About SIJ: Société d’Investissement Jeunesse
Our Mission
The mission of Société d’Investissement Jeunesse (S.I.J.) is to promote entrepreneurship, contribute to economic development, and create jobs by supporting young entrepreneurs in launching their businesses. SIJ specifically encourages business projects led by individuals aged 18 to 40, helping them start or acquire innovative and technological companies throughout Quebec.
Financial Support and Offer
SIJ provides loans ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 to businesses run by young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 40. These loans support both the founding and acquisition of companies, focusing on innovation and technology. The organization’s financial strength comes from its Financial Assistance Fund, and each business project is carefully evaluated based on a business approach and market realities. Sustainable economic impact and job creation are key selection criteria, ensuring that SIJ’s investments help communities grow.
Our Achievements
For over 38 years, SIJ has granted more than $13 million in loan guarantees and has supported over 460 entrepreneurs. Notable recent funding includes:
- 200,000 $ to GPHY for workspace management platform commercialization
- 200,000 $ to Uzinakod for technological solutions deployment
- 200,000 $ to WorkAxle for workforce management solutions
- 100,000 $ to Chaac Technologies for product development
- 150,000 $ to Pelcro to advance in media and publishing
- 100,000 $ to Iris + Arlo for ethical, sustainable menstrual products
- 200,000 $ to Axceta for IoT agricultural solutions
- 50,000 $ to Mely.ai for smart document processing technology
- 100,000 $ to SmartPixel for digital solutions development
- 150,000 $ to YouSet for online insurance platform commercialization
Administrative Team
SIJ’s board of directors and investment committee consist of highly regarded figures in the business community, such as:
- Hélène Desmarais – Chair of the Board at Ivado Labs and Scale AI, Founding Chair and CEO at CEIM
- Christian Perron – President and COO at CEIM
- Benoît Cyr, CPA, CA, MBA – Corporate Director, Vice President and Treasurer at SIJ
- Jean-François Labbé – COO at Ecolomondo, Secretary at SIJ
- Alain Ricard – Partner Lawyer at Fasken
- Annie Simard – Business Specialist at BDC
- Olivier Gamache – Board Chairman at Groupe Investissement Responsable
- Kim Pasquin – General Manager at Nvizzio
- David Parent – Innovation and Growth Advisor, Co-founder at PixMob
SIJ Success Stories
Many entrepreneurs have benefited from SIJ’s support, and recent milestones include the appointments of Kim Pasquin and David Parent to the board, and significant financial awards to startups and established companies alike. The consistent investments in innovative projects and technology-driven businesses underline SIJ’s commitment to fueling Quebec’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.