THE COOPERATHON JOURNEY – RULES
The 2023-24 edition of the Cooperathon offers participants two different journeys depending on the level of development of their entrepreneurial project:
Alpha Team Journey: aspiring entrepreneurs (individuals or teams) with or without an initial idea before registration and, at most, a conceptual prototype.
Beta Journey: startups in development formed with at least 2 co-founders, and having a functional prototype or in the process of becoming functional.
=> These regulations apply only to
to participants of the ALPHA Team Journey (hereinafter “the program”) <=
DURATION OF THE COOPERATHON
The Coopérathon Alpha (hereinafter the “program”) is powered by the Mouvement des caisses Desjardins (hereinafter “Desjardins”) and Montréal NewTech (hereinafter “MNT”) and is being held from November 6, 2023 12:01 a.m. (EDT) until July 13, 2024 11:59 p.m. (EDT) in Canada (hereinafter “the Cooperathon period”).
● From November 6, 2023 to May 3, 2024: Participants register for Coopérathon
● From December 7, 2023 to May 3, 2024: Team training
● May 3, 2024: Deadline for participant registrations and team creation for the Alpha Team Journey in Global
● From May 4, 2024 to May 26, 2024: 1st part of the training and prototype program;
● May 27, 2024 – 5:00PM EDT: Deadline for submitting the application file to be selected for the Alpha+ journey;
● May 30, 6:00PM: Announcement of the teams selected for the Alpha+ journey
● From June 3 to June 18, 2024: 2nd part of the training program: Alpha+ journey
● June 20, 2024: pitch for the Coopérathon Grand Prize categories
● Between July 10 and 13: announcement of the winners of the Coopérathon
ELIGIBITY
The Coopérathon is open to all people meeting the following criteria:
● Residents of Canada aged 18 and over at the time of registration.
● You are an aspiring ALPHA entrepreneur with or without an idea, in pre-startup and without a functional prototype when registering for the Coopérathon;
The following people are not eligible as participants: The executives of Desjardins, the members of the jury and the people with whom they are domiciled, the mentors and the people with whom they are domiciled, and the members of the Innovation and Emerging Business Opportunities Department of Desjardins and the people with whom they are domiciled.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
To participate, eligible participants must:
1. Join the Coopérathon website (http://cooperathon.ca/) and click on the registration button according to the Alpha route;
2. Create your user profile and join the section reserved for the competition on the Coopérathon collaboration platform, a platform called ‘Global’ (https://cooperathon.global/);
3. Certify that you have read the Coopérathon 2023-24 Regulations.
The previous steps allow participation in the Coopérathon Training and Mentoring Program. During this period the teams will advance their business idea and their entrepreneurial project.
It is not mandatory to be part of a team at the time of registration for Alpha participants. On the other hand, you will have to form or join a team to work on an idea or a project, throughout the training and mentoring program.
To participate in the competition phase of the Alpha Team Journey:
1. The team must submit the prototype of its idea or project. The file includes a description of the problem, the solution, the team, the expected impact and a video of 3 minutes maximum presenting the prototype (conceptual or functional).
2. The team must be composed of a minimum of 2 members and a maximum of 7 members.
PROCEDURE
1. Registrations will be open from November 6, 2023 on the website https://cooperathon.ca/. Each person registered for the Coopérathon will have to create their user profile on the Coopérathon collaboration platform, a platform called ‘Global’. The registration period will end on May 3, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) for Alpha Team Journey participants.
2. The teams must work on a problem of their choice which fits into the theme of the 2023-24 Coopérathon: POPULATION – PLANET – PROSPERITY. Their work can fall within a sector of activity (e.g. Healthech, Agtech, Fintech, Climatech, etc.) chosen by the open innovation partners. If this is the case, the teams will be eligible for the prize awarded by the said open innovation partner. When submitting the application file, the team will choose the sector(s) of activity in which its project falls. It is the team’s responsibility to ensure they meet all challenge eligibility criteria.
3. From May 4, 2024 to May 26, 2024, this is the first part of the Alpha Team Journey.
Individuals and teams without or with an idea and, at most, a conceptual prototype work on a problem and propose a solution in the form of a prototype using data science and/or Artificial Intelligence. Highly recommended workshops will be offered throughout the duration of the Coopérathon training program to support them in developing their idea or project and preparing the prototype of their solution which will be presented in the application file. These teams will have access to subject experts during this first part of the journey.
4. The deadline for submitting an application to present its prototype is May 27, 2024 before 5:00 p.m. (ET): a jury made up of members from the innovation partner will analyze the application files submitted and corresponding to the sector of activity for which it wants receive projects. He will select the best Alpha teams (1st, 2nd and 3rd place). These winning projects (1st place) will be awarded a cash prize of up to $5,000. At the discretion of the Open Innovation Partner, a cash prize, also at the discretion of the Partner, may be awarded to the team finishing in second place. The 1st and 2nd place are selected to participate in the Alpha+ journey.
The Desjardins and MNT team reserves the possibility of identifying up to 3 additional teams with strong potential for impact and growth to enter the Alpha+ journey and pitch to the Grands Prix du Coopérathon jury.
Submission of the application file will be done online and available from May 25, 2024 11.59AM EDT via a form and includes:
1. A written description:
1. of the problem,
2. of the solution (value proposition)
3. of the team
4. of the impact
5. of the prototype.
2. A video that shows the developed prototype. This video must have a maximum duration of 3 minutes.
2. The Alpha+ journey begins on June 3, 2024 and ends on June 18, 2024. Only teams finishing in 1st and 2nd place by each innovation partner are accepted. The Coopérathon team, as mentioned in the previous point, reserves the right to select 3 additional teams in the Alpha+ journey: these may be teams which have developed a solution in a sector of activity which has not been selected by innovation partners or not retained by an innovation partner.
3. The pitch competition will take place on June 20: all teams from the Alpha+ journey are invited to pitch in front of a jury (made up of members from innovation ecosystems and experts in Canada or executive executives from different partners) during the Coopérathon Grands Prix Competition on the 20th June 2024.
4. The Evaluation Grid which will be used to evaluate the projects during the competition phase will be published on the ‘Global’ platform from May 4, 2024.
GRANDS PRIX COOPÉRATHON : PITCH & ANNONCE
5. On June 20, 2024 in the afternoon, all teams in the Alpha+ journey for the Coopérathon Awards must be available (in whole or in part), in virtual mode, to present their project over a total period of 14 minutes including 1 minute to connect on the video-conference link, 3 minutes to pitch their project live and 10 minutes of questions from the judges and answers to their questions.
6. The members of the jury for the Grands Prix du Coopérathon are recognized experts in the Quebec and Canadian startup ecosystem and within open innovation partners. Their selection is the responsibility of the Coopérathon organizing team (Desjardins and MNT).
7. The selection of the winners of the Grand Prix du Coopérathon by the juries will be based on the presentation, the question period and the application file submitted for the competition.
8. A common evaluation grid, for all projects, will be used by the juries to score each team and will be available no later than June 3, 2024 on the website www.cooperathon.ca.
9. The winning teams (designated by the open innovation and Grand Prix du Coopérathon partner) will be revealed during a special event in the week of July 8, 2024.
10. For Alpha Team Journey winners, the prize money for each Open Innovation challenge will be given directly to the winning team, by Desjardins or its partners. Payment of the scholarship must be made within 30 working days, after receipt of the bank details of all people on the prize winning team. The amount of each prize will be distributed equally among the members of the winning team, as indicated in the list of team members registered when submitting the application.
11. The cash amount for the Coopérathon Grand Prizes will be awarded by Desjardins (or a designated partner) to the winning teams, within 30 business days, after receipt of the bank details of all the people on the prize winning team. The amount of each prize will be distributed equally among the members of the winning team, as indicated in the list of team members.
12. Each member of the winning teams of the Grand Prix du Coopérathon undertakes to sign a declaration and waiver of liability form prior to obtaining the prize.
COOPERATHON PRIZE 2023-24
Prizes awarded by open innovation partners
Each open innovation partner offers, as part of the Alpha Team Journey, a prize for the team it designates as the winner (maximum value of $5,000).
The Coopérathon Grand Prizes
● The Coopérathon Grand Prize for best Alpha team (value of $10,000)
● The team commitment prize (value $2,500) recognizes the team that was most involved in the Coopérathon process, particularly by participating in training activities.
A team can win more than one of these prizes.
All prices are displayed on the Coopérathon website (https://cooperathon.ca).
Several prizes may be added, as new open innovation challenges are added and the organizing team reserves the right to add Coopérathon prizes, additional strategic & community partner prizes, before the start date of the Cooperathon, May 4, 2024. All eligible participants will be notified of the prizes that will be added and the conditions associated with the awarding of these prizes.
ASSESSMENT
The evaluation criteria for the Alpha Team Journey will be communicated to participants after their registration for the competition. The project evaluation criteria will be available on May 4, 2024, the start of the training program. These criteria will be used by the judges to evaluate:
● The Alpha Team Journey: evaluation of the prototypes presented
● The competition for the Coopérathon Grand Prizes: projects during the Coopérathon competition.
Special prizes awarded by strategic & community partners may use additional criteria to choose their prize winning team. Additional criteria will be communicated publicly to eligible participants.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. In order to be declared a winner for a Coopérathon Grand Prize, the selected winning team must meet the following conditions:
a. Confirm that he/she meets the eligibility conditions and other requirements of these regulations; And
b. Be present (virtual) during the pitch on June 20, 2024. Failing to respect one of the conditions mentioned above or any other condition mentioned in these regulations, the selected team will be disqualified and at the discretion of the organizers, the prize will be canceled or this prize will be awarded to another team in accordance with these participation rules. The same conditions will then remain applicable, making the necessary adaptations, if necessary.
2. In order to be declared a winner for an open innovation prize (challenge) (Alpha Team Journey), the selected winning team must meet the following conditions:
a. Confirm that he/she meets the eligibility conditions and other requirements of these Coopérathon regulations;
b. Be selected by the Open Innovation partner as the winning team;
c. Be present during the awards ceremony; And
d. Failing to comply with one of the conditions mentioned above or any other condition mentioned in these regulations, the selected team will be disqualified and at the discretion of the organizers, the prize will be canceled or the prize will be awarded to another team in accordance with the these participation rules. The same conditions will then remain applicable, making the necessary adaptations, if necessary.
3. Award ceremony. In the event of refusal to receive the prize by the selected participant, Desjardins and its partners will be released from any obligation relating to the awarding of this prize and may proceed, at their discretion, to the cancellation of this prize or to a new allocation of the prize. in the manner described in paragraph (1) of the General Conditions. The prize will be awarded to the team, according to a mechanism defined between the winners and the Coopérathon organization.
4. Verifications. All registrations and Declaration Forms may be subject to verification by Desjardins. Those which are, as the case may be, incomplete, inaccurate, illegible, mechanically reproduced, mutilated, fraudulent, filed or transmitted late, containing an invalid telephone number or otherwise non-compliant, may be rejected and will not entitle you to the prize.
5. Disqualification. Any person participating in the Coopérathon or attempting to participate by a means contrary to these regulations and likely to be unfair to other participants (example: computer hacking, non-declaration of prior intellectual property) will be automatically disqualified and could be referred to the competent judicial authorities. Likewise, projects that have not respected the pre-incubation (prototyping) statuses for the Alpha teams.
6. Intellectual property. Participants accept that the intellectual property of the prototype and the presentation of solutions during the Coopérathon belongs to the entire team. It is the responsibility of the teams to plan how to distribute this intellectual property, and to ensure its confidentiality, if necessary. If the team uses pre-existing and/or third-party intellectual property, the team must ensure that it has obtained all necessary rights before using it as part of the Coopérathon. Participants who are employees of an organization wishing to use intellectual property elements resulting from their work must first check with their employer that their participation and use of these elements are authorized.
7. Program progress. Any attempt to sabotage the legitimate operation of the Program may constitute a violation of civil and criminal laws. If such attempts are made, Desjardins reserves the right to reject the participant’s registrations and obtain redress under the law.
8. Acceptance of prices. The prizes must be accepted as described on the Coopérathon website and cannot under any circumstances be transferred in whole or in part to another team, replaced by another prize or exchanged for money, provided that could decide, at its sole discretion, the organizers.
9. Survey. Finalist and/or winning participants agree to participate in surveys and interviews in order to inform Desjardins on the progress of their project.
10. Be an ambassador for the Coopérathon program: the winners of the Coopérathon and alumni in general undertake to:
1. Promote and convey a positive image of the Coopérathon and Desjardins, in accordance with all directives provided by the Coopérathon manager;
2. Obtain the consent of Desjardins and MNT before making any announcement or statement regarding your participation in the Coopérathon (including whether you • promote and convey a positive image of the Coopérathon, Desjardins and MNT, in accordance with all instructions provided by the manager Cooperathon;
3. Agree to obtain consent from Desjardins and MNT before making any announcement or statement regarding your participation in the Coopérathon (including on your website or in your marketing materials) and agree to remove or modify any such announcement or statement , including requests for changes regarding the use of the Desjardins or MNT trademarks on the Web or in your marketing materials) and agree to remove or modify any such announcement or statement, including requests for modification concerning the use of Desjardins trademarks;
4. Place the Coopérathon logo on their website (with the consent of Desjardins) with a hyperlink to the page www.cooperathon.ca at least for 12 months from the day their prize is awarded.
5. Communicate (with the consent of Desjardins and MNT) within 6 months following the end of the Coopérathon at least once in their social media a positive post about their experience and their prize won (if applicable)
11. Limits of liability:
a. Awarding of the prize. If Desjardins and MNT cannot award the prize as described on the Coopérathon website (www.cooperathon.ca), they reserve the right to award a prize of the same nature and equivalent value or, in its entirety discretion, the value of the prize indicated in these regulations.
b. Use of price. The winner releases Desjardins and MNT from any liability for damages that may result from his or her participation in the competition, acceptance and use of the prize. The winner acknowledges that upon receipt of the prize or the letter confirming the prize, the execution of the obligations linked to the prize becomes the full and exclusive responsibility of the various suppliers of products and services. The winner agrees to sign a declaration and waiver of liability form to this effect. The winner of a prize acknowledges that the only warranty applicable to the prize is the supplier’s usual warranty.
c. Situation out of control. Desjardins and MNT will not assume any liability of any nature whatsoever in any case where its inability to act results from a fact or situation beyond its control, or from a strike, a lockout. out or any other labor conflict in the establishments of the organizations or companies whose services are used to carry out this program.
d. Participation in the Coopérathon. Desjardins and MNT will not be responsible for lost entries, any failure, for whatever reason, of the website during the duration of this program, including any damage caused to a user’s computer or mobile device. participant.
e. Participation in the Coopérathon. By participating or attempting to participate in the Coopérathon, each person releases Desjardins and MNT from any liability and any damage that they may suffer due to their participation or attempted participation in the program.
f. Other participants. Desjardins and MNT will not assume any liability of any kind in connection with the behavior of other participants in the Coopérathon.
12. Modification of the program. Desjardins and MNT reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend, in whole or in part, this program in the event that an event or human intervention occurs that could alter or influence the administration, security, impartiality or progress of the program as provided for in these regulations; no responsibility can be attributed to him.
13. End of participation in the program. In the event that, for whatever reason, participation in the Coopérathon should end, in whole or in part, before the end date provided for in these regulations, the allocation may be made, at the discretion of Desjardins and MNT, among the registrations duly registered and received up to the date of the event which ended participation in the competition.
14. By registering, any participant authorizes Desjardins and MNT to use, if necessary, their names, photographs, images, voices, information on their place of residence, as well as their declarations relating to the prize, if part of a winning team, for advertising purposes, without any form of remuneration.
15. If any paragraph of these rules is declared or found to be illegal, unenforceable or void by a court of competent jurisdiction, then that paragraph will be deemed void, but all other paragraphs which are not affected will be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.
16. These regulations are available on the website https://cooperathon.ca and on the Coopérathon collaboration platform, a platform called ‘Global’ (https://cooperathon.global/);
17. In the event of a discrepancy between the French version and the English version of the regulations, the French version will prevail.
18. The Coopérathon is subject to all applicable laws.
19. Personal information. The personal information collected about participants will be used in accordance with the personal information protection policy found at https://www.desjardins.com/confidentialite/politique-gestion-protection-renseignements-personnels/index.jsp.
20. Decisions. Any person who participates in the Coopérathon agrees to comply with these regulations and the final and final decisions of the organizers who administer the Coopérathon.