20 June 2016

Once again, Sherbrooke’s entrepreneurship has shone at the Défi OSEntreprendre’s finals. SPI Biosensing won two awards, and Rigolo, an amusement and development centre, won second place.

Specializing in designing instruments to analyze pathogenic bacteria in air conditioning fluids, SPI Biosensing won second place and $5000, in the Technological and Technical Innovation category.

The business, founded by Étienne Lemieux and Dominic Carrier, also won an award for being Jury’s Favourite for Ingenuity, which came with another prize of $5000.

Sophia Gouchi, coordinator, Innovation and Strategy Direction, Loto-Québec,
Étienne Lemieux and Dominic Carrier, SPI Biosensing

The equipment developed by this young business is intended to prevent contamination in the health care network, the industry, and office buildings.

Rigolo and its developer Joanie Venne won second place and a $5000 prize in the Services to Individuals category. The centre for children ages 13 and under, which opened in December 2015, combines fun and learning, offering entertainment, cognitive and physical stimulation, and rehabilitation services.

Caroline St-Jacques, General Director, Relations avec la communauté d’affaires Capitale-Nationale Relations with the Business Community, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Joanie Venne, Le Rigolo

Two other Sherbrooke businesses were nominated for the 18th provincial final in the Business Creation division. They were Protekna technical services, and the vegetable farm Ölistik.

Among the five other Estrie businesses in the running at the gala, the Coopérative de solidarité Destination Saint-Camille won second place in the Social Economy category.

Desjardins’s OSEntreprendre Gala, formerly known as the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest, awarded 33 provincial prizes in the Business Creation and Student Entrepreneurship divisions, for a total value of almost $200 000. For the 18th edition, 36 200 students and entrepreneurs took part in the 2015-2016 Challenge.

Videos – Discover the winners and finalists (in French) :
SPI Biosensing  https://vimeo.com/168874192
Protekna services techniques  https://vimeo.com/168861696
Ölistik – Ferme Maraîchère  https://vimeo.com/168342380
Le Rigolo centre d’amusement et de développement  https://vimeo.com/168843722