At the heart of the Grand Palais, ChangeNOW 2026 was anything but a typical conference. It sent a clear signal: impact investing has entered a new phase, more mature, more structured, and firmly focused on execution.
Attending as a delegate for Québec, our co-director Naouel Hanani took the pulse of a global ecosystem in transformation. Through strategic meetings, in-depth discussions, and subtle signals, one thing became clear: the sector’s center of gravity has shifted.
The conversation is no longer about innovation. The solutions already exist. The challenge now is to direct capital toward them, structure effective financing mechanisms, and scale what works.
Across discussions with actors such as Impact Europe, MedWaves, Impact Hub, and Building Bridges, a clear pattern emerged. The sector is becoming more disciplined and competitive, increasingly aligned with the practices of venture capital and private equity, and driven by stronger expectations for measurable results.
At the same time, value is shifting. It lies less in individual projects and more in the ability to connect investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions, and to build alliances across ecosystems.
For Montreal, this shift creates a real opportunity. With its strong innovation base and engaged community, the city has the potential to play a convening role on the international stage, provided it can organize and scale its efforts collectively.
In this context, CIVIC plays a key role by connecting investors, bridging ecosystems between Québec and abroad, and helping accelerate the deployment of impact capital.
ChangeNOW 2026 makes one thing clear. The future of impact will be shaped by those who can connect, finance, and scale solutions. Montreal has an opportunity to step into that role.
Fauve Doucet is a civic tech entrepreneur and former media creative. After a decade in leading creative agencies — earning more than 20 awards and being named one of Marketing Magazine’s 30 Under 30 — she shifted her career toward social innovation and technology for the public good. She is the founder and CEO of Partage Club, a company building digital infrastructure to help cities mutualize services, rethink urban mobility, and strengthen resilient communities. Named Startup of the Year in 2024, she now leads the company’s international expansion. She also serves on the board of Masse Critique, a Canadian nonprofit working to reduce the socio-environmental footprint of the communications industry.
Sarah Bezeau Gervais, Managing Director, Startup en Résidence, Desjardins
Sarah is the Managing Director of Startup en Résidence, an accelerator-investor powered by Desjardins. She has worked in both large corporations and startups, and has been active on the investor side of the startup ecosystem since 2018. She specializes in early-stage support and financing.
Karine Bah Tahe, CEO and Co-founder, Oasis Learning AI
Karine Bah Tahe is the co-founder and CEO of Oasis Learning AI, an AI-native SaaS platform that detects changes in products, policies, and systems and automatically updates training and knowledge content in real time, ensuring employees always have accurate and up-to-date information. She launched Oasis in 2024 after repeatedly observing the same learning and development challenges: slow processes, outdated content, and high update costs.
Before Oasis, Karine founded Blue Level Training, a service company she scaled to CAD $1.8M in annual revenue, working with clients such as Apple, Colgate, and Netflix. She also worked as an international business journalist across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Sévrine Labelle, Managing Director, Lab Excelles and Fonds Excelles Repreneuriat, BDC Capital
Sévrine Labelle brings 18 years of executive leadership experience and is deeply committed to building a strong, inclusive, sustainable, and innovative economy. At BDC Capital, she leads the $100M Lab Excelles initiative, which includes two flagship $50M funds: Lab Excelles and the Fonds Excelles Repreneuriat (ETA).
Together with her team, she supports ambitious women pursuing entrepreneurship through business creation or acquisition, providing equity capital, strategic guidance, and a strong support ecosystem.
Previously, she served as CEO of Evol, where she led a major transformation and oversaw a portfolio of more than 350 companies.
Sylvain Carle, co-fondateur et co-directeur executif de CIVIC
Sylvain Carle, Moderator
For over 30 years, Sylvain Carle has been dedicated to emerging technologies, combining curiosity, passion, intuition, and ambition. He has developed deep expertise at the intersection of technology, innovation, investment, and human systems.
A strong advocate for collaboration in service of the common good, he has contributed to numerous organizations across both the private and community sectors. A pragmatic optimist, he believes in the potential of technology as a progressive force.
As an investor in innovative initiatives transforming industries, sectors, and regions, he aspires to a future where technology is sustainable, equitable, and human-centered, contributing positively to society and the environment.
✨ We are thrilled to welcome Naouel Hanani as Co-Executive Director, alongside Sylvain Carle. With 20 years of experience in startups and SMEs across Canada and internationally, she has grown entrepreneurial ecosystems, built strategic partnerships, and supported companies in scaling. Her expertise and strategic vision will be a major asset to take CIVIC to the next level.
Did you miss the most recent Montréal Impact Breakfast / Impact For Breakfast Montreal with Karel Mayrand? We thought of you!
🎥 Here is the full video of the conversation led by Sylvain Carle from CIVIC with Karel Mayrand, exploring philanthropic capital as a catalyst for innovation and collaboration.
CIVIC initiated this gathering because we firmly believe that philanthropy and private investment each carry complementary missions to create positive social and environmental impact.
CIVIC brings together those who put impact at the heart of investment decisions, maximizing returns and benefits for both people and the planet. We equip and connect the impact investing ecosystem to transform capital into lasting change.
🌱 Watch the full conversation from the Montréal Impact Breakfast held on October 23 at Maison Notman.
