Microsoft investing more than $1 million to help Quebec startups thrive

Microsoft Canada and LE CAMP Incubator & Accelerator in Quebec City announced a partnership that will see Microsoft invest more than a $1M in cash, product and business services to help grow the innovative startup ecosystem in Quebec.

"It is with great pride that I celebrate this partnership between Microsoft and LE CAMP today; it will fuel innovation and the creation of new businesses in Quebec City,” said Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume. “The mentorship provided will offer a solid foundation for the entrepreneurial startups at CAMP. It is not surprising that Microsoft chose Québec City for this partnership. Our city has an abundance of highly skilled tech talent and a critical mass of businesses in this sector."

“The creativity and innovation that we see in Quebec is among the most exciting things happening in technology; we are tremendously pleased to join forces with CAMPto help foster growth now and in the future,” said Kevin Peesker, President of Microsoft Canada. “Our mission at Microsoft is to empower every person on the planet to achieve more and strategic partnerships with likeminded organizations like LE CAMP will help us reach that goal.”

The partnership includes:

• Funding to help CAMP further invest in Quebec entrepreneurs
• Hardware, including Surface devices, Xbox and HoloLens, providing opportunities to develop tools and apps in the innovative field of mixed and augmented reality
• The Microsoft Collaborative Space, outfitted with a Surface Hub, so Campers can create and collaborate with their colleagues from CAMP and around the world
• Microsoft will host training workshops and mentorship sessions at CAMP, helping Campers learn the business and technical skills they need to succeed today and in the future
• Select CAMP startups will receive a prioritized application path to Microsoft for Startups, providing additional tools for success, including Azure credits, mentorship and opportunities to sell solutions through to some of the biggest companies in the world

This announcement marks Microsoft’s latest investment in Quebec: Microsoft opened a local Cloud Region in Quebec almost four years ago, so Quebec-based businesses with sensitive data residency requirements could benefit from the power of the cloud; they also launch MSR Montreal two years ago and are bringing some of the brightest minds in AI to the region to work alongside visionaries like Yoshua Bengio and the talented researchers at the MILA Institute. On top of this, Microsoft is providing grants to Quebec academic institutions to further AI-focused research – because Microsoft is committed to fueling Canada’s innovation economy, and Quebec plays an important role in driving Canada’s overall economic engine.