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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":5793,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[110],"tags":[97,314],"class_list":["post-5788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-le-temps-dun-cafe-en","tag-centech-en","tag-interview-en"],"acf":{"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"2cols_image_content","block_titre":{"clone_espacement":["top"],"clone_center":false,"clone_ancre":"","clone_uptitle":"","clone_title":"","clone_subtitle":"","clone_description":"","clone_btn_1":"","clone_btn_2":"","afficher_les_angles":false,"couleur_du_bloc":"","couleur_du_bloc_before":"","couleur_du_bloc_after":"","clone_triangle":false,"clone_triangle_2":false,"color_bg":"grey_bg"},"2cols_repeater":[{"repeater_image_position":"droite","repeater_image":5760,"repeater_title":"In this new February newsletter, we sit down with Anissa Boughazi, to learn about the relationship between Centech and Mitacs as it relates to her job as a business development advisor.","repeater_2":"","repeater_content":" \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThis Coffee time<\/em> focuses on the challenges of connecting businesses with funding sources, and how business development advisors can help entrepreneurs find financing.\r\n\r\nSecuring funding and lining up investors is no easy task. It takes trial and error to determine which models yield the best results. Experts like Anissa Boughazi help to navigate the process and demystify the world of business development.\r\n\r\nIn our interview with Anissa, we learned the importance of connecting with the right resources and of building trust when developing a product or growing a business.","repeater_liste":null,"repeater_liste_hv":"1","repeater_btn_1":"","repeater_btn_2":"","texte_de_la_liste_plus_gros":false},{"repeater_image_position":"gauche","repeater_image":"","repeater_title":"","repeater_2":"","repeater_content":"","repeater_liste":null,"repeater_liste_hv":"1","repeater_btn_1":"","repeater_btn_2":"","texte_de_la_liste_plus_gros":false}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"image_1_colonne","block_titre":{"clone_espacement":["top"],"clone_center":false,"clone_ancre":"","clone_uptitle":"","clone_title":"","clone_subtitle":"","clone_description":" Communications \u2013 Centech<\/strong><\/p>\r\nAnissa, can you tell us what brought you here to Centech, with Mitacs<\/strong>?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s true that my position is somewhat unique, in that it\u2019s a \u2018dual\u2019 role in two organizations, Mitacs and Centech. Centech is what drew me first, though.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nI\u2019d known about the company for quite some time. I actually completed my internship for my master\u2019s degree with a business that was incubated at Centech, in the Propulsion: Idenergy program. That company operated in the renewable energy sector, manufacturing river turbines, and I was working in business development.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nWhen I came across the posting for this job, the first thing that caught my eye was the Centech name. This led me to discovering Mitacs.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nFirst of all, I\u2019m a naturally curious person, and I figured that working in the innovation sector would be really, how can I put it\u2026 I\u2019d get a peek at what the future holds before anyone else. I would see where things are heading, in a lot of different fields. I\u2019d be privy to the latest advancements in a whole host of sectors. Then there\u2019s the creative side! I was drawn to the idea of having a front row seat and playing a major role in developing businesses. These two factors are really what got me interested in the position.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nMy job is about securing funding. I help businesses connect with the right sources of financing. I have the most experience with Mitacs\u2019 sources, obviously, given Mitacs\u2019 co-financing arrangement.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThroughout my career, I\u2019ve drafted a lot of funding applications, both for private companies and non-profit organizations. It was definitely a steep learning curve because there aren\u2019t any schools that teach you how to do this kind of work. But I know how bring my expertise to the table, which is something you learn on the job.\u201d","clone_btn_1":"","clone_btn_2":"","afficher_les_angles":false,"couleur_du_bloc":"","couleur_du_bloc_before":"","couleur_du_bloc_after":"","clone_triangle":true,"clone_triangle_2":true,"color_bg":"grey_bg"},"image_1_colonne_img":"","image_1_colonne_triangles":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"2cols_image_content","block_titre":{"clone_espacement":"","clone_center":true,"clone_ancre":"","clone_uptitle":"","clone_title":"","clone_subtitle":"","clone_description":"","clone_btn_1":"","clone_btn_2":"","afficher_les_angles":false,"couleur_du_bloc":"","couleur_du_bloc_before":"","couleur_du_bloc_after":"","clone_triangle":false,"clone_triangle_2":false,"color_bg":"grey_bg"},"2cols_repeater":[{"repeater_image_position":"gauche","repeater_image":5816,"repeater_title":"","repeater_2":"","repeater_content":"
What does it take to succeed<\/strong> as a business development advisor for entrepreneurs<\/strong>?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\n\u201cWhen you work in innovation or with entrepreneurs, you have to have a strong sense of curiosity. That curiosity takes you to unexpected places, which is where innovation happens. Every day I\u2019m venturing into unknown territory (laughs)!\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nI\u2019m confident in my own skills and expertise. I don\u2019t have a background in tech\u2014I studied economics and business management, which are totally different things.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nYet every day, I collaborate with companies in fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing and health care. You really need to stay curious to work with entrepreneurs.\u201d\r\n\r\n ","repeater_liste":null,"repeater_liste_hv":"1","repeater_btn_1":"","repeater_btn_2":"","texte_de_la_liste_plus_gros":false}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"image_1_colonne","block_titre":{"clone_espacement":["top"],"clone_center":false,"clone_ancre":"","clone_uptitle":"","clone_title":"","clone_subtitle":"","clone_description":"
What\u2019s the most exciting<\/strong> part of meeting with businesses<\/strong>?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\n\u201cI love exchanging ideas and pooling our expertise (mine and the person\u2019s in front of me). I truly believe that when you work with entrepreneurs, you\u2019re really in the trust business. Everything is built on trust. Every meeting, every collaboration depends on it.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTo build something together, you have to be confident in your own expertise while also trusting the expertise of the people you\u2019re working with. I think Centech and Mitacs are seen as highly trustworthy, thanks to their proven selection criteria and processes.\u201d\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n
How can entrepreneurs<\/strong> know<\/strong> when<\/strong> to seek your advice<\/strong>?<\/h3>\r\n \r\n\r\n\u201cWe don\u2019t all have the same skills and this is especially true for entrepreneurs. That\u2019s where I come in. Like I said, it\u2019s all about trust. You can\u2019t really quantify or measure the trust you have in a person or an institution. It\u2019s just something you feel. Personal bias can come into play very quickly.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nYou need to get to know a business or entrepreneur to really understand the essence of their project. That\u2019s crucial for finding funding. The investor has to have confidence in the entrepreneur\u2019s integrity. For me, it\u2019s all about expressing ideas effectively.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThat\u2019s what Centech does and that\u2019s a big part of my job\u2014giving the maximum number of people the right information to bridge that gap. Funding applications are all about presentation. The way you present a project is very important. So is the content, but presentation is key.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nNot everyone has the skills to write a funding application. You have to know who to get in touch with to find the information you need. At an organization like Centech, that\u2019s also a major part of what I do: figuring out how to provide Centech entrepreneurs with the tools they need, when they may not even know they need them. There\u2019s this idea that being an entrepreneur is some kind of gift, like you wake up one day and suddenly you\u2019re an entrepreneur. That\u2019s not how it works.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIt\u2019s about reaching beyond your limits, every day. It\u2019s about being able to rely on the trust you\u2019ve built with your colleagues. Centech\u2019s team\u2014the entrepreneurs in residence, the coaches\u2014they\u2019re all extremely generous people who are dedicated to equipping entrepreneurs with the right information, so they can effectively \u201cbridge the gap\u201d and allow their projects to succeed.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nYou can have an amazing idea at the technical level, but if you lack business development skills or don\u2019t know how to create a pitch or presentation, that can be a big hindrance. It can mean the difference between a project that gets off the ground and one that never goes anywhere.\u201d\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n