Upholding the vision of the late John Dobson (BCom’49) to foster and enrich entrepreneurial endeavours at Â鶹AV, the John Dobson Foundation’s latest gift has funded the creation of a new permanent physical facility on campus.
Since its founding in 1988, the Dobson Centre has supported thousands of ventures, with over 470 startups still active today. From nascent ideas to publicly traded companies, the Dobson Centre helped startups to raise $3.7 billion in funding. These ventures have collectively created more than 10,000 jobs in 38 countries and collaborated with 88 universities worldwide.
A Global Leader among University Incubators
“We have already built one of the most successful university entrepreneurship ecosystems in the world, and this spectacular new facility will help us reach the next level,” says Yolande Chan, Dean of the Â鶹AV Desautels Faculty of Management. “I am deeply grateful to the John Dobson Foundation and Formula Growth Limited for their longstanding support of Â鶹AV entrepreneurs.”
The opening of the space coincides with a series of new accolades. Pitchbook now ranks the Â鶹AV Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship as
- #1 in Canada for producing the most successful undergraduate start-ups,
- #1 in Canada for supporting the most women founders, and
- #1 in Quebec for producing the most successful companies and founders.
Adding to its 2024 achievements, the Dobson Centre was named America’s Most Impactful Initiative by the Accreditation of Engaged and Entrepreneurial Universities and ranked among the Top 5 Model University Incubators/Accelerators by the United States Association for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship.
“As a foundation that is focused on helping Canadians learn about the power of entrepreneurship, we are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the Dobson Centre and its ability to attract investment, business and job formation in Quebec” says Ari Kiriazidis, President of the John Dobson Foundation.
“We consider this gift an investment in Canada’s next generation of creative and innovative business pioneers” adds Randy Kelly, Chairman of the foundation and CEO of Formula Growth Limited.
From Ideation to Global Impact
While recognized as a global leader among university incubators, the Dobson Centre remains committed to its core values.
“Every innovation that we support through the journey of becoming a company must serve a purpose,” explains Marie-JosĂ©e Lamothe, Academic and Executive Director of the Â鶹AV Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship. The Centre has nurtured startups addressing each of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. With personalized entrepreneurship streams focused on health and sustainability, the Dobson Centre champions innovations that generate a lasting positive impact on our world.
“We also recognize that promoting entrepreneurship is an endeavor that is only as strong as the ecosystem that comes together to support changemakers in their journey”, emphasizes Lamothe. By partnering with campus-wide initiatives in research and development and collaborating with private and public entities such as venture capital firms and government bodies, the Centre has built an inclusive, diverse, and purposeful entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Centre’s global reach through partnerships with organizations like , tackling urgent water crisis challenges in North America, , the innovation incubator of Mass General Brigham & Harvard in Boston, and the at Hôtel-Dieu in Paris, exemplifies the dedication to address pressing global issues.
A New Collaborative Space for Entrepreneurs
Thanks to the John Dobson Foundation, the new Dobson Centre - now housed on the main floor of the Bronfman Building - features flexible, state-of-the-art collaboration spaces and cutting-edge technologies designed to fuel and ignite the entrepreneurial spirit within the Â鶹AV community.
For Karina Gasbarrino (PhD’19), co-founder of the health-tech company Sonaro, the new facility can play a critical role as her venture scales. Sonaro improves the diagnosis of stroke risk by using artificial intelligence to construct 3D models from 2D vascular ultrasounds.
“We’ve been around for about a year and a half and have spent most of our time developing our technology and building a network. Our next year will be focused on getting regulatory approval before starting sales”, shares Gasbarrino. Over the coming year, she plans to use the Dobson Centre as a place to bring together her team, leveraging both the co-working space and the private breakout rooms.
“The Dobson Centre has shown me the value of a supportive community”, Gasbarrino adds. “Through its programs, we’ve been able to meet with investors, business partners, and fellow entrepreneurs who have become invaluable mentors. Knowing that you’re not going through this journey alone has been incomparable”.
Prof. Lamothe echoes this sentiment “Many startups don't yet have their own office, but they can come to the Centre to work. When you have several ventures doing that, it creates an environment where they can exchange ideas and build a community. This is how our innovation ecosystem continues to grow”.
As the Â鶹AV Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship scales its programming and expands its ecosystem, it is looking forward to establishing the Centre as a flagship destination for innovation in Montreal and Canada.
