Granby, April1, 2026 – The Centre d’aide aux entreprises Haute-Yamaska et région (CAEHYR) today brought together 340 Secondary 5 students at Collège du Mont-Sacré-Cœur, for the first edition of the Tournoi des entrepreneurs de l’avenir. The event demonstrated the entrepreneurial potential of young people from the Haute-Yamaska and Rouville RCMs, while $3,000 in bursaries were awarded.
The day began with an initial challenge inviting teams to put themselves in the shoes of entrepreneurs. Based on a fictitious situation, students worked together to structure a business idea using the business model framework. This moment quickly plunged them into action, and proved to be an excellent opportunity to develop their team spirit and creativity.
“At CAEHYR, we believe that entrepreneurial spirit can be developed at an early age. By offering young people the opportunity to live a concrete experience like this one, we hope that this initiative will one day lead to the creation of businesses in our region”, says Isabelle Brochu, CAEHYR General Manager.
Jury impressed by quality of presentations
In the afternoon, the students took up the second challenge. In just three minutes, they had to present their business model outline in a clear and convincing sales pitch to six separate juries, each made up of event partners who had enthusiastically agreed to get involved. The jurors were asked to assess the relevance of the idea, the dynamism of the business and its ability to stand out from the crowd.
“I was very impressed by the wealth of ideas proposed by the young people. I was expecting to be surprised, but not that surprised. It’s very encouraging to see that there’s a real enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. Choosing a winning team wasn’t easy,” says Fanny-Ysa Breton, General Manager of Commerce Tourisme Granby région.
Six teams stood out in this first edition
The juries awarded six teams a $500 bursary, as well as a giant cheque, in recognition of their performance. “The Entrepreneurs of the Future Tournament is a unique opportunity to experience something different from anything we’ve experienced before. It gives us a glimpse into the day-to-day reality of entrepreneurs. It’s also a great moment that we shared as a team, and which will be useful for the future,” explains Coralie Bergeron, a student in the financial education course at L’Envolée high school.
The day was also punctuated by a lunchtime conference with Gabriel Boisvert, 18, a young entrepreneur known for his appearance on the TV show Dans l’œil du dragon. He shared his story with the students, encouraging them to believe in their dreams.
Door prizes were also drawn, and Boutique Empire offered a $20 gift card to the 340 students in attendance, adding a festive touch to the event.
Major organizations, including Desjardins, Commerce Tourisme Granby région, Entrepreneuriat Haute-Yamaska and Cégep de Granby, acted as GOLD partners. Granby MNA François Bonnardel and Brome-Missisquoi MNA Isabelle Charest also made matching contributions.
About CAE Haute-Yamaska and region
Since 1985, the CAE Haute-Yamaska et région has been contributing to the economic development of businesses in the Haute-Yamaska, Brome-Missisquoi and Rouville regions through coaching, financing and mentoring.
About the Future Entrepreneurs Tournament
The Tournoi des entrepreneurs de l’avenir is a rallying event designed to stimulate the entrepreneurial spirit through hands-on workshops and friendly competition. It is aimed at Secondary 5 students in the CAEHYR territory enrolled in entrepreneurship and financial education courses.
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