https://www.linkedin.com/company/9186098/admin/feed/posts/The McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship proudly stands as a global leader in entrepreneurship, committed to catalysing sustainable socio-economic impact both locally and globally. Our steadfast dedication to nurturing purpose-driven, innovative companies propels us forward, ensuring our adaptability and responsiveness to the dynamic landscape of innovation across various industries, entrepreneurial education, and international fundraising trends. Integral to the Dobson Centre's achievements is our extensive network of partners, whose close collaboration amplifies our efforts and enriches resources for start-ups. Teaming up with campus-wide initiatives in research and development as well as collaborating with private and public entities such as venture capital firms and government bodies, empower us to harness brilliant McGill innovations, fund and refine prototypes, test them in real-world markets, and showcase exceptional companies on global stages. Our specialized partnerships with key innovation institutions around the world for each of health and climate technologies exemplify our commitment to addressing pressing global issues. With unwavering commitment and a profound dedication to global betterment, this year marks a significant milestone as we systematically evaluate our contributions to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This reflection strengthens our resolve to advance and adapt, ensuring that our start-ups not only address the SDGs but also generate a lasting positive influence. By championing changemakers and innovators who bring positivity through practical, meaningful initiatives, the Dobson Centre actively contributes to global betterment and directly advances the 17 UN SDGs, convinced that entrepreneurship can become a lever for a sustainable brighter tomorrow.
CATEGORY WINNER
Americas Most Impactful Initiative of the Year Award
Building a legacy of sustainable socio-economic impact
CATEGORY WINNER Americas Most Impactful Initiative of the Year Award
McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship - Canada
"Powering sustainable socio-economic development: from ideation to global betterment"
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Summary
Key People
Marie-Josée Lamothe
Academic & Executive Director
McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship,
McGill University
Kika Armata
Associate Director
McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship,
McGill University
Marianne Khalil
Senior Manager
McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship,
McGill University
Zehra Khoja
Program Manager Tech & Social Initiatives
McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship,
McGill University
Malia Morsly
Program Manager Health Sciences
McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship,
McGill University
Konstantina Ntokorou
Program Manager Sustainability
McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship,
McGill University
Layla Samorano
Administrative Associate
McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship,
McGill University
Acknowledgements
Promoting innovation in entrepreneurship is an endeavor that is only as strong as the ecosystem that comes together to support changemakers in their journey.
We are grateful for all our supportive private family offices in addition to the John Dobson Foundation, National Bank, the Weston Family Foundation, the Québec Ministry of Economy and Innovation, Investissement Québec, and the Government of Canada Trade Commissioner Service.
Our campus partners are invaluable allies in the prototyping and development of cutting-edge innovation. In addition to McGill’s 11 faculties, 13 schools, and 35 research centres, we want to acknowledge McGill Sustainability, the Mastercard Foundation, the Clinical Innovation Competition, Healthy Brains Healthy Lives, McGill Engine, the Innovation Fund, and Building 21.
Our international specialized partners are invaluable in our efforts to export McGill innovation. Thank you to the McGill University Health Centres (Montreal), the Mass General & Brigham Harvard incubator (Boston), the Digital Medical Hub at l’Hôtel-Dieu (Paris), Aqua-Action (North America), and Mitacs (International).
Images
Impact Story - AbleFly
Dobson Venture - Carbicrete
Dobson Team
Sustainability Startup - Ecova
Sustainability Startup - Interius Farms
International Fundraising - NYC
Health Startup - Stenoa
Dobson Venture - TRAQC
IMPACT STORY
Impacting lifes
With unwavering conviction that diversity fuels entrepreneurial impact and drives sustainable development, AbleFly from Gualtieri Inventions exemplifies our mission.
AbleFly enhances air travel for millions with mobility limitations, addressing significant obstacles they face. It empowers air passengers with mobility disabilities to fly comfortably, safely, and independently, being the first and only product of its kind for adult passengers.
Sandra Gualtieri, co-founder of AbleFly, personally lives with mobility challenges, understanding the difficulties of independent travel. She joined our centre in 2022 to build a social enterprise aimed at improving air travel accessibility for people with disabilities, directly addressing UN SDG #11. Winner of our Dobson Cup in the social track and a graduate of our X-1 Accelerator, Sandra states, "The Dobson Centre has been instrumental in the creation of AbleFly. From connecting me with mentors and experts I am still in contact with, to learning how to pitch, the continuous support of the Centre is essential for AbleFly and its mission to reduce inequalities in transportation."
Ranked among the top 5 university business incubators globally (UBI 2023) and top 5 model university accelerators/incubators (USASBE 2024), the Dobson Centre has supported thousands of ventures since its establishment. Over 470 start-ups supported by Dobson are still active, having raised CA$ 3.7 billion in seed funding, creating over 10,000 jobs, and holding 109 active patents. Operating in 38 countries, since 2019, 50% of our start-ups have been co-founded by women. For more on our impact, please explore our 2023 impact report.
LEARNINGS
Lessons learned
In the past year, the McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship has multiplied its offerings to provide 14 learning pathways spanning ideation to international fundraising and customized to different industries. Across the programs, the emphasis is on practical experiential learning and acquiring tangible tools drawing on a network of mentors from diverse backgrounds and geographies with 15+ years of experience.
The comprehensive practice-focused methodology stems from the Dobson’s three core principles:
1) Sustaining entrepreneurial innovation during its pivotal seed fundraising phase: the International Fundraising tour is designed to help Dobson start-ups raise capital for their businesses while exploring international markets and partnerships. In the past year alone, the tour connected over 25 ventures to a global ecosystem of investors, business experts, and government trade partners across 9 cities in North America and Europe.
2) Providing increased support to ventures in health and sustainability: our mission is to support building innovative companies with a purpose across industries while addressing all 17 UN SDGs. We have developed hands-on personalized programs tailored for aspiring change-makers in those sectors to bring disruptive innovations to markets for lasting positive change.
3) Cultivating global partnerships to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem that is inclusive, diverse, and purposeful: we are proud to collaborate with AquaAction to extend our support to innovators addressing urgent environmental challenges in North America. In health, active collaborations with MESH, the innovation incubator at Mass General Brigham & Harvard, and the Digital Medical Hub at l’Hôtel-Dieu de Paris foster global collaborative environments for entrepreneurial innovation.
FUTURE PLANS
What's coming?
Before the Dobson Centre's restructuring in 2019, McGill's remarkable innovation remained untapped due to insufficient funding and limited business networking opportunities. Brilliant ideas from McGill students and professors often stayed at the conceptual stage. To nurture McGill's creativity and innovation, the Dobson Centre team, led by academic and executive director Marie-Josée Lamothe, renewed its expertise to facilitate the commercialization of these ideas and help them realize their full potential.
Central to the Dobson’s success is its extensive network of partners who amplify our efforts and bolster resources for start-ups. Collaborations with private and public entities, including venture capital firms and the provincial government, have proven extremely fruitful. Dobson Centre entrepreneurs now frequently join Québec delegations traveling globally to meet potential investors and showcase McGill innovation. Meaningful partnerships are the linchpin of our scalable, enduring model, crucial for achieving shared success. From 1988 to 2019, Dobson Centre start-ups raised $400M; four years later, that number has surged to $3.7B.
Every innovation we support must serve a purpose. We focus on ideas from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and sustainability streams because we believe they contribute to global betterment and align with the 17 UN SDGs. Guided by a clear long-term vision, our centre evolves continuously, addressing changes in the innovation landscape, entrepreneurial education, and international fundraising trends to sustain our impact.
Promoting innovation in entrepreneurship relies on a strong ecosystem. We aim to multiply collaborations globally to become a hub for changemakers and innovators who bring positive, practical impact.
