{"id":4775,"date":"2021-11-09T21:52:23","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T02:52:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.evol.ca\/?page_id=4775"},"modified":"2025-07-30T15:04:44","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T19:04:44","slug":"the-organization","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.evol.ca\/en\/about\/the-organization\/","title":{"rendered":"the organization"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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mission<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We finance and mentor businesses with diverse, inclusive ownership in the 17 regions of Quebec so that they can collectively leave a positive mark on society.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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vision<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We play a leading role in impact entrepreneurship in Quebec, stimulating the emergence, growth, and succession of diversified, inclusive businesses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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values<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Engagement, openness, trust, excellence, and collaboration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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purpose<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We transform entrepreneurship to help create a more diversified, equitable, and sustainable economy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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30 years of impact in entrepreneurship in Quebec<\/h2>\n\n\n
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$68,2M granted in funding to diversely owned businesses<\/mark><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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1 524 financed businesses<\/mark><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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+ 10 196 jobs created and maintained<\/mark><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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+ 90 000 entrepreneurs<\/mark> touched by our actions<\/mark><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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$330,4M of investment spin-offs<\/mark><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Evol, financing change for 30 years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Evol stems from the evolution of Femmessor, an organization that is now celebrating 30 years of commitment to building a more inclusive and sustainable economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It all began in 1995 on Quebec\u2019s North Shore, driven by the bold vision of a group of businesswomen, entrepreneurs, and socio-economic leaders who pooled their efforts and resources to create the very first investment fund dedicated to women entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The success of this pioneering initiative prompted the Government of Quebec to support the creation of similar organizations across the province. Between 2001 and 2013, Femmessor progressively expanded into all 17 regions of Quebec, positioning the province as one of the most forward-thinking ecosystems in terms of support for women entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016, the 17 regional entities and the Femmessor network merged into a single organization. That same year, the Fonds pour les femmes entrepreneures <\/em>FQ was launched through partnerships with Fondaction and Investissement Qu\u00e9bec, as an agent for the Government of Quebec. This gave Femmessor access to nearly $19 million to offer conventional loans to businesses in which at least one woman held a strategic role and owned a minimum of 25% of the shares and voting rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2021, Femmessor expanded its mission to support a broader range of underrepresented entrepreneurs and refreshed its brand identity, becoming Evol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to key partnerships with the Government of Quebec (for which Investissement Quebec is the agent), National Bank, BDC, the Fonds de solidarit\u00e9 FTQ, and Fondaction, Evol launched a new impact funding envelope. This nearly $60 million fund provides conventional loans to businesses led by at least one person from underrepresented groups who holds a strategic role and owns a minimum of 25% of shares and voting rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thirty years on, Evol continues to pursue its bold ambition: transforming the economy to make it more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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governance<\/mark><\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Evol’s Board of Directors is composed of 14 members, most of whom are women and men entrepreneurs, who ensure the good governance of the organization. At Evol, we believe that diversity is a guarantee of innovation and success. We rely on the collective intelligence and complementary strengths of our team members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Board of Directors 2025-2026<\/h5>\n\n\n
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Nadia Martel<\/h4>\n

President (Founding partner, i4 Capital Fund)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Lucie Bourgeois<\/h4>\n

Vice-president (Founding president, Umalia)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Fran\u00e7ois Faucher<\/h4>\n

Treasurer (President, Gestion Cinq-F Inc. \u2014 Consulting and Support)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Farnel Fleurant<\/h4>\n

Secretary (Founder and CEO of Workind)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Benoit Auger<\/h4>\n

Director (CPA, Partner at PwC Canada)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Marc Bouchard<\/h4>\n

Administrateur (Vice-pr\u00e9sident, Gestion des risques de cr\u00e9dit et de participation chez Investissement Qu\u00e9bec)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Myriam Crevier<\/h4>\n

Director (Senior partner and General manager at Syrus)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Bhaskor Guha<\/h4>\n

Director (Founder, TLM)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Nathalie Nasseri<\/h4>\n

Director (Senior business advisor at Inno-Centre)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Richard Painchaud<\/h4>\n

Director (President, Kourant Technologies Inc.)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Michelle Nollet<\/h4>\n

Observatrice (Conseill\u00e8re, Direction du soutien \u00e0 l\u2019entrepreneuriat et aux cr\u00e9neaux d\u2019excellence, Minist\u00e8re de l\u2019\u00c9conomie et de l\u2019Innovation)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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France Desharnais<\/h4>\n

Director (Corporate director)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Fabienne Lacoste<\/h4>\n

Director (Corporate director)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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St\u00e9phanie Robichaud<\/h4>\n

Director (General Manager, Allard, Allard et associ\u00e9s inc.)<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Evol\u2019s CEO <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

G\u00e9raldine Martin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n