MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Sept. 28, 2012) - (TSX:NA)

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

National Bank and the École d'Entrepreneurship de Beauce (EEB) launched yesterday the second edition of the National Bank Prize for student entrepreneurs in the second cohort of the EEB elite program. The winning entrepreneur will receive $10,000 to invest in a business project and thereby put the knowledge gained from the EEB into practice.

"At National Bank, our priority is to help our clients grow their business, regardless of the field in which they operate. Supporting tomorrow's business leaders is therefore crucial. Our partnership with the EEB reflects our desire to help make the next generation of entrepreneurs strong and effective, so that they can make a significant contribution to the vitality of the Quebec economy," said Diane Déry, Vice-President - Sales and Service, Commercial Banking for Central and Eastern Quebec at National Bank.

With this semi-annual prize, National Bank and the EEB have taken concrete steps to support students in the elite training program. "The EEB equips its student entrepreneurs with the tools they need to set future goals for their businesses, and the cash awarded by National Bank helps to fund these ambitions. We are very proud of this ongoing partnership with the Bank, and the awarding of a second National Bank Prize," stated Marc Dutil, Founding President of the EEB.

The student entrepreneurs of the EEB's second cohort have until Thursday, November 15 to submit their project to the jury made up of Diane Déry from National Bank, and a representative of the EEB. The winner will be announced and the cash prize awarded on November 29.

On February 2, Robert Michaud, President of Ramp-Art and one of the EEB's student entrepreneurs, was the winner of the first edition of the National Bank Prize. Ramp-Art, a railing manufacturing company located in Lévis, was chosen out of 6 submissions. The $10,000 awarded by National Bank enabled Mr. Michaud to acquire a specialized software program and train his employees in order to implement a new production cost program. The project has already started yielding results and the number of firm orders are up. National Bank's interview with Mr. Michaud is available at [ www.lesdecideurs.ca ].

Every year, through its donations and sponsorships program and the initiatives of its employees, National Bank helps support hundreds of organizations across Canada. It focuses primarily on four main areas of activity - health, education, arts and culture, and community outreach - with the goal of generating positive benefits for communities. To find out more about National Bank's involvement in the community, consult its Social Responsibility Report at [ www.nbc.ca/socialresponsibility ].

About National Bank of Canada

With $180 billion in assets as at July 31, 2012, National Bank of Canada ([ www.nbc.ca ]), together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada's leading integrated financial groups, and was named among the five strongest banks in the world by Bloomberg Markets. The Bank has more than 20,000 employees and is widely recognized as a top employer. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:NA). Follow the Bank's activities via social media and learn more about its extensive community involvement at [ clearfacts.ca ] and [ commitment.nationalbank.ca ].

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