One week ago, a survey was posted on MTW, with the goal of assessing the state of Montreal technology landscape. The survey was setup to find first the strengths, second the problems and finally, the opportunities for Montréal as a technology and entrepreneurship center.
As a few noted, it’s not a scientific survey, with sometimes a few opinionated or incomplete choices. A more methodical survey is possible, but it would have required weeks of planning, analysis and then lengthy execution. I prefer quick results, and then refining and correcting from there. It’s a more spontaneous approach, and as seen from the feedback, most liked it.
Before presenting the results, I would like to thank each one of you who contributed on promoting the survey. More than 50 people posted the survey on Twitter, links were shared on Facebook, and I also saw it on emails. It’s with the help of your unique networks that we can get the word known and get the voice of Montréal out there. I’m thinking now that we could use something similar to help promote new projects launched by local Montréalers and help each other.
Now, the results.
Strengths of Montréal as a tech entrepreneurship center.
For those who forgot it, it’s the ranked results for the first question of the survey. Choices listed on top are the best strengths as seen by the 110 people who took the time to answer the survey.
1 – Montréal’s diversity, creativity, and coolness. Score: 3.4/4 I posted the link on a previous post, but you all know Montréal is a hotbed of innovation. Its music and arts scene, its multicultural diversity, its global success such as the Cirque du Soleil, its openness makes it an ideal place for innovation and creativity. All major video game companies have now recognized its potential and have all developers teams here.
2 – Low costs plus tax credits. Score: 3.2/4 Most people who’ve been to major US and European cities are surprised how cheap Montréal. You don’t have to dedicated half of your pay to live right in downtown Montréal. For companies, salaries are low, both for skilled and unskilled workers, and there are diverse tax credits for innovative technology companies, allowing them to go past the dreaded 1st year launch. This is a crucial element for developers and entrepreneurs wanting to dedicate a few months on a technology projects, without worrying too much about rent
3 – Friendly Community with regular events, making it possible to talk. Score: 3.1/4 We’ve come far from the early days of 2005 and 2006. Ben Yoskovitz started it with the Montréal tech entrepreneur breakfast, then we had all of a sudden democamps, barcamps, startupdrinks, montreal.rb, mtlnewtech, etc. Thanks to all the past and current event organizers @sfllaw, @fredngo, @sylvaincarle, @marclaporte, @ylarrivee, yannick gingras, @arach, @heri, @quebecvalley, @jeremyclarke, @bolidea, @twtfelipe, @ptelio, @rayluk, @robin_ahn, @jefftala, @startupifier, @uxmtl and I am surely missing many others.
4 – Its universities and higher education system. Score: 3.0/4 MontrealInternational states it better than me:
Montréal’s universities are focal points for research, discovery and innovation activities. With its international calibre of researchers, its 11 universities − four of which are major universities and seven are affiliated schools − and its partnerships with governments and the private sector, Greater Montréal is a leader in innovation. Moreover, the Montréal region is Canada’s university capital, as it ranks first place for the number of university diplomas awarded at the ubdergraduate and graduate levels. In 2007, more than 170,000 students were enrolled in universities in Greater Montréal, of whom nearly 42,000 students graduated, with more than 6,500 graduates in the high technology sectors. In the future, innovative companies will be able to count on a large pool of university graduates to meet their needs for a qualified workforce.
5 – The city is a bridge between North America and Europe, and attracts new talents. Score: 3.0/4 Quebec is unique in North America, due its French roots. Montréal is the 2nd French-speaking metropolis in the world, is located in North America, in one of the continent’s densest region, the St-Laurent valley, and as such, has attracted for dozens of years immigrants, from Quebec of course, Europe, Latin America and Asia, but especially is dear for all french-speaking countries in the world. It’s the equivalent of NYC or San Francisco from all West Africans, Belgians or Swiss. Paris is the de-facto capital of course, but it has heavy and historical structures and traditions weighing on innovation. Most youths and entrepreneurising individuals thus prefer to settle in Montréal, french but definitevely rooted in North America.
6 – Support from the Government, such as the launch of the Teralys fund. Score: 2.6/4 Support from the québec government is more visible than in any other province. Read previous article with Jacques Bernier
7 – No Facebook or Google Headquarters who would capture top talent. Score: 2.3/4 Compared to the Valley or Seattle, there is no huge technology company who would draft all the top developers. Any startup with a decent team can hope working with bright developers, designers and marketers without worrying (too much) about other companies snatching them up in a few weeks.
8 – Dynamism of investors and VCs. Score: 2.2/4 VCs like Chris Arsenault, or investors like @msu are going to local events, talking to entrepreneurs and even doing more than their roles by launching local initiatives such as the Notman House. But most importantly, they believe in local companies, announcing regularly new funding rounds.
What can we get from these results? If there is any marketing planned for Montréal, then we’ve need to highight first #1, which is Montréal’s innovation, creativity, diversity and openness. That makes a difference when settlers choose the city over other Canadian, American or European cities. I’ve mentioned it in a previous post, but it might be worthwile to talk about the music, design, fashion, or video games creative forces in Montréal, even on technology blog like MTW, because after all, that’s why most people are attracted to the city.
Also, #2 and #3 are obvious too, and even easier to demonstrate than #1 .
More results are coming in the next days. There are very interesting results about Montréal’s problem and opportunities. Stay tuned, folks!
Sébastien was very open and didn’t hold out details that others might keep private, such as his discussions with VCs, the problems they faced in product development, the ups and downs at Praized, and also the excitement of building a product.
Here, the focus is about learning and everyone is welcomed to ask questions about the “entrepreneur process”.
With the invaluable of our friends at 
