Montreal, February 20, 2025 — Desjardins Group and Cycle Momentum announce a $400,000 strategic partnership to propel the “Lab to Start-up” Clean Tech Consortium project. This significant contribution from Desjardins, through its Fonds du Grand Mouvement, places the financial institution at the heart of Quebec’s growing climate tech entrepreneurship ecosystem, making it the first financial institution in Quebec to commit to this innovative initiative.
A Strategic Alliance
This partnership plays a vital role in identifying and supporting innovative startups and aids their success at each key stage: project selection, commercial validation, co-founder team formation, funding, and intellectual property transfer. It also maximizes resources and expertise to propel climate technologies while stimulating the socioeconomic vitality of Quebec.
Cycle Momentum’s innovative model adapts international methodologies to Quebec’s reality to accelerate solutions aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Desjardins’ commitment thus represents a significant step in creating new companies from university research and reaffirms its support in the fight against climate change.
“This partnership with Desjardins marks a crucial milestone for Cycle Momentum. Together, we are accelerating the creation of a new generation of climate tech startups from Quebec’s university research. This commitment highlights the importance of strategic collaborations to address environmental challenges while stimulating the local economy.” — Patrick Gagné, CEO of Cycle Momentum
“By supporting Cycle Momentum, we reaffirm our vision for a sustainable future for Quebec. By investing in climate tech, we are not only catalyzing innovation but also encouraging a new generation of entrepreneurs to build a better world.” — Isabelle Garon, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Communications, Cooperation, and the President’s Office at Desjardins.
The “Lab to Start-up” Project: A Collaborative and Innovative Approach Benefiting Quebec
Inspired by proven international methodologies, the “Lab to Start-up” project is a first in Quebec. In collaboration with Quebec’s universities and research centers, it aims to rapidly increase the pipeline of climate solutions by leveraging cutting-edge research and entrepreneurial innovation. The “Lab to Start-up” initiative aspires to become a driving force in the creation of climate tech startups while highlighting universities and research centers as hubs of excellence, thereby attracting new talent to their regions.
The project brings together three complementary stakeholders – 2 Degrés, Cycle Momentum, and IVÉO – and benefits from major funding from the Quebec government through the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy.
About Cycle Momentum
Cycle Momentum is an international acceleration and innovation platform whose mission since 2015 has been to identify and support the development of cutting-edge technologies to address humanity’s major ecological challenges. As a member of the Cycle Capital platform, Cycle Momentum offers acceleration and open innovation programs to support entrepreneurial growth, financing, and commercialization of climate technologies. We establish the necessary collaborations between industrial leaders and start-ups to accelerate the commercialization of their solutions. Cycle Momentum invests through Origo, an investment matching program supported by the Government of Quebec.
About Desjardins Group
Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the sixth largest in the world, with assets of $464.7 billion as at September 30, 2024. It has been named one of Canada’s Best Employers by Forbes magazine and by Mediacorp. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, its online platforms, and its subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world’s strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has one of the highest capital ratios and one of the highest credit ratings in the industry.
