3 April 2024

13:30 – 15:05

Amphi 4

Denys Turcotte

Denys’ career has been centered on the energy industry. During his career, he has held numerous positions in general management, marketing and sales, planning, engineering and project execution. He managed sales and marketing teams based in Canada and the United States for ALSTOM Power Canada. He was President and CEO of Areva T&D Canada as well as Voith (Siemens) Canada and Englobe Corp. He is currently President and CEO of Globerpro International, a firm specializing in strategic positioning and business development. Denys has always been active in energy-related associations, including the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute (Quebec Chapter), where he held the position of First Vice-President, and the National Electricity Round Table, as well as the Table de concertation de l’industrie électrique du Québec. In addition, he has participated in a number of social committees, the most recent of which is the board of directors of the Muséum Nature du Montréal. Denys holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the École Polytechnique de Montréal, and basic training in business administration (McGill University MBA).

Debate: What are the keys to startup growth and the challenges to be overcome?

Every year, a large number of companies are born. Unfortunately, in the short term, around 90% of startups fail completely. Of those that survive, around 15% make it into the top eight U.S. startup ecosystems. Similar statistics are found in France. In addition to startups, many companies that have passed the five-year mark are not reaching their full potential. In this debate, we look at the challenges that need to be overcome, and the keys to ensuring optimal, sustainable growth. The main challenges include strategic positioning of companies in relation to market needs and competing offerings, capital and human resource requirements, technological development of the offering, and the business model and its development.