Research conducted at Polytechnique, especially our collaborative research, is a fundamental lever for innovation. For more than 50 years, we have been carrying out the majority of technology transfer activities through our many research partnerships with companies of all sizes, and with universities and other organizations worldwide. Through these collaborations, we respond to real-world industrial problems, delivering technology solutions that our partners can use. Additionally, our students learn to apply the knowledge and cross-disciplinary skills acquired in classrooms and laboratories as they tackle the concrete challenges of industry. Lastly, the multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects stemming from our partnerships foster synergies between our research teams and other stakeholders.

We have the ability to achieve even more in terms of innovation, notably by creating companies spun off from our research and launched by our students. Our research teams, which are among Canada’s best and brightest and benefit from world-class infrastructure, are developing game-changing technologies in such socially vital areas as energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, cybersecurity, Industry 4.0, health, materials, and more. Their transfer to market requires highly efficient processes, which we implement with the support of services provided by the innovation transfer firm Axelys, among others. Our entrepreneurship candidates also benefit from support and coaching mechanisms provided by our entrepreneurship office, Propolys. These tech entrepreneurship services are a means for them to rapidly have an impact on society.

I think that more than anything else, innovation is a vision and a process led by women and men who intend to change the world we live in, for the better. Polytechnique is committed to doing everything it can to bring them together and support them.