Created in 2005 as the Language Technologies Research Centre, the incubator-accelerator Cilex has always nursed a great passion for technological innovation. Reoriented in 2014 and renamed Cilex in 2016, the non-profit organization is now dedicated to the development of a culture of innovation in the entire Outaouais region and the National Capital Region of Canada.
Cilex leans on the proximity of the federal government and Ontario markets, as well as the high number of local technological actors, to catalyze Quebec’s innovative projects. The incubator’s thorough knowledge of business support programs and its expertise in project validation help it provide a structured yet personalized coaching service, both online and in person. Its incubation and acceleration programs are complemented by R&D, digital transformation and applied research services, and are supported by a multidisciplinary team of 19 people.
As an active member of the innovation ecosystem, Cilex was given the mandate of leading the Espace régional d’accélération et de croissance for the Outaouais region in 2019. Named Espace-O, its mission is to increase the capabilities of individuals and organizations to successfully carry out their innovation projects. Its services focus on four types of innovation, namely product, process, commercialization and organizational innovation. In the 2021–2022 business year, Espace-O received 307 referrals from organizations within the innovation ecosystem and organized 27 entrepreneurial compass events that help local entrepreneurs with their business decisions.
In 2020, a second mandate was given to Cilex: the coordination of the Gatineau innovation zone project. Called Connexité, its objective is to be a collaborative space dedicated to technological and social innovation in the fields of cybersecurity, digital identity and digital health. The high-end infrastructure and expertise gathered at Connexité facilitate the commercialization and marketing of innovative technologies and to foster collaboration between entrepreneurs, investors and the research community.
In 2021–2022, Cilex coached more than 60 businesses and organizations and hosted over 30 different events for the regional ecosystem, facilitated by its vast network of contacts. Fall 2022 saw the launch of Cilex’s first excubation program and the first acceleration program in Quebec specialized in cybersecurity and digital identity: the Cybersecurity Networking Program. The first round will start in January 2023.
Cilex is supported by Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, the Quebec Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie, the City of Gatineau, the Université du Québec en Outaouais and several institutional partners.
