Submit your application for the 20th edition

Application Process

To begin the application process, please contact us to discuss your business transfer and assess your eligibility for the program.

Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to proceed with their nomination and will receive complimentary support from an HEC Montréal student to help prepare a strong nomination package.

Interested in applying?

Contact us to discuss your eligibility and next steps

Key Milestones

Nomination packages must be submitted no later than March 19, 2027. Complimentary support from an HEC Montréal student is provided to help candidates prepare a strong nomination package that fully reflects the impact and success of their business transfer journey.
Jury interviews will take place on April 13, 2027.
The award ceremony will be held on May 26, 2027.

Simplifying your application process

Each candidate company can benefit from complimentary support from a graduate student at HEC Montréal in preparing its nomination package.

During a 60 to 90-minute meeting, the student will gather the relevant information and help structure a clear, compelling application aligned with the jury's evaluation criteria.

This complimentary support helps candidates effectively showcase their business transfer journey, achievements, and vision for the future, while simplifying the application process.

Your nomination package should enable the jury to evaluate the following elements:

Company Overview
Succession Planning and Knowledge Transfer
Leadership and Transfer of Authority
Vision for the Future
Financial Health
Resilience in the Face of Economic Challenges

Company Overview

Briefly describe your company, including:

Its history;

Its management team and their responsibilities;

Its governance structure (executive committee, family council, board of directors);

The nature of its activities and products;

Its number of employees.

Succession Planning and Knowledge Transfer

Explain how the transfer was planned and executed. The jury will evaluate, among other things:

The composition and complementary strengths of the successor team;

The development of the successors' skills and capabilities;

Their progressive involvement in managing the business;

The transfer of knowledge and expertise;

The planning and execution of the transfer of authority.

Leadership and Transfer of Authority

Demonstrate how the successor team assumed leadership of the business and ensured a smooth transition for employees, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Please address:

The role played by each member of the successor team;

The current role of the previous leadership team, if applicable;

The main challenges encountered during the transition;

Key lessons learned throughout the transfer process.

Vision for the Future

Present your vision for the company's future growth and development. The jury will consider:

Your strategic plan;

Your understanding of the market and competitive landscape;

Your approach to workforce and supply chain challenges;

Your response to current issues such as cybersecurity and ESG considerations;

Your equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives;

Your capacity for innovation and the development of new products, concepts, or markets.

Financial Health

Explain how the successor team is contributing to the company's long-term sustainability and growth. The jury may consider:

Revenue growth;

Profitability;

The digitization of financial processes;

Market share;

Key financial performance indicators;

Any other metrics demonstrating the company's performance.

Finalist selected for an interview will be required to submit the company's financial statements for the previous two years to the jury chair on a confidential basis.

Resilience in the Face of Economic Challenges

Explain how your company has demonstrated its ability to adapt to current challenges from operational, financial, and human resources perspectives. Please address:

The main challenges facing your business;

The measures implemented to address them;

The growth opportunities that may arise from these challenges.

Visibility and Recognition for Award Winners

The Business Transfer Awards celebrate the teams that ensure the continuity and growth of Quebec businesses through a successful transition to the next generation of leaders.

Beyond the visibility gained, submitting an application is an opportunity to have your journey recognized, showcase your team's achievements, and join a community of entrepreneurs, executives, and business leaders who contribute to Quebec's economic vitality.

Recognition of your business transfer journey by a jury composed of influential leaders from Quebec's business community

Recognition of your succession journey and your team's achievements

Access to a community of influential entrepreneurs, executives, and business leaders

Opportunities to expand your network within Quebec's entrepreneurial ecosystem

Recognition among your employees, clients, and business partners

Visibility through PwC's business networks and the program's sponsors

Media exposure, including visibility in La Presse+

Showcase of your company at the Business Transfer Awards ceremony

Production of a promotional video unveiled during the ceremony

Visibility on the Business Transfer Awards website and across the program's and partners' social media channels

A promotional toolkit to help share this recognition with your employees, clients, and partners

Family Business Transfer Jury

This jury evaluates companies that have successfully transferred a family-owned business to the next generation of leaders. It recognizes organizations that have ensured the continuity, growth, and long-term sustainability of their business through a smooth transition and a long-term vision.

Anne-Catherine Ménard

Copresident, Family Business Transfer Jury

Copresident, Topring

Luis-Felipe Cisneros-Martinez

Copresident, Family Business Transfer Jury

Professor and Scientific Director of the Entrepreneurship Institute, HEC Montréal

Eligibility Requirements – Family Transfer

The transfer must involve an owner who wishes to transfer their business to one or more successors who intend to actively participate in the management and leadership of the company throughout the acquisition process. The Business Transfer Awards are open to privately held businesses in Quebec. To be eligible:

At least one successor must be a family member.

The successor must have acquired an ownership interest that provides significant influence over the company’s strategic decisions.

The transfer must have taken place within the last ten years.

The business must not have submitted an application in a previous edition of the competition.

Entrepreneurial Business Transfer Jury

This jury evaluates businesses that have successfully completed an entrepreneurial business transfer. It recognizes organizations that have ensured the continuity and long-term sustainability of their business through a successful transition.

Julie Pilon

Copresident, Entrepreneurial Business Transfer Jury

President, LG2

Jean-François Desjardins