DISTRICT 3 INNOVATION CENTER

A place where ideas become reality

Concordia’s District 3 Innovation Center (D3) provides the tools and knowledge startups need to move from ideas to real-world impact. An entrepreneurship incubator, D3 allows Concordia to help drive the economy forward in Montreal, Quebec and Canada and provides the practical experience students and graduates need to thrive.

Access is like oxygen for emerging businesses. Access to talent, to expert advice, to technology and to research. D3 enables budding entrepreneurs to gain solid industry footing by guiding the startup journey process.

The growth and success of D3 — we’ve more than doubled in size in four years — owes to a combination of essential components. All players in Montreal’s innovation ecosystem are welcome at D3. This includes Concordia alumni and students, members of other universities and anyone with a great idea within the larger community. At D3, teams receive expert mentorship and access to cutting-edge space and technology — such as three-dimensional printers — to bring their ideas to life in the form of prototypes.

Bolstering Montreal’s renaissance

D3 was ranked the best business incubator in Quebec by Startup Canada in 2016. Since our founding, we’ve coached more than 400 startups, with teams having a combined valuation of $91 million. We’ve helped create more than 260 quality jobs, hosted 215 events and workshops and connected over 7,700 community members.

Among our success stories is Heddoko, a wearable technology company and Ananda, which manufactures devices for scientists.

The rise of D3 corresponds to a larger renaissance in Montreal. D3 is one of the mainstays of the Quartier de l’innovation, an alliance among universities committed to ingenuity, education and entrepreneurship. Our partnerships with other top accelerators include Montreal Demo Day — a forum that mobilizes investors, government, clients, buyers, suppliers, experts and media to empower entrepreneurs to shape the future.

Meeting growing demands

In 2017, we received a record 259 applications and 110 teams in the D3 Startup Programs. Concordia has leveraged District 3 to provide experiential learning opportunities via a new Graduate Certificate of Innovation and a Residency Program, which welcomed thirty participants to D3 to complete 11 projects with 220 prototypes in 2017.

In the same year, we launched 4 Districts — knowledge networks in Artificial Intelligence, Life Sciences, Social Innovation and Fintech.

Our corporate-facing entity — REACTOR — was established in 2017 to commercialize D3 expertise. REACTOR provides later-stage startup acceleration through consulting missions and innovation-for-hire to startups and corporate clients.

Support the vitality of entrepreneurship

D3 is a first-rate learning and professional development opportunity. Students gain knowledge and experience to serve them in a global landscape where innovation is essential. Concordia wants to bring D3 to the next level in support of entrepreneurs and the economy.