Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec partners with École d’entrepreneurship de Beauce

The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and the École d’entrepreneurship de Beauce (EEB) are proud to announce they have reached a partnership agreement to launch the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec scholarshipsand fund an audiovisual technology lab. The Caisse will contribute a total of $60,000.

“The École d’Entrepreneurship’s objective is to encourage innovation and support promising companies that will be Québec’s long-term economic drivers,” said Michael Sabia, President and CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. “It therefore makes sense for the Caisse to get involved, as part of its strategy of supporting Québec businesses.”

Two scholarships of $12,500 each, equal to half the cost of a year of training, will be awarded to students in the first cohort in September 2010.

One of the scholarships will be presented to a candidate in a remote region of the Beauce. “Created through the legendary initiative and energy of the people of the Beauce, the EEB is a school intended for all Québec entrepreneurs,” said Mr. Sabia. “It is unique because it is a school where the trainers are themselves experienced entrepreneurs. The goal is to provide access to high-quality teaching and enable candidates from all over Québec to improve their knowledge and validate their skills.”

The other scholarship will be awarded to a candidate who starts up a new company. “We strongly believe in succession in all its forms, since that is where the innovation of the future lies,” added Mr. Sabia. “These new entrepreneurs, who have a plan they want to carry out, will benefit greatly from the training they receive and, above all, from the EEB’s support.”

This partnership will also enable the EEB to fund an audiovisual technology lab where entrepreneurs will be able to develop their talent as communicators.

Marc Dutil, Chairman of the EEB’s board, is delighted with this partnership. “This convergence of the Beauce’s spirit of entrepreneurship and the Caisse’s desire to participate in the entrepreneurs’ success will accelerate the creation of wealth in many regions of Québec,” he said.

ABOUT THE ÉCOLE D’ENTREPRENEURSHIP DE BEAUCE

The École d’Entrepreneurship de Beauce (EEB) is the only school in Québec dedicated to training entrepreneurs in all sectors, drawing on the expertise of high-level business leaders. In addition to obtaining significant support from many Beauce entrepreneurs, it has major partnerships with two Québec institutions, the National Bank of Canada and Desjardins. Located in the Beauce region, a hub of entrepreneurial culture in Québec, the EEB aims to develop Québec’s entrepreneurial elite. For more information about the EEB (challenges presented to participants, registration details, selection criteria, candidate referral process, etc.), consult the EEB’s website at www.eebeauce.com.

ABOUT THE CAISSE DE DÉPÔT ET PLACEMENT DU QUÉBEC

The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is a financial institution that manages funds primarily for public and private pension and insurance plans. At December 31, 2009, it held $131.6 billion of net assets. As one of the leading institutional fund managers in Canada, the Caisse invests in the main financial markets as well as in private equity and real estate.
For more information: www.cdpq.com.