our mission
Elan Tech empowers tech founders to rise, grow, and pay it forward. We foster diversity, inclusivity, and meaningful connections to build thriving, sustainable communities of tech innovation for purposeful progress.
Our VISION
To create a world where founder-driven ecosystems empower bold, inclusive, and collaborative startup communities that drive meaningful innovation, shared success, and lasting impact.
Our Journey:
17 years of growing together
In 2008, Elan ,Tech (formerly Regroupement Montreal NewTech) began as an association of tech founders with a simple belief: tech entrepreneurship is the future, and a strong community is essential to support builders. Startups are more than companies to us—they are the foundation of thriving societies and economies. By empowering founders and fostering collaboration, we aimed to spark more than individual success: a community that grows and thrives together.
Over 17 years, we’ve learned this: founder-driven ecosystems are the foundation of a sustainable startup ecosystem. But as ecosystems mature - whether in Montreal, Quebec, or beyond - institutional frameworks often overshadow the founder-first spirit that drives early-stage vibrancy, ambition, and meaningful innovation.
We’ve observed this challenge in our own ecosystem, and to address it, we’ve returned to our roots - formalizing the concept of Cultivators in startup ecosystems and embracing a new identity: Elan Tech - symbolizing vitality, momentum, and purpose.
At Elan Tech, we’re dedicated to building a close-knit community of tech founders, empowering them to rise, grow, and pay it forward. By reinforcing the focus on founders, we aim to preserve the essence that makes startup ecosystems thrive.
Why Elan
For us, Elan Tech captures the essence of what it means to be a founder: the urge to create with passion, the drive to overcome obstacles and inspire others, and the bold success that emanates when the community thrives together.
Élan / Elan
[eɪˈlɑːn] noun
1. Forward motion, collective energy, and elevation.
2. The moose, symbol of strength and perseverance in Canada’s wilderness.
E.L.A.N
Techabbreviation
1. Entrepreneurs Leading and Advancing New Technologies
2. Entrepreneur-es Leaders pour l'Avancement des Nouvelles Technologies
What We Stand For
Founders First
We center our work around bold and ambitious founders - current, repeat, former, and rising - recognizing that diverse backgrounds and perspectives are key to driving innovation and shaping the future
Bold Builders with Big Visions
We believe true founders are driven by the urge to build, not just opportunity. Ambition means solving real problems, pushing technology forward, or tackling big markets—regardless of the obstacles
Empowerment Over Power
We embrace meaningful partnerships that amplify collective success, prioritizing collaboration and empowerment over control
Pay it forward
A thriving community grows when people pay it forward. Helping others isn’t an obligation; it’s a mindset
Intentional Action
We believe mastery lies in the details, and we move with purpose, embracing thoughtful refinement and precision to create transformative outcomes
Excellence with Playfulness
We take our work seriously, but not ourselves. Creativity, curiosity, and a drive for impact define our approach
