Founded two years ago, the Quantino incubator a few days ago concluded its call for applications to welcome companies in the field of neuroscience and mental health, a new incubation service launched in June. And the demand is there: the management estimates that its organization will be running at full speed by the end of the year.
Posted at 10:00 a.m.
Launched and operated by INO, the largest center of expertise in optics-photonics in Canada, Quantino offers incubation services that include access to specialized laboratories and equipment as well as tax and legal services. .
It currently welcomes SMEs from five specialized fields: optics, photonics, hardware (hardware), quantum technologies and medical technologies.
But very soon, if all goes well, it should also receive start-ups that aim to develop technologies related to mental and neurological illnesses.
“Our call for applications closed on September 21. In October, we will meet with the companies in order to make the final selection,” explains Valérie Hénaire, director of Quantino. The incubator hopes to receive between six and eight applications. Of this number, it could accept between 75% and 100%, a high rate since the organization always prequalifies its candidate companies.
At full speed
Thanks to this new incubation service offered in association with the CERVO research center, which specializes in neurosciences and mental health, Quantino hopes to be at maximum capacity by the holidays.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
Valérie Hénaire, director of Quantino
Over the past two years, we have accepted 15 companies. At first, we went slowly because health measures limited the number of people we could receive in our labs. But there, we should be full by the end of the year.
Valérie Hénaire, director of Quantino
In total, Quantino has fifty offices and three laboratories for electronics, mechanics and optics. With an average of three people per business, the organization therefore expects to have, at full capacity, between 18 and 19 young firms in its facilities.
“Some businesses are run by a single person, but others grow quickly,” says Valérie Hénaire. One of our incubated companies, for example, went from one to seven people in one year. We must therefore anticipate organic growth in order to be able to serve everyone well. »
Incubator seeks investors
Established in Quebec, the incubator accepts companies whose stage of development is between proof of concept and industrialization. And at this point, funding couldn’t be more important.
For this reason, Quantino also wants to improve its business support in order to better help companies in their search for funds.
Next November, for example, it will organize an event, DemoDay, to promote networking between companies and investors. The objective is to welcome a limited number of qualified angel investors so that they can discover – and ultimately financially support – young companies with the desire to become unicorns.
“This will be our first event of its kind, says Valérie Hénaire. We will bring together targeted investors who could benefit the development of our businesses. Because that too is important for their growth. »