MT Lab’s Sustainable Tourism Innovation Cluster, co-founded in partnership with Destination Québec Cité, inaugurates its first coaching program with “Empreinte. Visant le prototypage et la pré-commercialisation, Empreinte stands out for its commitment to testing market suitability and perfecting innovative solutions in the field of sustainable tourism.
With just a few days to go before applications close on February 18, let’s find out in detail how this program can positively influence the industry’s sustainable transition.
Empreinte : A springboard for sustainable innovation
In the heart of Quebec City, the Pôle is preparing to select its first cohort of the Empreinte program.
This new program from MT Lab’s Sustainable Tourism Innovation cluster, takes its place alongside the well-established Maillage” program program, which has already proved its worth by fostering fruitful twinnings with MT Lab’s major partnersEmpreinte distinguishes itself by focusing on the crucial prototyping/pre-commercialization phase. Its aim is to validate the business potential of sustainable solutions with the tourism industry, while Maillage intervenes at the startup marketing phase.
This strategic difference positions Empreinte as an upstream complement to MT Lab’s global offering in innovation and sustainable tourism.
Key objectives for lasting change
While Empreinte aims to test ideas, it also aspires to be a catalyst for change, both for startups and for the industry as a whole.
The program has several key objectives:
-
Solution validation Validation: Confirm the solution’s suitability for industry needs through focus groups, enabling contractors to refine their proposals.
-
Internal sustainability Work with the entrepreneur and his company’s DNA to establish a responsible and sustainable business model, integrating the principles of sustainable development both internally and externally.
-
Creation of sustainable tourism ambassadors To train a cohort of start-ups that will become a group of ambassadors, capable of positively influencing the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the tourism industry, by promoting innovative and sustainable practices.
Unique workshops and personalized support
To achieve the program’s objectives, 10 group workshops in business strategy are offered to startups joining the cohort. These workshops include
-
– Introduction to the world of tourism and sustainable tourism lexicon Contextualization of the cohort to the tourism landscape and sustainable tourism issues.
-
– Sustainable development in tourism Understanding the UN’s sustainable development goals, regulations and certifications related to the sector.
-
– Responsible business model Integrating sustainable development principles into our value proposition.
-
– Responsible leadership Responsible leadership: Development of key success indicators (KPIs) for sound management that go beyond productivity and profitability.
-
– Responsible marketing : Development of socially responsible marketing practices, avoiding greenwashing.
– Impact measurement and calculation Measuring the positive impact of our solutions on the industry.
Applications open until February 18
If you’re a startup operating in Quebec, in the prototyping phase and driven by the desire to contribute to more sustainable tourism, Empreinte could be your next step. Registration runs until February 18, so don’t miss this unique opportunity to take part in the first program aimed at shaping more sustainable, responsible and forward-looking tourism.
For more information and to submit your application, click here.
If you have any questions about the program, please contact Julien Bergeron, Pôle Manager, at julienbergeron@mtlab.ca.
