CNBC looks to Dobson Centre for advice on annual disruptor list
Even in a year that venture capitalists’ go-to bank collapsed, and venture capital funding slowed to a trickle, the disruptive power of startups has never been clearer. The 2023 CNBC Disruptor 50 list was the eleventh iteration of the list, and the top spot should come as no surprise. The generative artificial intelligence company OpenAI is the maker of ChatGPT, and no new technological application has created more buzz since the dawn of social media – or even the web itself.
McGill Dobson Centre and MIF support innovation and entrepreneurship
The McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship helps startups launch their innovative ideas and, along with the Office of Innovation and Partnerships (I+P)'s McGill Innovation Fund (MIF), supports the McGill community in ideation, validation, acceleration and fundraising.
The pandemic forced brick and mortar retailers like ALDO to reimagine what a physical retail space can be: CEO David Bensadoun
The pandemic hit brick and mortar retailers hard. Lockdowns pushed consumers toward e-commerce websites.
Celebrating accomplishments of women within the Desautels community
On International Women’s Day we highlighted some of the outstanding and accomplished women within the Desautels community, who positively impact our students through their teaching, research, guidance, or mentorship.
Developing breakthrough patient care solutions
The pandemic prompted hospitals across Canada to implement new technologies that minimized human-to-human contact, such as a text messaging service provided by the University of Montreal Health Centre that updates family members on changes to a patient’s condition throughout their surgery or other extended treatment.
Start-ups taking off in Quebec
Although the pandemic has generated significant economic uncertainty, startups are thriving at McGill’s Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship, according to its director, Marie Josée Lamothe.
The Centre recently launched a virtual international tour that gives 18 Quebec startups the opportunity to explore potential markets in North America and Europe.
Turning hobbies into business opportunities
In response to the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians are turning their pastimes into online businesses. Marie-Josée Lamothe, Academic Director of the McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship, attributes their success in part to the public’s willingness to support businesses that are important to them rather than buying exclusively from e-commerce giants.
Blending two company ideas into one
As entrepreneurship takes on different forms during the pandemic, fresh business ideas are in high demand. In a highly unconventional move, a Quebec-based company called Alchemy is inviting startups to blend their ideas with Alchemy’s own ideas to create something new. Instead of expecting payment, Alchemy takes a stake in the joint venture.
Empowering startups to thrive during the global crisis
The pandemic has created many challenges for small businesses, but McGill University’s startup incubator has been given a boost thanks to a generous $3-million gift from the John Dobson Foundation.
Recap of McGill Startup Tour 2019
The McGill Startup Tour (formerly Demo Days) is about developing the McGill entrepreneurship ecosystem, showcasing the success’ of our start-ups, and promoting our highly beneficial program.
The tight-knit program was centered on three elements
Desautels shines in finals of L’Oréal Brandstorm
It’s been quite a ride for Desautels BCom students Charlotte Gaillard, Monica Gudernatsch, and Anne Sophie Levee. Over the course of this year, they have worked tirelessly under the mentorship of Peg Brunelle and BSRM Professor of Practice Marie Josée Lamothe to compete in the prestigious 2019 L’Oréal Brandstorm competition.
New board members for Desjardins Group
Desjardins Group has elected five new members to its board of directors, including Marie-Josée Lamothe, Professor of Practice for the Bensadoun School of Retail Management and President of Tandem International.
Read more
BCom students take the competition by storm
Desautels BCom students Charlotte Gaillard, Monica Gudernatsch, and Anne Sophie Levee are the Canadian finalists in the 2019 L’Oréal Brandstorm competition, coming in victorious over 125 participating teams.
Canada Revenue Agency announces the creation of an external advisory panel on service
Marie-Josée Lamothe, Professor of Practice at the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, has been named to the Canada Revenue Agency’s new advisory panel on service- an initiative to better understand the needs of Canadians and ensure an optimized client experience.
What’s in store for the future of retail
Breakfast Television speaks with Bensadoun School of Retail Management’s Marie Josée Lamothe and Desautels BCom student Charlotte Gaillard about the changes unfolding in the global retail industry and how McGill is shaping the future of this vital economic sector.
