Powered by Desjardins, Cooperathon is a Canada-wide free entrepreneurial program that helps develop an innovative idea to start a business or advance academic research, culminating in a competition offering cash prizes and personalized support to empower projects with the highest social, environmental, or economic impact potential to come to life.
Cooperathon offers a structured, multi-week journey that combines:Â
- Expert-led workshops and practical learning
- Mentorship from professionals across industries
- Access to a national network of entrepreneurs, researchers, organizations, and institutions
- The opportunity to compete for cash prizes and personalized supportÂ
Participants develop solutions aligned with one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, across three major challenges:
People
Innovative solutions that improve well-being, inclusion, and equitable access to essential services for all.
Planet
Sustainable initiatives that preserve our ecosystems and reduce our environmental footprint.
Prosperity
Viable and inclusive economic models that generate shared value and drive responsible industrial innovation.
Open Innovation Leader
As an Open Innovation Leader, Global Impact Hub is contributing a challenge in the “People” category, focused on expanding access to learning and opportunities in an AI-driven world. Entrepreneurs working on this challenge will have opportunities to engage with our expert team during the program through knowledge-sharing sessions designed to strengthen their ideas and approaches.
Our Challenge:
Expanding access to learning in a digital and AI-driven world.Â
Digital technologies and AI are rapidly changing how people learn, work, and access opportunities. Yet many communities still face barriers to affordable, flexible, and relevant learning tools, especially people in remote communities, newcomers, and those with limited access to digital resources.
We are inviting innovators to help bridge this gap.
Challenge Question:
How might we help underserved communities access learning opportunities that are low-cost, adaptable to their needs, and leverage digital tools and AI to support skill-building and participation in the evolving economy?
What kinds of solutions could address this challenge?
We welcome a wide range of ideas, including:
- Learning tools that work offline or in low-connectivity environments
- Mobile-friendly or low-data educational platforms
- AI-powered personalized learning paths
- Peer-to-peer or community learning networks
- Skills recognition and alternative credential systems
- Work-integrated or employer-linked upskilling programs
- Platforms that help small organizations train and upskill their teams
- And more…Â
Solutions may be technological, social, scientific, or business-model innovations that expand access to learning and opportunity.
Meet the Global Impact Hub Expert Team
Participants tackling this challenge will also have opportunities to learn from a team of professionals working across AI, impact investing, sustainability, and purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Through sessions and discussions during the program, they will share insights to help participants strengthen their ideas and refine their approaches.
Avi Sarkar
AI Transformation Leader | Human Capital AI Growth Leader, Deloitte Canada
Avi Sarkar helps organizations translate AI into workforce transformation and new ways of working. His work focuses on generative AI adoption, leadership enablement, and the design of AI-enabled operating models. He is particularly interested in how AI and digital tools can expand access to learning and economic participation.
Areas of expertise
- Business plan feedback
- Pitch development
- Coaching and entrepreneurship guidance
Language: English
Hermine Mbondo
Founder, Impact Investor & Chief Storytelling Officer
Hermine Mbondo is the Founder and CEO of B4brand and Global Impact Hub. With over 15 years of international experience in marketing, branding, and communications, she supports entrepreneurs and mission-driven organizations in building brands and strategies that drive both growth and social impact.
Areas of expertise
- Crafting a compelling brand story and value proposition
- Marketing strategy for purpose-driven ventures
- Communicating impact and building trust with stakeholders
Languages: English, FrenchÂ
Michi Komori
Impact Investing Practitioner
Michi Komori works at the intersection of systems thinking, innovation, and impact investing. She focuses on helping organizations identify new forms of value and design solutions that contribute to resilient and thriving systems.Â
Areas of expertise
- Practicing your elevator pitch
- Creating a business model canvas
- Defining your value proposition
Language: English
Theodora Mladenova, CFA, FRM
Impact Investing Consultant
Theodora Mladenova is a social finance and impact investing professional focused on advancing social equity. She works with nonprofits, co-ops, and charities to raise capital for impactful initiatives and advises founders and investors in the early-stage impact ecosystem.
Areas of expertise
- Pitch deck review
- Preparing a data room and understanding investor expectations
- Exploring and refining a theory of change
Language: English
Marc-André Belisle
CEO, Operational Sustainability Strategist
Marc-André Belisle founded Synertium to help businesses integrate sustainability and social responsibility into their strategy and operations. He supports organizations in building business models that create long-term economic, environmental, and social value.
Areas of expertise
- Designing sustainable and responsible business models
- Integrating social, environmental, and economic impact into strategyDecision-making for long-term business sustainability
Languages: English, French
Ready to take on the challenge?
If you are building — or would like to build — a solution that expands access to learning and opportunities in a digital, AI-driven world, we invite you to join the Coopérathon journey by taking on this challenge. The program is free and open to innovators across Canada. Bring your enthusiasm. Build a solution. Create real impact.
Register now