Espace CDPQ: A Québec-based capital risk community driven by La Caisse

Ten years after its creation, Espace CDPQ provides a structured perspective on the evolution of venture capital in Québec. More than just a milestone, this anniversary highlights a novel idea—which has become established over time—that supporting innovation depends not only on capital, but also on the ability to create the right conditions for it. The goal is simple: combine networks, expertise and financial means to benefit Québec companies.

Espace CDPQ was launched in 2016 by La Caisse to address a specific need to make a rapidly maturing ecosystem more cohesive. By bringing together fund managers, investors, and various stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the initiative has helped create an environment conducive to the growth of local companies. This approach is part of a clear commitment to supporting Québec’s economic development through networks that can accelerate the transition from innovation to impact.

“When we created Espace CDPQ, we wanted to get closer to the venture capital ecosystem, bring people together, and better structure the industry.”

Kim Thomassin, Executive Vice-President and Head of Québec

A catalyst for funds and the ecosystem

Venture capital funds are central to the dynamic. Through Espace CDPQ, La Caisse acts as a catalyst for these key players by fostering closer ties, networking and the sharing of best practices. This integration helps develop managers’ skills, strengthen collaboration mechanisms, and build an active and connected community.

La Caisse’s role as a facilitator serves as a complementary lever to investing, allowing it not only to act as an investor, but also to influence the conditions under which the industry develops. This approach is based on the belief, which has only strengthened over the years, that an ecosystem’s performance depends as much on the quality of its interactions as on the volume of capital flowing through it.
The interactions taking shape at Espace CDPQ—networking, knowledge sharing, and joint initiatives—thereby expand each player’s reach. They help create a more dynamic environment in which ideas, expertise, and investment opportunities evolve more quickly.

Ensuring continuity to create value

The notion of convergence is also reflected in the continuity of funding. By facilitating the transition between different stages of development, Espace CDPQ helps minimize disruptions in a company’s life cycle. Close collaboration among stakeholders fosters co-investments, speeds up decision-making, and supports the emergence of companies capable of sustained growth.

Over the years, Espace CDPQ has established itself as a collective force for change. Beyond its physical presence, it reflects the emergence of a culture of collaboration that extends beyond the organizations themselves. This momentum also helps advance cross-functional issues, particularly in terms of equity, diversity, and inclusion, that are championed by the funds themselves (such as Accelia Capital and BKR Capital) and integrated into the ecosystem’s practices.

After ten years, Espace CDPQ is not the outcome of a model; it’s the starting point of an ecosystem that is more cohesive, more connected, and better equipped to support innovation. La Caisse plays a decisive role by investing and actively creating the conditions for sustainable value creation.

Supporting innovation at Espace CDPQ is exactly that: creating the connections, continuities, and drivers that enable the ecosystem to grow and thrive over time.

Click here to learn more about Espace CDPQ