Entrepreneurship and Innovation Contest: six winning firms originated at HEC Montréal

December 8, 2011

This year, 6 of the 11 winning firms in the annual competition run by the Centre d’entrepreneurship HEC-Poly-UdeM were founded by students or recent graduates of HEC Montréal. These firms that originated at the School took home $43,000 in cash prizes and services at the award ceremony in early December.

The six winning firms are:

Zayat Aroma, a company specializing in olfactory marketing, scenting products and massage and spa products. Founded by Eloï Abraham Zayat, an MSc student (International Business option), the firm walked away with a total of $15,000 in prizes offered by Gestion Univalor ($5,000), Jean-Pierre Chartrand/Novacap/Réseau capital ($8,500) and an anonymous donor ($1,500). It also received $2,500 in services from RSM Richter Chamberland.

La Bourgeoisie Sérigraphe, a company founded by Iris Sautier, a student in the Specialized Graduate Diploma in Marketing Communication program, offers specialized educational workshops on silk-screening techniques. The company received the $8,500 Jean-Pierre Chartrand/Novacap/Réseau capital prize as well as a prize worth $1,500 in services from the Boivin Desbiens Senécal Chalifour, s.e.n.c. legal firm.

Founded by Benjamin Gaucher, MSc student (International Business option) and Saouré Kouamé, MSc graduate and PhD student, Risk Management Certification (RMC) offers training in risk management with certification. The two received three prizes totalling $5,500 from Jean-Pierre Chartrand/Novacap/Réseau capital ($3,000), HEC Montréal ($2,000) and Vector7 ($500).

SODECO Construction, a socially responsible high-end construction firm, won a $4,500 prize from the Fondation M-F et M. Beauchamp. The company was founded by Zahi Chihane, MBA (2010).

Made in Blog is a marketing communication firm specializing in disseminating blog content on different brands. Its founder, Aurélie Sauthier, BBA (2008), is now working on her MSc (Marketing option). She received a $3,000 prize from HEC Montréal and a “favourite” award of $500 from ApSTAT Technologies, one of the winning companies from 2002.

Lastly, Philip Bénard, a Bachelor's in Business Administration and Specialized Graduate Diploma in Public Accounting student, received a $2,500 prize from the Centre d’entrepreneurship for Electrobac, an e-waste recovery system for the general public. His firm was singled out by HINT innovation, itself a winner in this competition in 2006, for a $500 prize.