Centech, a world-class business incubator based in the Montréal innovation district, inspired by Barcelona 22@

Abstract

The objective of the paper is to highlight the process behind the design and development of Centech, a world-class incubator located in Montreal and recognized as one of the most successful university incubators in the world. Centech is housed in a cultural heritage building, the old Dow Planetarium, situated in the heart of the innovative district of Montréal, the “Quartier de l’innovation” (QI). Based on a methodology using different sets of data (interviews, series of reports made for the Montréal-Barcelona Summer School on Management of Creativity and Innovation, etc.), the paper shows how the development of Centech was in large part inspired by 22@Barcelona. The conclusion highlights the importance of an iconic collaborative place in the building of a local ecosystem of innovation.