Award
Private
Between Intakes
Desjardins Cooperathon
Desjardins Business
Prize
Up to $40,000
2026 edition concluded July 9, 2026; future edition dates not yet announced
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Lump Sum
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Desjardins Cooperathon provides Up to $40,000 (Grand Prize); individual prizes range from $5,000 to $40,000. An open innovation competition with a $100,000 total prize pool for teams developing projects that address societal challenges in People, Planet or Prosperity; not a direct grant. Applications are accepted 2026 edition concluded July 9, 2026; future edition dates not yet announced.
Approval odds: ~4–5% (GrantCompass analysis)
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
An open innovation competition with a $100,000 total prize pool for teams developing projects that address societal challenges in People, Planet or Prosperity; not a direct grant.
Eligibility Requirements
- Teams with promising, innovative projects
- Projects must address a major societal challenge
- Must fall within one of three areas: People, the Planet, or Prosperity
- Open to participants across Canada
- Projects must align with at least one of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals
- General Track: open to aspiring entrepreneurs in the pre-startup phase, with or without an idea, and without a functional prototype at the time of registration
- University Research Track: at least one applicant on the team must be enrolled in an undergraduate, master's or PhD program, and the project must have been developed within a university research program and not yet commercialized
- No business experience is required — the program is open to aspiring entrepreneurs, students, professionals, intrapreneurs, academics and innovation enthusiasts
- You may register as an individual or as part of a team; info sessions and networking activities exist to help solo registrants find co-founders
- Participation means completing the training journey — 4 weeks, extending to 7 weeks for teams selected after Phase I, at about 3.5 hours per week
- Free to enter — Cooperathon is 100% free for all participants
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
High
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $40,000 (Grand Prize); individual prizes range from $5,000 to $40,000.
- Type
- Award
- Level
- Private
- Deadline
- 2026 edition concluded July 9, 2026; future edition dates not yet announced
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
High
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Moderate
Approval Rate
~4–5%
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
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What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win Desjardins Cooperathon
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 4-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 7-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
$19 covers this one program. $39/mo covers every program, plus the workspace that walks you through each application.
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipThis is a competition, not a grant; tailor your pitch to one of the People, Planet or Prosperity tracks and expect to compete against teams from across Canada.
Evaluation Criteria
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See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Don’t lose this one to a preventable rejection
Common rejection pitfalls, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
The $19 Playbook covers this one program. Premium covers every program, plus the application workspace.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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7 steps
4 docs
Application Steps
1
Register online, alone or with a team Registration is done online at cooperathon.ca/register. You can join as an individual or as part of a team. If you don't have a team yet, the info sessions and networking activities are specifically designed to help you find teammates or co-founders who complement your skills. Cooperathon is 100% free.
Required Documents 4
✓ Project proposal or concept
✓ Team details
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Applying for Desjardins Cooperathon? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
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How Desjardins Cooperathon Compares
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Desjardins Cooperathon
Free
Does it cost anything to take part?
No. Cooperathon states it is 100% free — an open program accessible to all participants at no cost, including expert coaching, training workshops and networking.
Do I need an idea or a working prototype to register?
No. Cooperathon says you can join with just a spark of curiosity, and the General Track is explicitly for the pre-startup phase without a functional prototype at the time of registration. Ideation is part of the journey, not a prerequisite.
How much money does a single winning team actually get?
Prizes run from $5,000 to $40,000 per prize. In 2026 the split was one Grand Prize of $40,000, a University Research Prize of $15,000, three prizes of $10,000 and three of $5,000.
What is the University Research Track?
It is for projects originating from university-led research that have not yet been commercialized. At least one applicant on the team must be enrolled in an undergraduate, master's or PhD program and be working on a project developed within a university research program.
When is the next edition?
The 10th edition concluded with a finals gala on July 9, 2026. Desjardins framed it as the kickoff for the 10 years to come, but 2027 dates have not been announced — watch Desjardins Business channels for the next intake.
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Full Playbook: Desjardins Cooperathon
7 steps · 4 docs · reviewer insights