Post by V1 Studio

42%. That's how many startups fail because there's no real market need for what they built (CB Insights). That's exactly why Lab2Market Validate exists, and last week the Quebec winter 2026 cohort delivered their final pitches after weeks of talking to potential customers, testing assumptions, and exploring whether their solution really has a place in the market. Some are leaving with a clear path to commercialization. Others discovered their initial idea doesn't hold up, and that's just as valuable. 👏Big congrats Akinlolu O. Gaëlle Patricia Talotsing @Alireza Sherkat Bazzazan Omar TAHMI Ali Fendri Farnaz N. Aubin BIRBA Brunel FOTSO Azadeh Ahmadihaji Thibaut ATONFACK SONTIA Wissal Bhiri Armand Bandiang Massoua Mojtaba Rostamighadi, Ph.D. CAI BING Tanos Celmar COSTA FRANCA Rodrigo Alain Migueles Ramirez Umair Asif Reda Morsli, Thank you to all of the industry mentors who shared their time and insights with the participants and to our wonderful coaches Mike Raymond Sandra Cinq-Mars and Thibaud Joubert for your enthusiasm, your wisdom and your commitment to every participant. Thank you to Mitacs Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Lab2Market Quebec Hub partners: Université Laval Entrepreneuriat ULaval Concordia University District 3 Innovation Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue Université du Québec à Chicoutimi Université de Sherbrooke Parcours EST Université de Montréal Millénium Québecor - Université de Montréal INRS - Institut national de la recherche scientifique