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In partnership with

This initiative was made possible thanks to the Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation.

PERCER | Parcours d’Excellence pour le Renforcement des Compétences en Entrepreneuriat et Réussite

This unique bilingual program enables participants to develop entrepreneurial, strategic, and management skills tailored to research promotion and the commercialization of innovative products.

Take advantage of 20 days of training over 10 months

Learning Objectives

  • Identify innovative, marketable solutions with market potential in the health and life sciences sector;
  • Develop a strategy for knowledge transfer, from early financing to commercialization;
  • Prepare promising projects for the subsequent start-up and incubation phases of businesses.

Who is this training for?

PERCER is aimed at a diverse audience within the life science and health technology (LSHT) sector

  • Graduate students;
  • Postdoctoral fellows;
  • University researchers;
  • Early-career entrepreneurs;
  • Managers and professionals in related sectors (pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, insurance, financing, etc.).

PERCER is intended for individuals who wish to launch a business, collaborate with existing companies, or to further develop their professional skills within the ecosystem of commercializing discoveries in life sciences and technologies.

The target cohort size is 12 to 20 people per year, for a maximum of 24.

Types of projects covered

Projects may fall within one or more of the following areas

  • Products (medicines, formulations);
  • Medical technologies (devices, platforms, diagnostic kits);
  • Digital health technologies (data collection, processing, and communication);
  • Specialized services or innovative business models in healthcare.

Training format


  • Interactive lectures and workshops led by experts from the business and research communities;
  • Real-life case studies and panel discussions with industry leaders and investors;
  • Bilingual supervision (French and English) promoting inclusiveness and the use of French as a business language;
  • Experiential team learning on real startup projects, followed by an individual end-of-course project;
  • A final presentation ("pitch") to a jury of industry and research valuation experts.

 

A collaborative initiative

A collaborative initiative rooted in the innovation ecosystem

PERCER, now offered at Université de Montréal in partnership with Millenium Quebecor and made possible by a donation from the Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation, builds directly on the experience and legacy of the PDESV (Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Development Program), which we previously offered in partnership with Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business.

Since 2018, more than 140 participants have been certified through these initiatives, with a significant pre- to post-training shift: the proportion employed in the private sector increased from 25% to 60%, while the
proportion who became founders or co-founders of their own company increased from 9% to 22%.

Developed and delivered by the same core training team, PERCER carries forward the experiential
entrepreneurship training approach while adding new elective opportunities

• Personalized support from an expert coach in the field most relevant to each project leader;
• Access to specialized market assessment expertise for promising projects ;
• Privileged access to BIOHorizon, Quebec’s flagship networking and business development event in LSHT.

The program benefits from close collaboration with experts from HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal, and
Concordia University, allowing for the exchange of perspectives on management, innovation, and technology transfer. More than half of the instructors come from the business community and the field of translational research funding. This approach provides privileged access to a vast network of professionals, ranging from investors to leaders of innovative companies, and promotes the development of a solid network of contacts within the LSHT ecosystem. All participants sign a confidentiality agreement covering information disclosed

Registration Fees

Registration period: October 15 to December 15, 2026.
Program registration fee: CAD $ 5,000 (taxes included).

 

PERCER 2027 Training Calendar

Module 1 | January 18 - 19, 2027

  • Overview of the Drug R&D and Health Technology Ecosystem
  • Case Studies and Discussions with a Panel of Experts
  • Presentation of the Business Model Canvas (BMC)

Module 2 | February 1 - 2, 2027

  • Design thinking and Unmet Needs
  • Critical Analysis of Opportunities and Differentiation of the Value Proposition
  • BMC and Stakeholder Mapping 

      Module 3 | March 1 - 2, 2027

      • BMC – Desirability Component: Market Research (Size, Potential, Competitive Intelligence)
      • Business Strategy Workshop
      • Presentation of the IRL (Innovation Readiness Level) Dashboard
      • Interview Techniques and Field Validation

      Module 4 | April 5 - 6, 2027

      • Contractual Agreements and Intellectual Property as Drivers of Innovation
      • Understanding the Regulatory Environment – a Strategic Approach
      • BMC – Desirability Component: Persona and Customer/Patient Journey
      • Value Proposition and Pitch Workshop

      Module 5 | May 3 - 4, 2027

      • Reports: Validation of Hypotheses and IRL Dashboard
      • Business Networking (One on One with Partners, Investors, Potential Customers)
      • Public Relations Strategies and Risk Management

      Module 6 | June 7 - 8, 2027

      • Strategic Marketing for Startups; Workshop on Customer and Decision-Maker Engagement
      • Medical Technologies: Business Models, Financing, and Regulatory Strategy

      Module 7 | August 23 - 24, 2027

      • Executive Presence and Leadership
      • Governance Structures and Principles

      Module 8 | September 20 - 21, 2027

      • Business Valuation and Financing
      • Negotiation Strategies with Investors : Role-playing Exercises
      • BMC – Viability Component: Financial Forecasts, Balance sheets, and Cash Flow

      Module 9 | October 18 - 19, 2027

      • Building and Pitching a Case to Investors: Case Study and Role-playing Exercise
      • BMC – Feasibility Component: Project Management, Strategic Partnerships

      Module 10 | November 15 - 16, 2027

      • Coaching on Pitching Individual Projects (real or hypothetical)
      • In the Dragon’s Den: Final Pitch Sesssion