Quebec entrepreneurs will once again have the opportunity to present their projects to the province's most renowned investors in the 15th season of Dans l'oeil du dragon, broadcasted on Radio-Canada. For the third year, AWS Canada will be there to support local entrepreneurs and accelerate innovation in the province.
AWS Canada Director Réjean Bourgault will appear throughout the season. During the season 15 premiere, Bourgault launched the competition whose winner will receive an AWS business grant worth $100,000. He will return mid-season to share his initial impressions of the projects presented to the Dragons so far, and viewers can tune into the season finale to see him reveal the winner of the grand prize—including technology credits and business and technical mentorship.
AWS is the world's largest cloud but began 20 years ago with a simple idea to level the playing field by providing technology on demand over the internet.
"AWS began as a startup—our vision was to enable businesses of all sizes to have access to the same technology," says Bourgault. "Today, this feeling is still alive and motivates our renewed collaboration with Dans l'oeil du dragon. We're home to 350,000 startups worldwide, and we're proud to continue this work right here in Quebec."
Supporting innovation with cloud and AI
"Season after season, we discover exceptional Quebec entrepreneurs who have what it takes to succeed," continues Bourgault. "Knowing that startups are increasingly using AI for advanced functions, we're eager to see how the entrepreneurs of the 15th season will leverage tools like generative and agentic artificial intelligence. To award the prize, we'll be looking at how the business project integrates cutting-edge cloud and AI, and the impact our support could have on the company's growth."
A growing list of winners
Last year, the AWS business grant was awarded to La 2e classe. The company, led by Christine-Amélie Roberge and Marilou Gravel, democratises home education through virtual group classes for students whose journey falls outside the usual framework.
The two finalist companies each received a prize worth $20,000 in technology credits and mentorship. For the past year, AWS has also been supporting Brava Endurance, a clothing brand for women practising endurance sports, and Petit Cactus, a digital health company specialising in diabetes management.
In 2024, the grand prize was awarded to AquaVerti, a controlled environment agriculture company co-founded by Georges Aczam and Stephen Mossune that uses technology to transform it into a more responsible industry. That same year, the finalists for the AWS business grant were SilkNSoak, a vegan shower and home products company co-founded by the Castaneda sisters, and OneTrip, a company that helps independent grocery stores modernize and sell their products online.
"The AWS business grant is a concrete way to support the next generation of Quebec entrepreneurs and accelerate the digital transformation of businesses with cloud and AI," explains Bourgault. "Over the years, the success of winning companies creates positive momentum for Quebec's economy, and innovative solutions transform entire sectors."
Follow the 15th season of Dans l'oeil du dragon
Dans l'oeil du dragon, the Quebec version of the popular show Dragon's Den, brings together renowned investors—the dragons—and ambitious entrepreneurs seeking to convince this panel of experts to finance their project. Whether they obtain an investment or not, all participants are eligible for the AWS business grant to help propel their business to new heights.
The Radio-Canada show airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EDT on ICI Télé and live on ICI TOU.TV.
Learn more about AWS's collaboration and view episode summaries here.
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