Montréal, June 8, 2016 – With over 350 spectators in attendance, last night the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and Ubisoft held the first edition of InnoBahnUbisoft at the Cinquième Salle of Place des Arts. Eleven start-ups took to the stage to present their solution to the innovation challenges issued by Ubisoft, L’Oréal Canada and the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. At the end of the electrically charged evening, four start-ups were crowned winners by the large companies: JITbase, Hyperbole Espace créatif, Netlift and MyCustomizer.
| LARGE COMPANY CHALLENGE |
SOLUTIONS FROM WINNING START-UPS |
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Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (GP3R)
The GP3R’s success depends on its 1,000 volunteers. But turnover is high, and when volunteers leave the organization, they take a great deal of expertise with them.
How can the GP3R capture the knowledge of experienced volunteers and ensure that it is passed on to new volunteers for each edition?
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JITBASE
JITbase suggested an interactive interface that would allow volunteers to submit modifications to the tasks assigned to them. The unique feature of this pilot project is that it uses a point system to reward volunteers for contributing via the platform, stimulating their engagement and capturing their knowledge in the process.
HYPERBOLE ESPACE CRÉATIF
Hyperbole Espace créatif developed the Mata application to foster idea and knowledge sharing among volunteers via SMS. This platform offers a storytelling approach and maps volunteer knowledge.
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Ubisoft
A full 25% of Ubisoft employees live on the outskirts of Montréal or far from a metro line. Many employees have flexible, atypical schedules not suited to public transit. The location is hard to get to and parking is limited.
How can Ubisoft improve the efficiency of employee travel, while reducing the company’s environmental footprint?
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NETLIFT *Public choice award*
Netlift’s approach is based on multimodal car sharing. Its platform suggests the best environmentally responsible route, reducing travel time and calculating greenhouse gas emissions. The application also has a community forum and a parking management tool. |
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L’Oréal Canada
To optimize the consumer experience, L’Oréal has to innovate to communicate more effectively with customers through different platforms, both online and in store.
How can L’Oréal serve its customers and communicate with them meaningfully on multiple channels?
This challenge is solely for the Kiehl’s brand, for which L’Oréal manages digital channels and brick-and-mortar stores. |
MYCUSTOMIZER
MyCustomizer offers an application for collecting client information in a database. The application establishes a link between the store and the website. The start-up’s approach is to personalize data collected about customers to offer them products that meet their needs. |
When the InnoBahn Ubisoft initiative was launched, 30 start-ups registered to tackle the challenges of large companies. Carefully guided by consultants Hyperliens, they attended sessions to get information and prepare their pitch. Of the 30 start-ups registered, 11 were selected by the large companies to take part in the event. The selection was made according to different criteria, including the quality of the proposed solution, the testing process and future prospects.
“We are very proud of the results of the first edition of InnoBahn Ubisoft, which made new business relationships possible between large companies and start-ups,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “The concrete solutions the start-ups proposed led to worthwhile interactions that show the business community’s tremendous creativity and capacity for innovation. New partnerships formed during the evening will start off on solid foundations, and we are eager to measure the results once the solutions from the starts-ups have been tested in major companies.”
“We are delighted with the success of the first edition of InnoBahn Ubisoft,” said Francis Baillet, Vice-President, Corporate Affairs, at Ubisoft. “By bringing major corporations together with start-ups, the initiative will inject vitality into the local economy. It will help develop the disruptive innovations of tomorrow, leading to major economic spinoffs, increasing our visibility around the world and helping us attract the top talent to Quebec and retain it.”
The next edition of InnoBahn Ubisoft will be held July 14 as part of Startupfest (July 13-16). Details will appear on the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal’s website.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal’s InnoBahn Ubisoft event is produced with the support of Ubisoft and organized in cooperation with consultants Hyperliens, the Table d’action en entrepreneuriat de Montréal – supported by the ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation –, ROBIC and Startupfest.
Photos from the evening are available upon request.
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of over 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the voice of Montréal’s business community and to promote the city’s prosperity. It is involved in key areas of economic development, advocating a philosophy of action based on engagement, credibility, proactivity, collaboration, and innovation. The Board of Trade also offers a range of specialized services to individuals and to businesses of all sizes to support them in their growth at home and abroad.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2014-2015 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,394 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
About the Tables d’action en entrepreneuriat
The Tables d'action en entrepreneuriat (TAE) are active in every region of Quebec. Presided over by engaged business people, the TAEs inject vitality into entrepreneurial culture in all regions of Quebec by contributing to dialogue among economic players.
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Sources:
Guillaume Bérubé
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4042
gberube@ccmm.qc.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chambremontreal
Twitter: @chambremontreal
Follow the discussion: #ccmmqcca
Fabrice Giguère
Media Relations Officer
Ubisoft Montréal
514 262-2437
fabrice.giguere2@ubisoft.com