The Strengths of C2MTL

These days, C2MTL is on everyone’s lips. Described as the Davos of creativity by Le nouvel observateur, the international convention for creators andinnovators has once againmade a strong impression with guests including Alec Baldwin, Chelsea

Clinton and André Agassi. C2MTL president and CEO Richard

St-Pierre shares the secrets behind this success. After four years,^the first three editions were C2MTL’s childhood and the next three will be its adolescence. The fourth edition is growing: the event has been chosen as the number one conference in North America, welcomes^participants from 26 countries, and

attracts a substantial international audience. What has been built is exceptional, but the journey is far from over. The fifth

anniversary promises to make noise. The Economist said that C2MTL defies every convention. Richard St-Pierre explains that after working in Europe, Asia and the United States, he chose to return to Montréal because it is the place to be an entrepreneur. Montréal and Québec do not always value their unique environment enough or show their talent clearly enough. When a project succeeds here, it is not the end point;

it is the beginning. The challenge is to export ideas and make the rest of the world

aware of Montréal’s creative strength. Attracting major figures requires boldness and confidence. St-Pierre is often asked why C2MTL is not held in New York or San Francisco; his answer is simple: it would not work, because the Québec spirit is part of the event’s success. Many speakers come without being paid, drawn by the platform, reputation and ecosystem. C2MTL functions like an inverted trade mission: instead of sending entrepreneurs abroad to present local talent, it invites the world to experience Montréal. C2MTL runs until May 28 at the Arsenal.