Quebec Photonic Network Tour in Germany

Quebec Photonic Network
YEAR
IN
REVIEW
GERMANY - FRANCE
Trade Missions
UNITED STATES – GERMANY
CHINA - CANADA
Trade Fairs
Photonics West
Laser World of Photonics, Munich
Laser World of Photonics, China
Photonics North
QUEBEC CITY - MONTREAL
QPN Rendezvous
ABB - CMC Electronics - Photon etc. - COPL - MPBC
SEMINAR
Optics-photonics serving aeronautics
CAE - Bombardier - CMC Electronics - Pratt & Whitney - Aero Montreal
Jane Bachynski, President of MPB Communications
2015 Year in Review
Summary
Editorial
2015-01 Rendezvous at ABB
Photonics West 2015
Laser World of Photonics - China 2015
2015-03 Rendezvous at CMC Electronics
Tour in Germany
2015-05 Rendezvous at Photon etc.
Photonics North 2015
Laser World of Photonics - Munich 2015
2015-09 Rendezvous at the COPL
QPN 2015 Seminar
2015-12 Rendezvous at MPB Communications
Annual General Meeting
Quebec Photonic Network 2015 Year in Review
Vol. 2, No. 1
Editor in chief: Mireille Jean
Created by: Denis Jean, [email protected]
Production editing: Dominique Poirier
Photographs: Quebec Photonic Network and contributors
Published by the Quebec Photonic Network.
© Copyright 2016 Quebec Photonic Network.
All reproduction, translation, and adaptation rights are reserved.
Quebec Photonic Network
Montreal Office
407K-355, rue Peel
Montreal QC H3C 2G9
Quebec City Office
2740, rue Einstein
Quebec QC G1P 4S4
Tel.: 514 368-1677
Toll free: 866 344-1677
www.photonquebec.org
The QPN welcomes new members!
In 2015, the QPN, whose team already consisted of
Mireille Jean and Françoise Lee, welcomed Laurence
Déziel to events management and Félicien Legrand to
member support.
2 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
On the cover page
Jane Bachynski,
President of MPB Communica ons
Ms. Bachynski made a noteworthy
presenta on of the company and
its achievements at the QPN Rendezvous held on December 14, 2015.
Editorial
The scope and importance of Quebec photonics are secrets that are too closely kept. All Quebecers should be
proud of this leading sector, which relies upon modern research infrastructures, interna onally renowned and experienced researchers, innova ve technologies and excep onal exper se. Quebec’s photonics ecosystem affects
technologies and economics, but also has an impact on all aspects of human life, such as telecommunica ons,
health, entertainment, green technologies, security, aerospace, transporta on industries, and more.
In 2015, the Quebec Photonic Network made it a priority to have their scope and importance known and recognized here and abroad. Notably, the QPN gained recogni on with poten al buyers and suppliers, federal and
provincial government representa ves, offering a diversified program which comprised five QPN Rendezvous,
four exhibi ons (Munich, San Francisco, O awa, Shanghai), one seminar on the theme of “Photonics serving
Aerospace,” newsle ers, and much more.
The QPN team worked for countless hours to organize, manage and carry out this audacious program. However,
the 2015 program’s resounding success is mainly the result of the par cipa on of our members and friends who
answered our call in such great numbers.
For the QPN, 2015 was a year of consolida on. First of all, there was the consolidaon of its members with a renewal rate of nearly 80% and an increase of 55% in
new members. Then, there was the financial consolida on with a balanced distribu on of revenue between membership revenues, event registra on fees,
partnerships and government support. Finally, 2015 was further marked byy
consolida on with the addi on of two new staff members.
I would like to underscore the board of directors’ involvement in ini a ng
a strategic planning exercise during the year. This planning illustrates the
progress the QPN has experienced during that past few years. The aim
is to con nue progressing at this rate and even faster. This planning will
translate into the development of a new QPN vision and mission.
Lastly, I wish to thank those who contributed to the QPN’s success in 2015.
Thanks to our partners whose support is essen al to the pursuit of our mission.
Thanks to our collaborators who transform our events into great successes.
Thanks to the members of the Board of Directors who always eagerly support our projects, whatever they may be. Thanks to myy
incredible team composed of dedicated and talented individuals.
Finally, thanks to you, members of the Quebec Photonic Network;
it is with you and for you that we make every effort to offer you
an ambi ous and diversified annual program.
Here’s to next year.
Mireille Jean
CEO
Quebec Photonic Network
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 3
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2015-01 Rendezvous at ABB
Januar y
A Call for Collaboration
Mr. Jean-René Roy, ABB Canada Hub Business Unit Manager, Measurement and Analy cs, set the ball rolling by explaining that ABB’s par cipa on in this rendezvous was intended as an invita on to generate value, not only for his business,
but also for its par cipants. Central to this added
value is the sharing of ABB’s vision, a presenta on
of its processes and most importantly, an invita on
to work with ABB teams, whether as an employee
Jean-René Roy
or a supplier.
Roundtable Discussion
A Win-Win Partnership
The exchanges that took place during this discussion highlighted the difficul es that SMEs face when they want to offer their products and services to the large corpora ons. Administra ve workload seems to be a
generalized problem when it comes to becoming the supplier of a large
corpora on. However, corpora ons appear to demonstrate a willingness
to cut down on this workload in order to foster more opportuni es for
exchange with SMEs. The prolifera on of exchange pla orms such as the
roundtable discussion proposed by QPN at its rendezvous can only be
profitable for both types of businesses.
An Outstanding Collaboration
The QPN would like to offer a special thank you to
Marc Corriveau, General Manager at ABB, who eagerly agreed to host a QPN Rendezvous, and to
Florent Bouguin, supervisor, Systems Engineering,
who, in addi on to managing the overall logis cs for
the event, also shared his taste for things done right
and in a healthy way.
Florent Bouguin
New : International Commercialization
Tips & Tricks
Guests of Honour
The rendezvous welcomed special guests Garry
Vail and Jean-Noël Bérubé, the two founders of
ABB-Bomem.
The QPN’s Rendezvous program was enhanced with a new presenta on
that provides ps and tricks on different aspects of the interna onal
commercializa on of technological SMEs. With this presenta on, the
QPN aims to improve the performance of technological businesses in interna onal markets.
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 5
Photonics West 2015
F e b ru ary
During Photonics West 2015, the QPN offered a diversified
program that allowed par cipants to network, make themselves known, and to meet new people. It was an ambi ous
program with three Quebec-World mee ngs, a pavilion of
6 exhibitors and industrial visits. We wish to thank all those
who contributed to making Photonics West 2015 a resounding success.
The QPN Pavilion, redesigned
The 2015 QPN Pavilion comprised
an exhibi on area and another area
for the ac vi es on offer, where QPN
members could hold B2B mee ngs.
Thanks to the new and colourful design of its banners, the QPN image
received a makeover. The QPN
proudly promoted Quebec photonics by distribu ng the 2014 Year in
Review and a brochure with details
of the exhibitors. A special thanks
to the Quebec Ministry of Economy,
Innova on and Export and Canada
Economic Development for making it
possible to organize this Pavilion.
GIGACONCEPT.COM
Quebec-World Meetings
Ini ated in 2014, Quebec-World mee ngs were a huge success during this edi on. It held the three following events: Quebec-USA,
Quebec-France and Quebec-China. During these mee ngs, par cipa ng businesses had the opportunity to individually introduce
themselves and talk over refreshments offered at the end of each event.
Quebec - USA
6 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
Quebec - France
Quebec - China
Photonics West 2015 (cont’d)
F e b ru ary
Two Goals Achieved During Industrial Visits
Not only did Quebec par cipants have the opportunity to visit UC Berkeley, Iris AO and
Lawrence Berkeley Labs, but they also had the chance to speak with French and American representa ves who also par cipated in these visits. The new ini a ve made it
possible to meet passionate researchers and to discover amazing infrastructures.
Congratulations to the Quebec Exhibitors
Thanks to the presence of 19 QPN members as exhibitors, the province of Quebec
shone once again this year. Indeed, these businesses showcase Quebec talent all over
the world.
norpix
DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDING SOFTWARE AND SOLUTIONS
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Thanks to our partners
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 7
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8 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
Laser World of Photonics China
The QPN, represented by Gui Jun Li (Françoise Lee), parcipated in Laser WoP China 2015. This par cipa on led
to B2B mee ngs, industrial visits, the organiza on of a
booth, and to the idea of se ng up a QPN Space in China.
M a rc h
Some Statistics
Visitors’ Fields of ExperƟse:
• 715 exhibitors
• 20 countries
• 14% Increase
Optics
39%
Quebec-China B2B Meetings
40291 visitors
8% Increase
Others
11 %
In addi on to represen ng and promo ng its members at
these mee ngs, the QPN organized more than 40 B2B mee ngs
between Quebec and Chinese businesses. Mandated by the MEIE
to organize these events, the QPN iden fied, requested, and managed the organiza on of these events. Quebec businesses that
benefited from this opportunity are the following:
• INO
• Avensys
• Optech
• TeraXion
• CorAc ve
• QPS Photronics
• O/E Land
In order to organize these mee ngs, the QPN received invaluable collabora on from the following Chinese partners:
• Science & Technology Commision of Shanghai Pudong
New Area
• Pudong Optoelectronics Industry Associa on of Shanghai
• China Opto-Electronics Manufacturing Associa on
• Shanghai Optoelectronics Trade Associa on
• Wuxi Hi-Tech Business Incubator & Development Co., Ltd.
Industrial Visits
During this ac vity, the Quebec delega on had the chance to
discover the products and explore the facili es of two pres gious Chinese businesses:
• Shanghai New Industrial Opto-Electronics
• ZTE
Electrical engineeE
ring/Electronic
engineering/
semiconductors
30 %
• Precision engineering
10%
• Tool manufacturing
Mechanical engineering
8%
• Colleges/Universi es
Non-university research centres
6%
• Automo ve engineering
6%
• Service/commerce
5%
• Medica on/biotechnology
Pharmaceu cal
5%
• Avia on/aerospace/transporta on
4%
QPN Space in China?
A space where businesses could meet poten al clients,
where brochures, catalogues, samples, and other promoonal materials of Quebec businesses would be permanently displayed, and where joint Quebec-China ac vi es
could be organized. This is what a QPN Space in China
would be like. Several opportuni es have opened up and
are presently being studied. We will be following up on this
ma er…
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 9
10 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
2015-03 Rendezvous at CMC Electronics
March
Rarely do we get an opportunity to visit CMC
Electronics. Indeed, the American company
carefully guards its industrial secrets. Hence,
the rendezvous held in March 2015 was the
golden opportunity for par cipants to visit
the facili es where CMC Electronics manufactures, develops, and puts the
finishing touches on its avia on products.
The presenta ons given by Marc Gagné and Jocelyn Lauzon, respec vely
Manager of the Microelectronic Group and Program and Electro-Op cal
Products Manager, allowed to be er understand how to do business with
CMC Electronics. The networking opportuni es that followed allowed the
company representa ves to find out about new SME technologies that could
poten ally meet some of their needs.
International Commercialization Tips & Tricks:
Three Models of How to Do International Business
Jean-Pascal Hébert, Director of Emerging Markets and Channels at Eleven
Wireless, explained, during the presenta on on interna onal marke ng,
that there are three models for marke ng yourself on an interna onal level. Businesses must choose a model according to their type of business, but
most importantly, according to their business’ level of commercial advancement. To begin with, there is the direct sales model, which generally applies
to businesses addressing a niche market in which added value is important.
Then there is the model for businesses that market through an intermediary
(partner) to iden fy, solicit and sell to a client. Finally, there is the model for
businesses that use a distribu on channel. This model works well when the
product is aimed at a broader market and when the product requires li le
representa on.
Marketing/R&D Communications
The roundtable discussion of the rendezvous dealt with the—some mes
challenging—communica ons between the R&D and marke ng teams. Yet,
everyone agrees that communica on between both par es has a posi ve
impact. Marke ng informa on influences R&D so that future products be er
meet targeted markets’ needs. Similarly, informa on from the R&D department helps propose innova ve solu ons to clients. Certain ideas have been
brought forward to improve Marke ng/R&D communica ons, such as implemen ng official exchange processes, redesigning the workplace to promote
the intermingling of teams, organizing seminars to promote exchanges or
even strategically posi oning the coffee machine.
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 11
Tour in Germany
A p ri l
Quebec Photonic Network Tour in Germany
In April, QPN set out on a commercial mission in Germany.
The aim was two-fold: Firstly, to learn more about the
German business model, which appears to be func oning
quite well, and secondly, to begin the process of bringing
the Quebec photonics sector closer to that of Germany.
The QPN took advantage of this opportunity to strengthen
its es with French photonics by making a brief detour via
this country. The QPN received a warm welcome at every
An Outstanding Collaboration
The mission was a success thanks to two
people for whom the
QPN has the greatest
respect. They are two
pillars of German photonics. It is thanks to
their generosity, commitment, and extensive contact network
that the QPN was able
to meet incredible people. The QPN would like to thank these
two great men who are now more than just collaborators. They
are also friends. Thank
you Horst Sickinger of
Bayern Photonics and
Klaus Schindler of Optonet.
12 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
mee ng, and had the chance to exchange with people who
are passionate, not only about science and technology, but
also about the impact their discoveries have on society. In
addi on, major modern photonic infrastructures available
to experienced researchers were toured. Naturally, the
QPN took advantage of this mission to promote Quebec’s
photonics talent and know-how.
Tour Figures
2044 kilometres
38 mee ngs
26 businesses
13 visits
5 days
5 ci es
2
countries
Thank you!
Visi ng these facili es where equipment that is used
worldwide is designed and manufactured was an honour for the QPN. The thoroughness of businesses
and organiza ons we visited was striking. We were
constantly met by intelligent, warm, generous
people. Thanks to all who welcomed us with open
arms.
Tour in Germany (cont’d)
A p ri l
Little Anecdotes from our Trip
Thinking I was about to discover the warm old-world spring
season, I had only brought along a light raincoat. Huge mistake!
It was cold, really cold. Trains were cancelled due to strong
winds and Berlin was hit by a hail storm. It was unbelievable.
For my Berlin-Paris flight, I travelled with Germanwings. I am
not afraid of flying, but I began to worry when the flight at-
tendant, upon welcoming us on board, reassured us that they
would make sure the pilots were not le alone in the cockpit.
Those were their instruc ons following a recent plane crash.
Mireille Jean
Souvenir Photos
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 13
2015-05 Rendezvous at Photon etc.
With Creativity as the Theme
Collabora on, coopera on, innova on: Photon etc. is all of that. And it was in the
spirit of these quali es that the company hosted a QPN Rendezvous, the theme of
which was crea vity. The warm, friendly atmosphere found in the offices of Photon
etc. suggests that great teamwork is conducive to the development of ideas. And in
fact, the staff at Photon etc. is so crea ve that they are coming up with more ideas
than they can bring to market. This is why Photon etc. adopted a technology transfer
approach and took part in crea ng new businesses like Nüvü Cameras.
International Commercialization Tips &
Tricks: Inspiration from Cirque du Soleil
Jean David, who was the marke ng vice-president for Cirque du Soleil for 15 years,
cap vated a endees by sharing his experiences with that organiza on. Strangely
enough, the problem faced by the Cirque in its early days is similar to the one challenging our innova ve companies. Ini ally, the show offered by Cirque du Soleil did not
meet any demand on the market. So, the challenge was to find what event-related
need the new circus formula could fill—and then fill it they did!
A Good Problem to Have
The rendezvous’ roundtable discussion broached a recurring problem in high-tech
companies: What do you do when a company like Photon etc. develops technology
that’s so advanced that the needs it meets haven’t yet been iden fied? The ques on
was discussed enthusias cally by the rendezvous’ par cipants. Once again, crea vity
was in the spotlight, with the facilita on of François Lavallée, from Aliter Concept,
who helped make the ac vity an excep onally lively one. Discussions in subgroups
made it possible to talk and debate various ideas.
Special Visit and Presentations
Marc Verhaeghen, a specialist in photoluminescence imaging, Simon Lessard, an expert on infrared cameras, and Daniel Gagnon, an op cal filter and tunable source
professional, together introduced the group to the facili es and labs at Photon etc.
Par cipants had the opportunity to rediscover the uniqueness of Photon etc., its
team and infrastructure.
Rendezvous Captured on Film
Photon etc. was profiled in a video produced by Cartouche Média on behalf of McGill
University, for a series presen ng case studies on Canadian expor ng companies. The
videos are made available online at ie-scholars.net in Canada and in several universies around the world. Thanks to this unique opportunity, the May 2015 Rendezvous
at Photon etc. was immortalized.
14 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
May
Photonics North 2015
June
The QPN used a summery approach to represent its members
at Photonics North 2015 in O awa. With special support from
Robic, the QPN invited visitors to enjoy an excellent cup of
coffee. The QPN took advantage of its presence at Photonics
North to gather informa on for its Quebec op cs-photonics
directory present at its 2015 Seminar. Several companies used
the opportunity to become QPN members, in order to enjoy
the benefits that come from being a member of the network.
An Original Approach
This year, the QPN used an innova ve approach to present its
services and its par cipa ng members at Photonics North, by
offering original bookmarks in summery colours. In addi on to
QPN’s 2014 Year in Review, it also distributed these six special
bookmarks:
- The Des na on China service
- QPN Rendezvous
- Annual seminar
- The QPN’s vision and mission
- The QPN team
- Invita on to have a coffee, courtesy of Robic
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 15
Laser World of Photonics Munich
Quebec-Bavaria:
A Friendship that’s Stronger than Ever
In 1989, a partnership agreement between Quebec and Bavaria
was created to promote commercial, scien fic, technological
and cultural exchanges between the two regions. In the same
spirit, a new coopera on agreement on research and technology was signed last September. The QPN’s par cipa on and the
program proposed to Munich’s World of Photonics (WoP) are
part of a willingness by these two regions, which share a strength in op cs-photonics, to work together. On this occasion, the
QPN demonstrated leadership that greatly helped in organizing
significant ac vi es, not only for Quebec but also for Canada and
the German partners. This resulted in the crea on of a special
ac vity on the financing of interna onal projects, an invita on
to a end a recep on given by the Delegate General in Munich, a
cocktail recep on held at the Canadian Pavilion, the organiza on
of industrial visits, and the showcasing of five companies in the
Quebec Space.
Thanks to all who made a contribu on, small or large, to the
organiza on of a program of such magnitude. Special thanks to
Jennifer Decker of the Canadian Embassy and Peter Freier of the
Quebec Delega on in Munich.
A Noteworthy Quebec Space in a
Remarkable Canadian Pavilion
Located within a revamped and improved Canadian Pavilion, the
Quebec Space hosted five companies and a QPN booth, where
visitors could learn about the talents of our network’s members.
Several Quebec companies also exhibited in other halls. A cocktail party was held at the Canadian Pavilion, amidst networking
and the rekindling of acquaintances.
Discovering German Companies
Several industrial visits were organized during the 2015 Laser WoP.
The companies Qiop q and Menlo Systems opened their doors to
Quebec representa ves, who had the chance to learn about their
products, technology, teams and, especially, their produc on and
development infrastructure. Many thanks to our hosts! We hope
to return the favour soon.
16 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
June
Laser World of Photonics Munich (cont’d)
June
Spending Quebec’s National Holiday
with the Delegate General
On June 25, to mark Quebec’s Na onal Holiday, Munich’s Delegate General, Claude Trudelle, and his wife, hosted a recep on at their home, for
about one hundred handpicked guests. In addi on to the dignitaries, a
number of Bavarian Francophiles from various areas were also on hand.
Quebec’s op cs-photonics community was well represented, with about
ten members in a endance. In its discussions at the recep on with the
Delegate General and the Canadian Consul, the QPN was able to present
the importance of op cs-photonics in day-to-day life, as well as Quebec’s
standing in this area.
A Quebec-Canada-Germany Meeting
During the 2015 tour, in a mee ng organized by Jennifer Decker, who was
then a technical advisor with the Canadian Embassy, the idea emerged of
holding an ac vity with interna onal collabora on from Canada and Germany, to highlight the policies affec ng research and development projects. This idea was made a reality on June 23, when a mee ng was held
between Quebec, Canada and Germany. Some 30 people listened a envely to talks by companies and research centres, and to a presenta on
of Canadian and German financial aid programs. The QPN is proud to have
ins gated this event and hopes to repeat the experience in the future at
other interna onal events.
List of Presenters
-
Jennifer Decker, Canadian Embassy
Mireille Jean, Quebec Photonic Network
Georg Nagel, German Funding Program
Gerd Marowky, German Photonic Incubator
Lars Unnebrink, German Photonics Projects
Chris an Hahn, InnoLas Photonics GmbH
Dr. Wilfried Kaiser, Ranovus Inc.
Jens Nolte, Polytec GmbH
Dwayne Miller, University of Toronto/Max Planck Ins tute
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 17
18 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
2015-09 Rendezvous at the COPL
S e p t e m ber
The rendezvous at COPL was a flagship moment in 2015.
Entrepreneurs, researchers and students had the opportunity to meet, share their views and socialize. Included
in the event were speed-da ng networking, job offers,
exchanges of business cards and discussions on scien fic entrepreneurship. The rendezvous achieved its goal of crea ng a forum for entrepreneurs and university researchers and students, who seldom have a chance to work together. A visit of the COPL
labs and a range of presenta ons facilitated discussions between these two groups,
who o en work in isola on. The students also had a chance to have their say: representa ves of Laval University’s photonics-op cs student group (Regroupement des
étudiants en photonique et op que de Laval, or REPOL) presented their ac vi es and
areas of interest.
Does Scientific Entrepreneurship Exist?
In order for fundamental research to yield economic benefits, discoveries must be
transformed into business projects. Scien fic entrepreneurship therefore is a requirement. This topic was the focus of the a ernoon’s discussions. At first glance, sciensts seem not to see the a rac on of entrepreneurship. The source of this problem
may reside in the university environment, which may not be conducive to developing
entrepreneurship. For instance, there does not seem to be any university infrastructure to iden fy and promote entrepreneurial inclina ons among young researchers.
Hopefully it’s only a ma er of me before we see more scien fic entrepreneurial
careers start to emerge.
Problems with Hosting Foreign Students
It’s not always easy to take in students or trainees from other countries. Par cipants
were introduced to this topic by a specialist, Pierre-É enne Morand, a lawyer at Norton Rose Fulbright. He presented the main challenges (and avenues for solu ons) in
hiring foreign students.
Students Seeking Employers
Employers Seeking Students
For this rendezvous, a bulle n board was made available to students looking for work,
and to employers looking for new employees. Using a speed-da ng format, the two
groups were given an opportunity to meet onsite and to discuss future associa ons.
This “job break” proved to be a great catalyst for contacts between students and
employers!
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 19
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20 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
FIBRE
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QPN 2015 Seminar
O c t o b er
The theme of the 2015 QPN Seminar was “Opcs-Photonics Serving Aeronau cs.” Hosted in
partnership with Aero Montreal, the program included tes monials, B2B mee ngs, talks and numerous networking opportuni es between the op cs-photonics and aerospace industries. The QPN especially wants to thank the Aero Montreal
team for its valuable contribu on, as well as CAE, which hosted the 2015
QPN Symposium.
The Views of Four Large Aeronautics
Companies
In the morning, four aeronau cs companies presented on how photonics
impact on their products. Thanks to the par cipants in this presenta on,
which was a high point of the day.
Meetings with Work Providers
Following on the heels of the aeronau cs companies’ talks, a number of
speakers, par cipants and QPN members took the opportunity to introduce themselves, talk and make new contacts that will hopefully lead to
future partnerships. In addi on, a panel discussion allowed par cipants
to directly ques on the panelists and gain more in-depth knowledge
about the procedures that must be followed with Quebec’s major aeronau cs manufacturers.
Fascinating Industrial Visits
In the a ernoon, par cipants had to make a difficult choice between visi ng the CAE Systems facili es to learn about simulator manufacturing,
or touring the plant where Bombardier Challenger aircra are fabricated.
Whichever op on they
chose, all par cipants were
clearly sa sfied. Thanks
again to the partners who
so generously opened their
doors to us.
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 21
2015-12 Rendezvous at MPBC
Special “Political” Program
The theme during the rendezvous at MPB Communica ons was poli cs. In offering this
special program, the QPN aimed to reconcile the views of industry and government representa ves. A few concerns had been raised regarding the loss of tax credits, austerity
measures and other issues. Several government representa ves accepted our invita on.
They shared their great desire to offer be er-adapted programs for technological entrepreneurs. The QPN was pleased to welcome Saul Polo, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Economy, Science and Innova on; Marie-Josée Blais, Interim Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Innova on; Jean Séguin, Assistant Deputy Minister, External
Trade; Sylvain Thériault, Op cs-Photonics-Telecom Coordinator at MEIE; Andrei Ionescu,
NSERC; and Yves Lavoie, manager at CED. Each of them presented programs that support
technological entrepreneurship. Thanks to all for accep ng our invita on and for par cipa ng. A er this face-to-face rendezvous, par cipants felt not only reassured but also
be er informed about the programs offered and about their future.
Learning about MPB Communications
It’s a rare opportunity to be introduced to MPB Communica ons by its president!
Jane Bachynski, who gave a notable and appreciated presenta on, also honoured
par cipants by presen ng the company that has hosted her achievements. She also
graciously involved the members of her team; some of MPBC’s excep onal achievements were highlighted by op cal designer Jonathan Lavoie, business development
officer Claude e Linton, and manager for Canada–La n America Jimmy Herrera.
A Thought-Provoking Discussion
During the round-table discussion, par cipants talked about the most suppor ve
programs for their business. Everyone wanted to talk about tax credit cuts. This
was an opportunity to explore various avenues for improving the support available
to businesses, including the crea on of a support program for the commercializaon of technology products, whose format would be similar to the R&D tax credits.
We’re certain to hear more about this issue in the future.
An Original and Effective Networking
Speed-Dating
Through a speed-da ng networking session, par cipants were able to exchange business cards in a lively session that was enjoyed by all.
22 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review
D e c e mber
Annual General Meeting
Taking stock of the year 2015 was a sizeable
job undertaken by the Board of Directors of the
Quebec Photonic Network at the AGM on October 22, 2015. At the rendezvous, par cipants
were given a chance to fully appreciate the work
accomplished over the year during the auditor’s
presenta on of the financial statements, which
also looked back at the network’s various ac vi es.
2015 Achievements
The QPN team is proud of the calendar of events
it offered in 2015, including five QPN Rendezvous,
two interna onal tours (Germany, France), four
interna onal exhibi ons, three special projects
(including the 2014 Year in Review), the revamping of the website and the produc on of the
Quebec op cs-photonics directory. And that’s
on top of publishing four newsle ers and two
special bulle ns.
2015-2016
Board of Directors
Hassan Kassi
Chairman
Richard Kirouac
Treasurer
Isabelle Girard
Secretary
Sébas en
Blais-Ouelle e
Director
Charles Leduc
Director
Stéphane Chabot
Director
Yves Chevalier
Director
Denis Lafrance
Director
Yves Lemire
Director
Marie-Chris ne
Ferland
Director
Marc Corriveau
Director
Mireille Jean
President & CEO
Par cipants’ sa sfac on with QPN ac vi es was
rated at over 90%, confirming the quality and relevance of the 2015 calendar of events.
And the network is s ll developing. Board
members took advantage of this excellent year
to push forward by undertaking a strategic planning process that will define the network’s direcons over the coming years.
Marie-Claude Gagné
Observer
Sylvain Thériault
Observer
Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review - 23
Thanks to our major partners
Thanks to our special collaborators
Thanks to our interna onal collaborators
Quebec Photonic Network
Montreal office
407K-355 rue Peel, Montreal QC H3C 2G9
Quebec City office
2740 rue Einstein, Quebec QC G1P 4S4
Tel.: 514 368-1677
www.photonquebec.org
24 - Quebec Photonic Network – 2015 Year in Review