MentorConnect pairs your startup with a team of three mentors to help you scale and become an impactful CEO
what we offer
At MentorConnect, we help founders grow from entrepreneurs to CEO’s through a team of three cross-disciplinary mentors.
At MentorConnect, we match startups with a team of three mentors who bring different perspectives and hands-on experience as C-suite leaders and seasoned entrepreneurs. All of our mentors are trained in the MIT VMS Framework, so you can count on advice that is
practical, consistent, and grounded in proven methods.
Based at Concordia University’s District 3 Innovation Hub and sponsored by a $2 million gift from National Bank, MentorConnect creates a space where founders feel supported, challenged, and empowered. Our mentorship is team-based, confidential, and free of conflicts of interest, so you can focus on leading your business with clarity and confidence.
Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.
"I used to feel alone at the top, but now, with my mentors, I no longer feel that way. Every meeting teaches me something new, for every challenge I present I receive three completely different and valuable"
Tarik Qahawish
Localyser
Founder & CEO
“ As an entrepreneur, you’ll need expert advice at different stages of your journey. However, it’s crucial to seek guidance from the right people—those with real experience who understand your concerns and your business. MentorConnect excels in this by matching entrepreneurs with the right mentors, providing valuable support in building and growing their businesses.”
Behnam Farsi
CanApply
Co-founder and CEO
"MentorConnect has been a great help in ensuring that Gray has the expertise needed to continue maneuvering the challenging landscape of digital health. I can always count on having diverse minds around the table to help solve incoming problems, sometimes entirely out of left field"
André Diamant
Gray Oncology Solutions
Co-founder & CEO
"The mentors at MentorConnect really understand the meaning of mentorship. They support the needs of the entrepreneur while providing useful information and resources to help them achieve their goals."
Joshua Pottel
Molecular Forecaster
CEO
"Entrepreneurship often feels like you're battling the world alone, but when you look around, you'll realize you have an army of supporters guiding you along the way. For CHS, Mentor Connect is part of our troop."
Daniel Jacob
Changing Habits Solutions
Cofounder
"My mentors provide unconditional support, through good or bad times, I know I can count on them and this is invaluable."
Jean-Elie Aron
LooksGoodAI
Cofounder
"MentorConnect mentors have been invaluable, adding profound wisdom and invaluable experience to our entrepreneurial journey."
Nadir Marcos
PlanHub
CEO
"As entrepreneurs, we are often deeply burried into the operations. Mentor Connect forces you to step back and really think about what you are doing. By doing so we make sure that we are heading to the right direction and that we invest our time and energy wisely to get there."
Francois Tremblay
Kool Replay
CEO
"MentorConnect is incredibly important for forming the mind of an early entrepreneur. My mind and thinking has been shaped by the questions and challenging"
Steve Ding
Haply Robotics
Cofounder
"The MentorConnect program has been one of the most valuable mentoring and coaching tools for the growth of WorkAxle. Being able to leverage years of expertise from successful business owners has allowed the executive team to make better and more informed decisions."
William Mark Methot
WorkAxle
Cofounder
"I love the brutal honesty mixed with experience. Entrepreneurs need to hear this even when it hurts."
Awane Jones
Phenomena
CEO
testimonials
Don’t just take our word for it—let the
founders do the talking.
This is the quote.
cofounder name
role, startup name
testimonial
a word from our mentors
This is the testimonial quote
Name, Title, Company
Francis Dion
"MentorConnect provides next-level support to next-level ventures. Very impressed by the depth of experience, skills and commitment of the staff and the mentors they've recruited."
Co-Founder and Functional CTO
Plan Monark
François Aird
"Mentor Connect is a great way to give back to the entrepreneur community and stay connected with the startup ecosystem."
TALSOM
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Chad Loeven
"I know firsthand the challenges of bootstrapping a company. Having done that without mentors, being part of MentorConnect and DC3 is a way I can give back and help up and coming entrepreneurs avoid some of the pitfalls I face."
Director, OEM Partners
ReversingLabs
Caren Carrasco
"It’s been an absolute pleasure to be part of the Mentor Connect team for the past few years. One of the things I like the most are the business conversations between the mentors. All of us bring different perspectives that come from our rich backgrounds. Collaborating with the other mentors to support Founders is always so rewarding, the dynamics between everyone are incredibly valuable, not only for the Founders but for us the mentors as well."
Co-Founder & CEO
Mandate
Len Madigan
"It's rewarding and energizing to help our bright entrepreneurs. Ultimately, we all learn."
Founder, Executive Coach and Team Coach
Next Shot Leadership
Claude Chidiac
“Being a mentor with MentorConnect has been and continues to be a rewarding, stimulating and often humbling experience. I always encourage execs in my network to do it”
Leader in Aviation & former VP, Sales & Marketing
CMC Electronique
Philippe Lebel
"As a mentor at MentorConnect, I have had the privilege of guiding emerging talents within the startup ecosystem. Leveraging my experience in technology advisory, I strive to provide actionable insights and strategic direction, helping entrepreneurs navigate the complex landscape of innovation and growth. It's a rewarding journey to see these bright minds evolve, knowing that our collaborative efforts today are shaping the visionaries of tomorrow."
Senior Manager, Solution Delivery
Eaton
Allan Christensen
"The quality of the mentors provided by Mentor Connect is truly impressive. The depth and diversity of knowledge, experience and industry network made available touches on every aspect that any startup would need."
Vice President, Quality
Pratt & Whitney Canada
Julia Bouvet
"It's very rewarding to mentor dynamic start-ups and have thought-provoking discussions to push their strategy forward."
Business Strategy Consultant
Agile Services Conseil
Shafik Mina
"Helping entrepreneurs realize their business goals is the ultimate reward for a successful business person."
Founder & CEO
CNYRGY CAPITAL. President, Mad Science Group
John M. Sanderson
"f we mentor you it is because we see something special. That said, no matter how special your team or idea is, this will still be the hardest thing you will ever do. But if you have the grit to push through, it will be worth it."
Partner - Human Capital
Deloitte Canada
Francis Dion
"MentorConnect provides next-level support to next-level ventures. Very impressed by the depth of experience, skills and commitment of the staff and the mentors they've recruited."
Cofounder and Fractional CTO
Plan Monark
François Aird
"Mentor Connect is a great way to give back to the entrepreneur community and stay connected with the startup ecosystem."
Chairman of the Board of Directors
TALSOM
Donald Clarke CA CPA
"The mentor connect program is a great way to help businesses drive to the next levels."
President
Gunite Investments Inc.
Chantal Laberge
“The MentorConnect program creates a culture that embraces and values trust, open communication, diversity of opinion and a dynamic team mentoring approach, all of which contribute to helping the entrepreneurs in their journey to growth.”
Board Member & Former Senior Investment Manager
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)
Hal Myers PhD
“Mentor Connect offers valuable resources to startups at no cost. The diverse skill sets of the mentors allow founders access to knowledge and resources to help steer them and speed up their progress.”
CEO
Thought Technology
district 3
MentorConnect is part of District 3, Concordia University’s innovation hub in downtown Montreal, where founders connect, collaborate, and grow in a vibrant co-working space.
Access our dynamic community space—open weekdays 9AM-5PM—featuring diverse first-come-first-serve workstations, bookable conference rooms for hybrid meetings, complimentary coffee, and event venues with dedicated staff support for workshops and networking opportunities.
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