The president of Lü – Interactive Playground was jumping for joy. Metaphorically.
Posted at 11:00 a.m.
Specializing in technological support for physical activity in elementary schools, the Quebec company has just obtained funding of $1.25 million from Fondaction, which is giving new impetus to its growth spurt.
With its interactive wall projections, Lü “transforms primary school gymnasiums into immersive educational playgrounds, where children will learn by moving, playing together”, describes Vincent Routhier.
After barely five years of existence – preschool age – Lü’s systems are already installed in nearly 1,200 schools in 35 countries, including around 100 in Quebec.
Hung from the ceiling of the gymnasium, each system includes a high-definition laser projector, a motion detection camera that allows interaction with the projection, a multi-color LED lighting system and an audio system, to which is added a wall computer.
The company has designed the software that controls the equipment and the various educational and utility applications in support of the teacher.
Its catalog includes around sixty edutainment activities.
A social experience
An example ?
Newton is a small mental calculation game. The screen projected on the wall of the gymnasium is separated into two halves, assigned to two teams of students who must answer a series of arithmetic questions as quickly as possible. In turn, each child throws a ball at the answer that they think is the right one, among the choices offered by the projection. “We make their brains work, they do math while moving, they have to collaborate. »
Because it is an activity lived in common.
“In our values, it is something fundamentally important, continues the president. In general, technology isolates people, it is an individual experience with its personal screen. In our vision of creating an immersive group experience for children, it becomes a social experience for them. »
The birth of the idea
Where does the idea come from? “I have a background in music, which eventually led me to cinema, then to creating immersive and interactive experiences, for example in museums”, relates Vincent Routhier.
He was dedicated to this mission with his previous company when his two daughters were born.
Wishing to be actively involved in their education and curious about the world of education, he designed the prototype of an immersive environment with interactive projection. In February 2017, he tested a first game in a primary school in the Quebec region. The children’s reaction shocked him. “We uploaded a video that night, and the next day we had almost 1 million views. By the end of 2017, there were 28 Lü systems in 10 countries. »
In full growth
Lü now has around 40 employees.
The company partially manufactures and fully assembles its equipment, whose housings and fastening systems have been designed with the support of industrial designers to withstand the impact of footballs.
Approximately 95% of sales are made outside of Canada, primarily in North America and Europe. Software and games are available in 12 languages.
“We are on a growth rate of 100% at the moment, notes Vincent Routhier. Every year, we double our sales, our expenses, and the number of our employees. It’s a frenetic pace that is supported by our sales. »
So far, at least.
Funding from Fondaction will provide the necessary cushion to deal with the vagaries and surprises of youthful growth.
At Fondaction, this investment inaugurates its new Health and Well-Being investment theme, the objective of which is to “better respond to the growing social and intergenerational issues affecting global health”.
A woman takes the handlebars of Rocky Mountain bikes
PHOTO WILD CHILD ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE, PROVIDED BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN
A cyclist herself, Kate Bond, managing director of bicycle manufacturer Rocky Mountain, becomes president and chief executive officer and takes the helm of the company. She is here in action.
The president of the Rocky Mountain bicycle manufacturer, the Beauceron Raymond Dutil, hands over the handlebars to its general manager Kate Bond, in office since 2019. Already well in the saddle, the new president and general manager intends to prioritize relations with retailers and consumers. The 44-year-old manager pointed out that women in senior management remain rare in the sports industry. A cyclist herself, she was previously Brand Director for Chlorophylle and Director, Product Development, Sourcing and Asian Production at Louis Garneau Sports. Raymond Dutil does not completely leave the framework of the company. He continues his involvement as coach Innovation and Executive Chairman of the Board. The transition at the head of the Saint-Georges company was supposed to take place in two years, but the pandemic has added obstacles to the course, pushing back the finish line by a year.
A first drag agency in Quebec
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PRODUCTIONS MIDOR
A drag artist himself, Michel Dorion has just founded the Productions MIDOR agency, Quebec’s first agency for managing artists and producing drag shows.
The curtain has risen on the first Quebec agency for managing artists and producing drag shows. Founded by Michel Dorion, the Productions MIDOR agency officially opened on May 31. In addition to shows, it manages the presence of drags in business or private circles and provides advice and professional support to artists. The first artists to join its ranks bear the exotic names of circumstance: Adriana, Chouchoune, Ciatha Night, Crystal Starz, Démone LaStrange, Miss Butterfly… and Michel Dorion. Because the president and founder of the agency is himself a drag artist, with 35 years of experience behind the crav… the neckline. “I have developed expertise with several corporate and private clients, which has allowed me to live from my art and which I now wish to put to good use. [au bénéfice] of the career of Quebec drags, ”he said in a press release.
Groupe Deschênes acquires Crane Supply
A new connection in fittings and pipes. On May 31, Groupe Deschênes Inc. (GDI) completed the acquisition of Crane Supply, a division of Crane Canada that specializes in the distribution of pipes, valves, fittings and pipe fittings. Crane Supply is added to the already well-stocked list of the Deschênes Group, which presents itself as the largest Canadian-owned company in its sector of activity. A private family business founded in 1940, the wholesaler-distributor serves the infrastructure markets, various specialties in building mechanics, and finally automotive parts. The transaction connects 27 new points of sale to the current GDI network in the 10 Canadian provinces. Crane Supply becomes the 16e commercial unit of Groupe Deschênes. It retains its name for the time being and remains under the direction of its president Tom Frazer. With the addition of Crane Supply’s contingent of 425 employees, GDI now has 229 outlets and employs 3,500 people.
100 million
Canada provided $100 million to the African Development Bank to support the growth of agribusiness SMEs on the continent. According to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), African agricultural SMEs produce, process and transport 70% to 90% of the continent’s food.