Startup Marketing
and Sales

By the end of the course, students will have gained a practical understanding of marketing and business development as applied to Québec’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. They will acquire valuable knowledge about essential decision-making strategies to drive start-up growth, enhance sales performance and position themselves for success in both local and international markets.

In addition to the general objective, this course is also designed to:

• provide a strong foundation in start-up-specific marketing strategies, tools and techniques tailored to the fast-paced and resource-constrained nature of new ventures;
• foster practical skills such as communicating with clients and partners, crafting marketing plans and pitches and collaborating with incubators;
• enable students to master key marketing concepts such as targeting, positioning, digital strategies and the marketing mix to drive start-up success and scalability within Québec’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and beyond;
• develop essential sales and business development skills such as making cold calls, meeting clients, representing a business at trade shows and lead generation, preparing them to drive start-up success.

Startup Marketing and Sales

1. Class Participation (20%)
   Active participation is essential to succeed in this course that includes workshops, corporate visits and guest lectures. Students will be assessed on class attendance, engagement, respect and professionalism. They are expected to notify teachers if they are unable to attend. Disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated.
   
2. Marketing Plan (25%)
   Students will create a detailed marketing plan focused on commercializing a product or service tailored to a client start-up. The mandate will be defined by the participating start-ups and must align with the market entry strategies, segmentation and positioning covered in the course. It must include digital actions such as campaign ideas and visuals, calendars, influencer collaboration, crowdfunding, etc.
   • Deliverables: Oral presentation + comprehensive deck of slides (PowerPoint or other) with defined objectives, target audience and actionable strategies, using tools and knowledge from this course.
   • Students will be graded on their oral presentation and on the quality of the strategy and its visual presentation.
     
3. Trade Fair Simulation (15%)
   Students will design and operate a trade booth as part of a simulated trade fair. Preparation includes creating promotional and sales materials such as a one-pager and a display poster, as well as developing express pitches. During the fair, students will present their booth, deliver concise pitches, and engage with “attendees” (instructors, peers or alumni).
   • Deliverables: Oral presentation and written sales documents
   • Students will be graded on booth presentation, lead generation strategies and documentation, pitch delivery, originality and engagement skills.
     
4. Cold Call and Meeting Scripts and Simulation (15%)
   Students will practice prospecting skills through simulated cold calls and business meetings. In the first half of the semester, they will be making cold calls to instructors or alumni with the goal of securing a follow-up meeting. The second half of the semester includes a simulated meeting with an evaluator, where students are assessed on their ability to ask insightful questions, present collaboration ideas and outline follow-up actions. Both the cold call and meeting outline must be summarized and delivered in written scripts. This mirrors real-world performance metrics used for start-up sales representatives.
   • Deliverables: Oral presentation and written sales scripts
   • Students will be graded on the structure and conciseness of their script as well as their persuasion and listening skills during cold calls and meetings, in accordance with the effective sales standards presented in class.
     
5. Quiz (25%)
   A structured quiz will assess the students’ understanding of key concepts covered in the course, including start-up marketing fundamentals, segmentation and positioning, digital marketing and pitching techniques.
   • Deliverables: Online exam

Main Speakers

Classes are held Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with short breaks in the morning and afternoon, as well as a one-hour lunch break. 

During the final week, students have fewer mandatory classroom hours, allowing for more time to work on their deliverables.

This course employs a hands-on approach that focuses on practical exercises, consulting projects with real Québec start-ups, interactive workshops and corporate visits. Each of the twenty three-hour sessions focuses on a specific topic, combining lectures, case studies, team assignments and presentations to build a comprehensive understanding of start-up marketing and business development.

A significant portion of the course will take place at various company offices and factories, all accessible via public transit from campus. These on-site learning opportunities require students to adopt effective learning methods and demonstrate professionalism during these corporate visits. Teachers serve as guides as they share practical expertise while encouraging collaboration, respectful dialogue and shared responsibility to provide students with a valuable learning experience.

Students will actively engage with industry professionals, analyze real-world challenges, and apply what they have learned in projects such as creating marketing plans and pitching strategies. Active preparation and participation are essential to benefit from the interactive nature of the course.

This course features twenty three-hour sessions and typically covers one main topic per session.

1. Welcome Session: Introduction to the course, objectives and an overview of the Québec start-up ecosystem.
2. Start-Up 101 – First Start-Up Profile (corporate visit): Explore the fundamentals of start-ups, including challenges, opportunities and foundational strategies.
3. Second Start-Up Profile (corporate visit): Gain insights into innovative business models and non-traditional entrepreneurial approaches.
4. Third Start-Up Profile (corporate visit): Discover how start-ups operate within the social economy, balancing profit and purpose.
5. Marketing 101 – Drafting a Marketing Plan: Learn the essentials of creating an effective marketing plan tailored to start-ups.
6. Marketing 102 – Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning: Delve deeper into core marketing strategies with a focus on identifying and reaching the right audience.
7. Incubator/Accelerator Visit (corporate visit): Experience how incubators and accelerators support start-ups in their growth journey.
8. Digital Marketing: Explore digital tools and techniques to optimize online presence and drive customer engagement.
9. Targeting Business Prospects: Understand how to effectively identify and approach potential business partners or clients.
10. Crowdfunding (corporate visit): Examine the mechanics of crowdfunding and its role in start-up financing strategies.
11. The Art of the Pitch: Develop compelling pitches to attract investors, partners and clients.
12. Retail Commercialization (corporate visit): Learn strategies for commercializing products in retail environments, from distribution to branding.
13. Sales Approach and Practice: Understand a sales funnel, develop steps and techniques to deliver effective sales pitches and progress in the funnel, practise your pitch.
14. Protecting Your Intellectual Property (corporate visit): Explore best practices for safeguarding start-up innovations and proprietary information.
15. Sales Tools and Questionnaires: Learn to design effective sales tools and develop insightful client questionnaires.
16. Scaling-Up – International Growth and Trade Shows: Explore strategies to prepare for trade missions and events so as to maximize their impact.
17. Marketing Plan Presentation (assessment): Students present their comprehensive marketing plans for feedback and evaluation.
18. Cold Call and Meeting Simulation (assessment): Practise engaging with prospects through simulated calls and business meetings.
19. Trade Fair Simulation (assessment): Simulate a trade fair to practise networking, pitching and generating leads.
20. Quiz (exam): Assesses your understanding of the course content through a structured quiz.

Mandatory Fees: Programs and Accommodation Included

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Housing

Housing is included in the basic fee for 14 overnight stays (July 4 to July 18, 2026) in our on-campus residence, just a 5-minute walk from the Faculty. Each student gets a private single room with a sink, fridge, microwave, kettle, bedding and towels. Bathrooms and kitchens are shared. No need to book—housing is arranged for the entire group.

Please note that housing fees are included in the basic fee and cannot be separated. If you choose to arrange your own housing off-campus, the full basic fee will still apply.

Optional Hospitality Package

Other services are offered at additional cost.

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Cancellation Refund Policy

• Before April 30, 2026: full refund (minus a $100 administration fee)
• Between May 1 and May 13, 2026: 50% refund
• After May 13, 2026:  no refund

Language
Requirement

Academic
Requirement

Minimum 1 year of study in business administration or a related domain.

Nominations

Students must be nominated by their home university. The link to access the online nomination form is sent directly to partner universities.

Registration and Payment

Nominated students will receive instructions on how to submit their application and payment once their nomination has been received.

The following documents will have to be uploaded into the application form.

• Proof of English-language proficiency
• Transcripts of records showing at least one year of study in business administration or engineering.