to inclusive entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and digital technology.”
“Thanks to Quebecor’s gift, we will be able to share with local entrepreneurs recent scientific advances in the field developed by the UX Chair in collaboration with organizations such as Videotron,” said Pierre-Majorique Léger (above, third from the right), who currently holds the UX chair position and is a full professor in the Information Technology Department at HEC Montréal.
“We will make good use of our state-of-the-art research infrastructure, including new equipment installed at HEC Montréal’s new downtown building, which opens in the fall of 2022.”
“True to our entrepreneurial roots, we want to give entrepreneurs a springboard and the means to drive innovation in the industries that will move our society forward, such as digital,” said Pierre Karl Péladeau (above, right), president and CEO of Quebecor.
“This partnership between Quebecor and HEC Montréal strengthens our ties with the UX Chair, of which Videotron is already a member. It is a natural alliance for us, one that will help local businesses succeed and extend their reach beyond Quebec.”
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Photo provided by Quebecor. Péladeau and Léger are pictured along with (from left to right) Michel Patry, CEO of the HEC Montréal Foundation, Pelra Azondekon, managing director of asterX, Sylvain Sénécal, co-director of the HEC Montréal Tech3Lab and Pierre Laurin, former director of HEC Montréal. Sylvie Cordeau, vice-president, philanthropy and sponsorships of Quebecor, is pictured second from the right.
