Quantum technologies at the heart of a Tech Triangle Talk led by Sherbrooke Innopole

Two young Sherbrooke businesses from the quantum sector, Nord Quantique, and SBQuantum introduced their technologies to investors, partners from the Sherbrooke – Rennes – Arizona Entrepreneurial Triangle, and research centers from those three territories at a Tech Triangle Talk organized by Sherbrooke Innopole, on March 23, 2021.

The new Tech Triangle Talk monthly networking events follow the launch of the Entrepreneurial Triangle, in November 2020. These exclusive virtual-themed meetings offer flash presentations from startups, major investors, and regional innovative ecosystems, as well as a business meeting space.

Nord Quantique’s co-founder, Julien Camirand Lemyre, explained how the business he created with Philippe StJean is now in the quantum computing race thanks to its technology using superconducting qubits to solve the problems of current quantum processors.

David Roy-Guay, the co-founder of SBQuantum with Rachel Taylor, presented the magnetic intelligence platform using quantum field sensors that his business is developing to inspect, explore and navigate based on information that is currently hidden fluctuations of the Earth’s magnetic field.

The event brought together over forty participants from Québec, the United States, and France on the theme of quantum technologies and put forward the Institut quantique of Université de Sherbrooke, the innovation hub Photonics Bretagne, Cailabs, a business from Rennes, the Center for Quantum Networks associated with the University of Arizona, and Quantonation, the first VC Fund dedicated to Quantum Technologies, based in France.

“It was important for all the partners of the Sherbrooke – Rennes – Arizona Entrepreneurial Triangle to further exchanges on a regular basis to strengthen this new collaboration. Together, we imagined monthly themed meetings for businesses from our respective territories to showcase their knowledge and expertise, meet with potential investors and partners, and have occasions to grow on international markets. This is what Tech Triangle Talks are all about. They allow for a better understanding of our mutual sectors, with the perspective of creating research and business synergies. We are delighted to see how rich the exchanges are!”, said Josée Fortin, Executive Director of Sherbrooke Innopole.

“The Université de Sherbrooke is honored to be one of the partners of this event, inspired by graduate students who are entrepreneurs in quantum science. We are proud to stimulate the innovative spirit of our students and 2 to contribute to the training of the next generation in a field as critical as quantum sciences," said Prof. Vincent Aimez, Vice-Rector, Development and Partnerships at the Université de Sherbrooke.

This was the 2nd edition of the Tech Triangle Talks. The first one took place in February on the theme of life sciences and was headed by AZ TechCelerator and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, respectively based in Surprise and Tucson, Arizona. The series of themed events will be organized alternately by innovation hubs from the three territories of the Entrepreneurial Triangle.

“We are collectively sharing best practices and uniting businesses so that we provide a successful launchpad for companies to scale internationally. Centering our conversations around leading-edge technology industries helps drive innovation forward at an accelerated pace,” shared Carol Stewart, Associate Vice President of Tech Parks Arizona and President of University of Arizona Center for Innovation.

“The AZ TechCelerator, a global innovation hub located in the northwest Greater Phoenix community of Surprise, Arizona, is a supporting partner of the Tech Triangle Talk series. Our team in the City of Surprise is excited to participate and build relationships with our global partners,” said Jeanine Jerkovic, Economic Development Director at the City of Surprise.

“Destination Rennes and Le Poool are proud to be partnering with the Entrepreneurial Triangle and the Tech Triangle Talk organized by Sherbrooke Innopole on quantum physics, in which Sherbrooke is a leader in Canada. It will be a great pleasure for us to organize the next event in one of Rennes’ sectors of excellence that will be revealed soon. We are inviting our partners from Sherbrooke and Arizona to join us in April”, said Jean-François Kerroc'h, Executive Director of Destination Rennes.

“Through the Entrepreneurial Triangle, we are developing key relationships for the entrepreneurs of our ecosystem, added Daniel Gergès, Director of Le Poool. They allow us to keep a watchful eye on possible collaborations and scale up our actions.”

The Sherbrooke – Rennes – Arizona Entrepreneurial Triangle brings together the following economic development organizations: Destination Rennes, Le Poool (Rennes, Bretagne, France), Sherbrooke Innopole (Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada), Surprise Economic Development Department (Surprise, Arizona, United States) and Tech Parks Arizona (Tucson, Arizona, United States). This new international collaboration aims to accelerate the commercialization efforts and networking of businesses in the three partner territories.

About Sherbrooke Innopole

Sherbrooke Innopole is Ville de Sherbrooke’s economic development organization for the industrial and high value-added services sector. Its mission is to accelerate the development of companies from the five key sectors – Advanced Manufacturing, Cleantech, Information Technologies, Life Sciences, and Micro-nanotechnologies – and ensure that Sherbrooke has an attractive and innovative business environment. sherbrooke-innopole.com