Closed
Source verified July 11, 2026
Funding available
$ 500 - $ 12,000
Deadline
March 11, 2026
Location
Montérégie, Quebec, Canada
Who can apply
School stream participants at the preschool, primary, secondary, vocational training, and adult education levels.
See full eligibility
Overview
Défi OSEntreprendre is a Quebec initiative that highlights entrepreneurial audacity and creativity through four streams for school, student, start-up, and established-business participants. It offers 500,000 in prizes and recognizes school projects, student projects, new business start-ups, and Réussite inc. entrepreneurs sharing their entrepreneurial journey.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop team skills
- Increase social or community impact
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 12,000 $
- Minimum amount : 500 $
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Montérégie
- Quebec
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
- Startups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Student entrepreneurial projects at college or university level
- School entrepreneurial projects from preschool to adult education
- New business start-up projects
- Established businesses sharing their entrepreneurial journey
Documents Needed
- Completed online application form
- Stream-specific supporting form or summary sheet
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- School stream participants at the preschool, primary, secondary, vocational training, and adult education levels.
- Student stream participants at the college and university levels.
- Entrepreneurs in the start-up year for the Création d’entreprise stream.
- For the Création d’entreprise stream, the entrepreneurial team members must be domiciled in Quebec, have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status, and be at least 18 years old; for COOP and OBNL, the team must include, where applicable, the management team, board of directors, and advisory committee, and be majority adult and Quebec-domiciled with Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status.
- Entrepreneurs who first participated in Création d’entreprise more than 5 years ago for the Réussite inc. stream.
Who is not eligible
- Suppliers, sponsors, or strategic allies of the current edition.
- Applicants already registered in another stream of the current edition.
- Businesses that already won a prize in an official category of the Création d’entreprise stream at the regional or national level in a prior edition.
- Businesses that had already completed a sale or transaction before 1 April 2025 while already holding a NEQ, except for a structured market test documented in the application form or a reimmatriculation under Registraire des entreprises practices.
- Businesses that integrate the activities of a pre-existing business with a NEQ by continuing its operation through a takeover, succession, transfer, acquisition, merger, opening of a franchise by a new franchisee, or opening of a new branch, except for continuity of projects initiated in a school setting.
Selection criteria
- The jury uses the official selection grid for the relevant stream or special prize.
- In the School stream, evaluation covers the clarity and relevance of the need addressed, the concrete realization, student engagement and persistence, impact in the community, and inspiration potential.
- In the Student stream, evaluation covers the five official themes: idea to project, realization, student benefits, innovation and impact in the environment, and inspiration.
- In the Réussite inc. stream, evaluation covers the five official themes: entrepreneurial journey, values, perspective, financial health, and inspiration.
- Special prize grids assess themes such as scientific entrepreneurship, women-led entrepreneurship, cooperative entrepreneurship, sustainable development, sourcing from Quebec suppliers, and youth entrepreneurship.
Processing and Agreement
- After the registration period closes, compliant applications are evaluated by juries at each level during March, April, and May.
Additional information
- The 29th edition information will be released in autumn 2026.
- Each edition runs in an annual cycle from November to June.
- Support webinars are offered by the national team, and no registration is required.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Défi osentreprendre Program
What is the Défi osentreprendre?
Défi OSEntreprendre is a Quebec initiative that highlights entrepreneurial audacity and creativity through four streams for school, student, start-up, and established-business participants. It offers 500,000 in prizes and recognizes school projects, student projects, new business start-ups, and Réussite inc. entrepreneurs sharing their entrepreneurial journey.
How much funding can be received?
Défi osentreprendre Funds up to $12,000 of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Défi osentreprendre program?
To be eligible for the Défi osentreprendre program, you must:
Head office or principal business address in Quebec.
First purchase or sale transaction before 31 December 2026.
Quebec-owned and submitted in one complete form before registration closes.
What expenses are eligible under Défi osentreprendre?
Student entrepreneurial projects at college or university level
School entrepreneurial projects from preschool to adult education
New business start-up projects
Established businesses sharing their entrepreneurial journey
Who can I contact for more information about the Défi osentreprendre?
You can contact OSEntreprendre by email at none or by phone at none.
Where is the Défi osentreprendre available?
The Défi osentreprendre program is available Montérégie, Quebec.
Is the Défi osentreprendre a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Défi osentreprendre is a Grant and Funding