Centre d'Entreprises et d'Innovation de Montréal (CEIM)

Centre d'Entreprises et d'Innovation de Montréal - CEIM

Last Verified: 2006-10-06

Fuelling innovation

CEIM is an incubator whose mission is to contribute to the start-up of successful businesses and to the creation of long-term jobs. CEIM offers customized management support, consulting programs and efficient and affordable related services.

CEIM’s actions aim at:

• Identifying business projects with a strong commercial and growth potential;
• Offering specialized, efficient and affordable services that respond to the specific needs of these projects;
• Increasing business survival and success probabilities;
• Enhancing the entrepreneurship vision and the economic development of Québec.

Eligibility Criteria

CEIM targets start-up business projects having the following characteristics:

• An innovative product or service with strong commercial and export potential;
• A viable business proposition;
• Intellectual property protection, current or potential, for the product or technology;
• A team interested and able to develop their management capabilities;
• A team motivated to do what is necessary to make their project a succes.

Eligible Activities

CEIM particularly targets entrepreneurs with innovative projects in the following business sectors:

• Information technology and telecommunications
• Multimedia
• Manufacturing technologies
• Life Sciences and bio-agrobusinesses

Summary

CEIM provides innovative businesses with services required at each step of their development. This consulting service is tailored to each project’s specific needs according to the project’s:

- Stage of development;
- Technology sector; and
- Management team capabilities.

The incubation program generally lasts from one to three years, depending on the specific needs of the project.

CEIM is composed of three departments:

New Technologies
This department serves start-up companies in the following sectors: information technology, multimedia and manufacturing technologies.
Typically, clients have either a product concept, one or more products or technologies at the research and development stage, or one or more products in the early phases of commercialization.

Sales Intelligence (marketing support)
This department serves information technology companies that have a know-how and an unique product, whose development phase is completed and are entering the commercial phase.
Typically, their business plan and marketing strategy have been defined, but the company needs hands-on assistance with implementation.

Life Sciences
This department serves start-up companies in the following sectors : biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical instruments or bio-agrobusiness.
Clients are either in the research and development phase, or have products or technologies in the early stage of commercialization.

Typical services provided

Strategic planning, financing and consulting
The following services are offered by the New Technologies and Life Sciences department:

Start-up phase
- evaluation of market potential – market study
- marketing strategy
- business plan, strategic and financial planning
- search and negotiation of financing

Development phase
- organisation of operations
- search and negotiation of strategic alliances
- bookkeeping, management control systems
- set up of advisory committees

Sales Intelligence(Commercialization)
The following services are offered by the Sales Intelligence and Life Sciences department:

Lead Generation
- identification of potential clients
- cold calls and identification of key-clients

Sales force
- marketing diagnostic
- recruiting and coaching of representatives

Consulting
- coaching of the sales department
- coaching in customer service
- development of sales tools
- specialized training and seminars

Office space
Office space available within CEIM’s building provides multiple advantages to entrepreneurs wishing to simplify their physical infrastructure while taking advantage of flexible and competitive rental terms.

CEIM has more than 30,000 square feet equipped to meet the specific needs of start-up companies in information technology and multimedia sectors.

Other services may be provided, such as:

- Reception service;
- Internet access, T1 line;
- Access to office equipment;
- Access to meeting and conference rooms.

Furthermore, businesses holding the appropriate VISA from Investissement Québec are eligible to significant tax breaks relating to the Centre de développement des technologies de l’information (CDTI) or Multimedia City.

Office space is an optional service offered to companies incubated by CEIM.

For more information, contact CEIM by telephone, by e-mail or in person at either of the CEIM offices.

Quebec Contact(s):
Centre d'Entreprise et d'Innovation de Montréal (CEIM)
33 Prince Street
Montréal, Quebec  H3C 2M7
Canada
Telephone: (514) 866-0575
Fax: (514) 866-3591
E-mail: info@ceim.org
Web site: http://www.ceim.org