Disseminating and transferring knowledge from the PERSÉIS space: avenues for experimentation in Quebec's entrepreneurial ecosystem

In a world where innovation shapes competitiveness, the dissemination and transfer of key knowledge—whether derived from public research or practical experience—are more crucial than ever.

The world of innovative and scientific entrepreneurship is changing rapidly, and transferring this knowledge to the "field," particularly to startup coaches and other players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, remains a challenge.

How can this dissemination be successful? What obstacles exist between researchers, support professionals, and entrepreneurs? And above all, how can these obstacles be overcome to facilitate this transfer of knowledge?

In light of my experience over the past few months as an advisor for PERSÉIS initiatives, I propose a series of actions to try out in conclusion and invite you to join in the discussion with this blog post.

The PERSÉIS space aims above all to stimulate research on innovative and scientific entrepreneurship in Quebec, based on the concerns and needs of support organizations, decision-makers, and entrepreneurs.

To achieve this, the space will be punctuated over the coming years by various research-society initiatives. The first initiatives, whether the seven structural projects announced in December 2023, the three monitoring units announced in November 2024, or those to come, share a common goal:

generate knowledge to inform and equip the actors who make up our entrepreneurial support ecosystem, in order to inform decision-making on priority issues.

In concrete terms, what does this knowledge refer to? And who is this knowledge intended for? Here are a few examples of groups that would benefit from access to understandable and credible information based on evidence:

• A group of civil servants must draft a new public policy on entrepreneurship that will meet real needs.
• A researcher wants to quickly understand the impact of the tariff war on our start-ups?
• Are support professionals interested in integrating mental health support into their entrepreneur support programs?

In some cases, the knowledge already exists but needs to be consolidated and made understandable. In other cases, it needs to be generated. The challenge therefore remains to make this knowledge accessible, understandable, and relevant to the realities of the business world.

It is not enough to simply disseminate research findings; they must be contextualized in order to be truly useful to those working in the field.

1. Accessibility

Research generates valuable knowledge, but its effective dissemination depends on its accessibility. It is therefore essential that research results are presented in a clear and understandable way. Digital knowledge-sharing platforms (e.g., En Commun, Savoir Innover), popular publications, and networking events between researchers and practitioners (e.g., the MAIN Summit) can facilitate this access.

2. Contextualization

Research findings are not always immediately applicable to the business world. To be useful, this knowledge must be adapted to the concrete and current challenges of the market, often within tight deadlines to ensure its relevance. This requires close collaboration between researchers and practitioners to adjust this knowledge to the realities on the ground. This is the main challenge facing the PERSÉIS monitoring units, which operate on a six-month cycle.

3. Interdisciplinary collaboration

The success of knowledge transfer depends on building bridges between the research community and practitioners in the field. Even though these two worlds may sometimes seem far apart, it is crucial to establish ongoing dialogue to ensure the effective dissemination and transfer of knowledge.

Over the past few months, I have taken steps to better understand the obstacles and opportunities for knowledge transfer in our ecosystem.

Through meetings with PERSÉIS researchers, workshops between practitioners and researchers, and events or panels aimed at disseminating research findings to a non-academic audience, one thing is clear:

There is no miracle solution that will enable the dissemination, transfer, and adoption of research-based knowledge in our entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The importance of a knowledge transfer plan containing a range of varied and flexible measures is therefore essential.

I therefore propose a series of actions to be tested quickly over the coming months—using the Test Fast, Fail Fast method—in order to measure their effectiveness and lay the foundations for a strategy that is better suited to the realities of our ecosystem.

Among these:

• Guest blog posts by researchers and practitioners in innovative and scientific entrepreneurship;
• Virtual lunchtime lectures: stimulating networking between communities by disseminating research findings and their practical implications;
• Fact sheets, infographics, or practical case studies: popularizing certain writings and tools;
• Centralization of content on platforms such as LinkedIn and existing websites (e.g., FRQ, MAIN);
• Knowledge sharing via existing networks (e.g., the circle of support professionals)

The engagement data collected will enable us to adjust our actions and identify the most effective approaches.

Would you like to contribute to the dissemination and transfer of knowledge within Quebec's entrepreneurial ecosystem? Do you have any ideas for content or suggestions for improving this process?

Please feel free to contact us, share your thoughts, or follow our LinkedIn page to contribute to this joint project.