MJ’s innovative approach focuses on building bridges that matter to our start-ups, enabling a real-life practical entrepreneurial education:

1. Bridging Across Borders
In 2024, we expanded globally, engaging 143 investment firms and 228 ecosystem partners across 25 countries, including:
• MESH (Mass General Brigham & Harvard): As MESH Core’s only Canadian partner, 14 Dobson startups in life sciences accessed 2,300+ clinicians, the #1 innovation hospital network, and 600+ funding opportunities.
• Hôtel-Dieu de Paris: Six life sciences startups had exclusive workshops on the French healthcare system, gaining mentorship and access to European research networks.
• Hult Prize: the Dobson is the host for the local and national competitions, fostering social entrepreneurship through mentorship, global networking, and pitch development.
The Centre also supported 20+ international startups this past year entering Montreal’s market.

2. Energizing the Local Ecosystem
Since opening in February 2024, Dobson’s new space hosted 27 events, 24 collaborators, and 675+ participants. Key local partnerships include:
• McGill University Health Centre (MUHC): Supports health innovators in Quebec’s largest academic health system, providing clinical settings for product validation.
• CTS, Montreal InVivo, C2 MTL, MTL INTL: Collaborations with local incubators, accelerators, and economic missions to align international delegations and attract foreign investment.
• Intentions Inc.: A radio and podcast series highlighting innovative founders across Quebec and Canada.
These partnerships solidify Dobson’s role as a global innovation hub, connecting local talent with international opportunities.
3. Campus-wide Engagement
Dobson connects McGill’s research community with commercialization pathways:
• McGill Innovation Fund: Ensures research-funded teams access Dobson programs for commercialization.
• McGill Engine: Provides prototyping and product development resources.
• Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences & Healthy Brain Healthy Lives: Channels top research projects into Dobson’s life sciences programs.
• McGill Office of Sustainability: Integrates climate action into university activities, guiding projects in the Sustainability Projects Fund.
These collaborations ensure innovative ideas at McGill translate into real-world impact.

4. Empowering Student-led Initiatives
Dobson offers free access to student-led entrepreneurial programs, fostering leadership and innovation:
• Student Associations & Entrepreneurial Hub: We mentor over 15 organizations making our space a thriving hub.
• Global Impact Competitions: by hosting the Hult Prize, we engage thousands of students in addition to the student ambassadors who are taking the lead in organizing with the international committee and recruiting for the competition.
• Student-Led Consulting & Investment Groups: We collaborate with ThinkR Consulting Club and Front Row Ventures to provide business consulting for startups in market and financial analysis. This fills a gap for early-stage teams while giving the groups real-life experience.
Through these initiatives, we empower students to experience entrepreneurship in their own way.
From aligning investors with high-potential startups to connecting founders with strategic partners who can pilot groundbreaking solutions, we are building bridges to accelerate success.

When she assumed leadership of the McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship in 2019, Marie-Josée Lamothe set out with a bold ambition: to establish the Centre as a world-class hub where ideas ignite and drive meaningful change. Since then, she has redefined entrepreneurial education at McGill University through a unique approach centered on three pillars: building a robust funding pipeline for startups, broadening access to personalized entrepreneurship education for impactful innovation, and strengthening global collaboration.
Marie-Josée Lamothe is a seasoned industry leader with over 25 years of experience in global management, renowned for her expertise in digital transformation and consumer business strategy. Her leadership at multinational corporations such as P&G, L'Oréal, and Google positioned her as a thought leader in data-driven decision-making, market expansion, and digital strategy, equipping her with a global perspective on business growth and transformation. Building on her corporate expertise, MJ founded Tandem International, an advisory firm specializing in omnichannel profitability. This venture deepened her understanding of the entrepreneurial world and connected her with startups, venture capital firms, and the broader innovation ecosystem.
Understanding the evolving challenges entrepreneurs face—such as access to early-stage funding, industry mentorship, and market validation—MJ focused on addressing the critical funding gap for startups. Under her leadership, the Dobson Centre launched the International Investor Tour, a pioneering initiative that connects McGill-affiliated startups with 143 investment firms and 228 ecosystem partners across 25 countries. This initiative has been instrumental in bridging funding gaps, enabling Dobson startups to collectively raise $4.1 billion—ten times the amount raised before MJ’s tenure. By aligning founders with investors who share their vision, she has directly contributed to the long-term success of high-potential ventures.
Committed to transforming research into impact-driven ventures, MJ spearheaded the expansion of the Dobson Centre’s programming from four generic programs to fourteen specialized streams tailored to key industries, including life sciences, sustainability, and deep tech. This strategic shift ensures that founders receive sector-specific support, accelerating the development of breakthrough innovations with high commercialization potential.
Beyond the curriculum, MJ’s vision has positioned McGill as a leader in entrepreneurship. Recognizing that true innovation thrives in collaboration, she has expanded the Centre’s international influence by forging strategic partnerships, facilitating networking opportunities, and matching startups with investors whose theses align with their goals. This global strategy has solidified McGill’s entrepreneurial network, fostered the growth of intellectual property, and amplified the impact of its innovations worldwide. Since her tenure, the Dobson Centre has significantly expanded its partnerships, notably with the provincial and federal governments, Investissement Québec, National Bank, Mass General Brigham, Aqua Action, and the Hult Prize Foundation—ensuring a world-class network and financial sustainability for years to come.
MJ’s strategic foresight has propelled the Dobson Centre to unprecedented heights, elevating it from a Top 20 university incubator to a Top 5 global ranking by UBI Global. Through her commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, inclusivity, and global engagement, she has not only transformed the Centre but has also solidified McGill University’s reputation as a leader in entrepreneurship. As McGill University’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini put it: "Under Marie-Josée’s leadership, the Dobson Centre exemplifies how McGill pushes the boundaries of knowledge, driven by a shared commitment to improving society and fostering a positive social and economic impact both locally and globally."

As an inclusive leader who champions diversity of thought, MJ has embedded the values of respect, inclusion, and collaboration at the Dobson Centre, fostering an environment that fuels discovery, advancement, and achievement. Across all programs and initiatives, the Centre upholds the principles of academic freedom, integrity, responsibility, equity, and inclusiveness. MJ’s leadership has been a catalyst for countless entrepreneurs, particularly women founders, who often face systemic barriers in accessing funding and mentorship. To address these challenges, she launched the Entrepreneurial Women Lean Startup Program, a specialized initiative supporting women founders across industries. This program empowers women innovators to transform their ideas into viable businesses while navigating the unique challenges of entrepreneurship. Participants gain access to an exceptional community of women leaders, mentors, and role models. Since 2019, 50% of Dobson startups have been co-founded by women, and under MJ’s leadership, the Centre has been ranked by PitchBook as the #1 university startup incubator in Canada for developing successful undergraduate female founders for four consecutive years.

With Dobson startups operating in 46 countries and coming from 127 international universities, the Centre under MJ’s leadership wanted to ensure fair access to developing regions among minority founders. The Centre now partners with the Mastercard Foundation to support entrepreneurs focused on advancing education and financial inclusion, catalyzing prosperity in developing nations and empowering Indigenous youth in Canada. Through specialized learning pathways and tailored mentorship opportunities, the Centre equips change-makers with the tools to succeed at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey. A major milestone for 2024 is the Dobson Centre’s designation as the national host of the Hult Prize, a globally recognized social entrepreneurship competition. With participation from 1,324 universities across 113 countries, the competition provides mentorship, skills development, and investor access, culminating in a $1 million grand prize. By championing the Hult Prize, the Dobson Centre strengthens its position as a leading hub for social impact innovation worldwide.

Beyond internal initiatives, MJ has reshaped the Dobson Centre’s advisory board to reflect a diversity of thought, culture, and industry expertise. She has strategically expanded the mentor network, integrating global leaders from underrepresented backgrounds who bring fresh perspectives to McGill founders. This has led to the development of stronger, more resilient startups that are not only commercially successful but also impactful in addressing global challenges. Her ability to forge connections between investors and high-potential founders has been instrumental in closing the fundraising gap, particularly for diverse entrepreneurs who often face barriers in securing early-stage capital.

MJ’s impact extends beyond the startups she supports. Under her guidance, the Dobson team has also evolved, with many women rising to senior leadership positions, gaining confidence, and excelling in their careers. She has actively cultivated an ecosystem where women-led teams thrive, ensuring that the Dobson Centre remains a model for inclusion, empowerment, and world-changing innovation.