/R E P E A T -- Invitation to the media - 18th Desjardins Grand Prize Gala of the OSEntreprendre Challenge 2016 - Fostering the Spirit of Entrepreneurship!/

QUÉBEC CITY, June 13, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The 18^th Desjardins Grand Prize Gala of the OSEntreprendre Challenge is slated for Thursday, June 16 at Québec City's Palais Montcalm. Thirty-three prizes totalling close to $200 000 will be awarded to the winners at the provincial level, who have competed against finalists from all 17 regions of Québec.

Hosted by Charles Lafortune, this major event will take place in the presence of the OSEntreprendre spokesman Dominique Brown, CEO of Chocolats Favoris; Lise Thériault, Deputy Premier, Minister responsible for Small and Medium Enterprises, Regulatory Streamlining and Regional Economic Development, Minister responsible for the Status of Women; Véronyque Tremblay, Member for Chauveau; and Alain Gagnon, vice-president, Agricultural and Agri-Food Sectors Division, Business Services, Desjardins Group, presenting partner of the event.

The Gala is a unique opportunity to :

• Meet in one place 250 new and motivated creative entrepreneurs from all 17 regions of Québec;
• Listen to the touching and colorful stories of young entrepreneurs from 6 to 17 years, for which the experience of entrepreneurship has changed something in their lives and in their communities;
• Spot new personalities and original content: regional entrepreneurs portraits, innovative and promising companies, reports on youth entrepreneurship, etc.;
• and be ringside to see the faces of tomorrow's Québec entrepreneurship!

THE GALA AT A GLANCE

What :	The 18^th Desjardins Grand Prize Gala of the OSEntreprendre Challenge
Who :	250 finalists: New entrepreneurs and students from all regions Dominique Brown, the Challenge's spokesman and CEO of Chocolats Favoris Manon Théberge, President-Director General of the Challenge The 5 finalists of the Successful Business inc. Prize (The biggest prize of the evening with a value of $ 25,000) Lise Thériault, Deputy Premier, Minister responsible for Small and Medium Enterprises, Regulatory Streamlining and Regional Economic Development, Minister responsible for the Status of Women Véronyque Tremblay, Member of Chauveau Alain Gagnon, vice-president, Agricultural and Agri-Food Sectors Division, Business Services, Desjardins Group, presenting partner of the event
When :	On Thursday June 16^th, starting at : 2:30 p.m. for pre-gala workshops with speakers Dominique Brown and Nicolas Duvernois, and the finalists of the Successful Business inc. Prize 5:00 p.m. for the cocktail reception followed by the awards evening from 18 h 20
Where :	Palais Montcalm de Québec, 995, place D'Youville

About the OSEntreprendre Challenge
Our mission is to inspire the spirit of enterprise and contribute to building a proud, innovative, committed and prosperous Québec. This is being accomplished thanks to the financial commitment of visionary partners such as the Desjardins Group, presenting partner, the Government of Québec, chief partner, the Ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement supérieur, the Ministère de l'Économie, de la Science et de l'Innovation, the Secrétariat à la jeunesse, the Secrétariat à la condition féminine, Les Affaires, Vidéotron Business Solultions, la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Gaz Métro, l'Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec, Saputo and Spektrum Média.

SOURCE Défi OSEntreprendre

Jennifer Poupart, [email protected] - 514 718-6365