{"id":14973,"date":"2025-12-19T13:57:23","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T18:57:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cooperathon.ca\/?page_id=14973"},"modified":"2026-08-05T09:16:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T13:16:02","slug":"cooperathon-2026-homepage","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cooperathon.ca\/cooperathon-2026-homepage\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Cooperathon 2026 \u2013 Homepage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Leading the change for People, the Planet, and Prosperity<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Register now<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
2026 Challenges<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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2026 Activities Calendar and Overview of the Training Program<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training program \u2193<\/summary>\n
Week<\/th>Dates<\/th>Time<\/th>Topic<\/th>Session Link<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Week 1<\/strong><\/td>April 27 and 30<\/strong><\/td>12:00 – 1:30 PM (ET)<\/strong><\/td>INNOVATION – What do we need to unlearn to innovate?<\/strong><\/td>Connect to GLOBAL<\/a><\/strong> to attend the session<\/td><\/tr>
Week 2<\/strong><\/td>May 4 and 7<\/strong><\/td>12:00 – 1:30 PM (ET)<\/strong><\/td>TEAM COHESION & ENTREPRENEURIAL POSTURE – An Idea Is 10% of Success. The Rest Is You!<\/strong><\/td>Connect to GLOBAL<\/a><\/strong> to attend the session<\/td><\/tr>
Week 3<\/strong><\/td>May 11 and 14<\/strong><\/td>12:00 – 1:30 PM (ET)<\/strong><\/td>FROM IDEA TO OPPORTUNITY – Design an Opportunity, Not a Product!<\/strong><\/td>Connect to GLOBAL<\/a><\/strong> to attend the session<\/td><\/tr>
Week 4<\/strong><\/td>May 19 and 21<\/strong><\/td>12:00 – 1:30 PM (ET)<\/strong><\/td>PROTOTYPING – Your Prototype Is a Question, Not an Answer!<\/strong><\/td>Connect to GLOBAL<\/a><\/strong> to attend the session<\/td><\/tr>
<\/td>May 22<\/strong><\/td>12:00 PM (ET)<\/strong><\/td>DEADLINE for projects submission<\/strong><\/td>Connect to GLOBAL<\/a><\/strong> to submit your project<\/td><\/tr>
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Upcoming activities \u2193<\/summary>\n
Activity<\/th>Location, Date and Time (EST)<\/th>Reservations<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
No upcoming activities as the training program is ongoing<\/strong><\/td><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Activities and dates are subject to change.<\/td><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
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Past activities \u2193<\/summary>\n
Activity<\/th>Location, Date and Time (EST)<\/th>Reservations<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
North Star 2026 <\/strong>(panels, conferences, networking)
<\/s>Sponsored by Cooperathon<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Montreal, QC
Thursday, January 29 \u2022 Starting at 1:30 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/strong><\/td>		Get tickets<\/s><\/a><\/td><\/tr>
D\u00e9fi conception<\/em> by Createk<\/s><\/strong>
Sponsored by Cooperathon<\/strong><\/td>		In person in <\/strong>Sherbrooke, QC
Dimanche, February 1<\/strong> \u2022 Starting at 2:30 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/strong><\/td>		Internal activity at Universit\u00e9 de Sherbrooke<\/em><\/s><\/td><\/tr>
Team Creation<\/s><\/strong>
In collaboration with Global Impact Hub<\/strong><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Wednesday, February 11<\/strong> \u2022 Noon<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Info Session & Fireside Chat<\/s><\/strong>
In collaboration with DMZ<\/strong><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Wednesday, February 18 \u2022 Noon<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Info Session & Fireside Chat<\/s><\/strong>
In collaboration with Velocity<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Waterloo, ON
Wednesday, February 25 \u2022 6:00 PM<\/s><\/strong><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Biocatalyst – Open Poster Pitch Competition<\/s><\/strong>
In collaboration with University of Toronto<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Toronto, ON
Friday, February 27 \u2022 Noon<\/s><\/strong><\/td>		Save my spot to pitch<\/a>
Save my spot to attend<\/a><\/s><\/td><\/tr>
Info Session<\/s><\/strong>
In collaboration with Lakehead University<\/strong><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Wednesday, March 11<\/strong> \u2022 Noon<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Creation<\/s><\/strong>
In collaboration with QV Studio<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Sherbrooke, QC<\/strong>
Wednesday, March 11<\/strong> \u2022 5:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Creation<\/s><\/strong>
In collaboration with Universit\u00e9 Laval<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Quebec City, QC<\/strong>
Thursday, March 12<\/strong> \u2022 5:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Creation<\/s><\/strong>
In collaboration with DMZ<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Toronto, ON<\/strong>
Tuesday, March 17<\/strong> \u2022 4:30 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Hackaton: Agri-Food Innovation Callenge<\/s><\/strong>
In collaboration with University of Waterloo<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Waterloo, ON<\/strong>
Wednesday, March 18<\/strong> \u2022 4:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Team Creation<\/strong> (in English)<\/s>
In collaboration with Velocity<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Waterloo, ON<\/strong>
Tuesday, March 24 \u2022 4:30 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
MUST ATTEND!<\/span>
Info & Challenges Presentation Session in English<\/strong> (also offered in French<\/a>)<\/s><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Wednesday, March 25<\/strong> \u2022 Noon<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Info Session<\/strong> (in English)<\/s>
In collaboration with McGill Innovation Fund<\/strong><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Thursday, March 26<\/strong> \u2022 11:00 AM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Creation<\/strong> (mostly in French)<\/s>
In collaboration with DigiHub<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Shawinigan, QC
Tuesday, March 31 \u2022 5:00 PM<\/s><\/strong><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Creation<\/strong> (mostly in French)<\/s>
In collaboration with LE CAMP<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Qu\u00e9bec City, QC
Wednesday, April 1 \u2022 5:00 PM<\/s><\/strong><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Creation<\/strong> (mostly in French)<\/s>
In collaboration with INKUB<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Chicoutimi, QC
Thursday, April 2 \u2022 5:00 PM<\/s><\/strong><\/td>		Save my spot <\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Info Session<\/strong> (in English)<\/s>
In collaboration with Altitude Accelerator<\/strong><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Friday, April 3 \u2022 Midi<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Creation<\/strong> (mostly in French)<\/s>
In collaboration with Universit\u00e9 de Sherbrooke<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Sherbrooke, QC<\/strong>
Tuesday, April 7 \u2022 5:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Info Session<\/strong> (mostly in French)<\/s>
In collaboration with Technum Qu\u00e9bec<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Bromont, QC<\/strong>
Wednesday, April 8 \u2022 5:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Private activity<\/s><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Networking Evening<\/strong> (mostly in French)<\/s>
In collaboration with UQAT<\/strong><\/td>		In person in Rouyn-Noranda, QC
Wednesday, April 8 \u2022 5:00 PM<\/s><\/strong><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Virtual Speed Hack<\/strong> (in English)<\/s><\/td>Online<\/strong>
Thursday, April 9 \u2022 6:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Ask Me Anything<\/strong> (bilingual)
Stop wondering. Start knowing.<\/s><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Friday, April 10 \u2022 1:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Connect to the session<\/a>
<\/strong><\/strong>Link goes live 5 min before the session<\/s><\/td><\/tr>
Info Session<\/strong> (mostly in French)<\/s>
In collaboration with PME MTL<\/strong><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Wednesday, April 15<\/strong> \u2022 Noon<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
MUST ATTEND!<\/span>
Team Creation<\/strong> (bilingual)<\/s><\/td>		In person in Montreal<\/strong>
Wednesday, April 15<\/strong> \u2022 5:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Virtual Speed Hack<\/strong> (in English)<\/s><\/td>Online<\/strong>
Thursday, April 16 \u2022 6:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Ask Me Anything<\/strong> (bilingual)
Stop wondering. Start knowing.<\/s><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Friday, April 17 \u2022 1:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Connect to the session<\/a>
<\/strong>Link goes live 5 min before the session<\/s><\/td><\/tr>
LAST CALL!<\/span>
Last activity before the program begins + Panel Alumni<\/strong> (bilingual)<\/s><\/td>		In person in Montreal<\/strong>
Thursday, April 23<\/strong> \u2022 5:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Save my spot<\/s><\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Leaders Info Session<\/s><\/strong><\/td>Online<\/strong>
Friday, April 24 \u2022 Noon<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Team Leaders will receive an invitation by email<\/s><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Ask Me Anything<\/strong> (bilingual)
Stop wondering. Start knowing.<\/s><\/td>		Online<\/strong>
Friday, April 24 \u2022 1:00 PM<\/strong><\/s><\/td>		Connect to the session<\/a>
<\/strong>Link goes live 5 min before the session<\/s><\/td><\/tr>
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What is Cooperathon?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powered by Desjardins<\/a>, Cooperathon creates innovative, high-impact enterprises by providing a structured journey: tools, network, and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a Canada-wide entrepreneurial program<\/strong>, it helps participants develop an innovative idea to start a business<\/strong> or advance academic research<\/strong>, culminating in a competition offering cash prizes and personalized support to help projects with the highest social, environmental, or economic impact potential come to life.

Cooperathon brings together citizens, communities, entrepreneurs, researchers, academics, SMEs, and large institutions to develop a socially responsible future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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More than a program, a profoundly human entrepreneurial Journey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooperathon is a 4-week entrepreneurial training program that extends to 7 weeks for teams selected after Phase I. Sessions are held online twice a week, 1.5 hours each. The program includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n