Escouade Numérique

A non-profit of volunteer experts dedicated to guiding Quebec’s small businesses in their digital transition.

Founded in 2020 by FLAIR, Escouade Numérique brings together volunteer experts to address the digital challenges faced by Quebec’s SMEs. When COVID-19 struck, disrupting daily life and the economy, small businesses were particularly vulnerable: 80% saw their revenues decline, and only one in four had a transactional website or adequate digital tools.

An urgent need for digital support

Challenges

In this context, it became urgent to help small businesses overcome the impacts of the pandemic. Lacking basic digital skills, they needed guidance and support. This is how the Escouade Numérique nonprofit was born—to equip Quebec SMEs and strengthen their digital autonomy.

Solution

We assembled a collective of industry experts offering free and neutral advisory services, complemented by expert content available on the website. To maximize the nonprofit’s visibility, we leveraged Google Grants and entrusted campaign optimization to a cohort of HEC students, with a new team each session, ensuring continuous optimization and increased search engine visibility.

In addition to establishing a partnership with Mouvement Desjardins, our strategy has led to: