INO is partnering with the Cervo research center in Quebec to create an incubator for businesses specializing in neurosciences and mental health.
The announcement was made in the presence of the mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand, at City Hall on Wednesday afternoon. This project involves the participation of Quantino, a specialized high-tech incubator launched by INO in 2020.
“This establishment of an incubation service specializing in neuroscience and mental health is something unique,” said Mr. Marchand.
The City’s contribution corresponds to the implementation of Quantino through its Vision entrepreneur Québec 2023, which also included participation from the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation du Québec.
“It’s promising for the future,” said Mr. Marchand.
For Alain Chandonnet, President and CEO of the National Optics Institute (INO), this announcement is important since it demonstrates all the versatility of light technologies and “the great maturity that the Quebec region demonstrates in their mastery .”
“It will make it possible to develop world-class innovations more quickly. Thus, new businesses will prosper, just like INO, which will be called upon to change lives here and elsewhere,” said Mr. Chandonnet.
Startups will have access to a set of specialized services to succeed in business and realize their project affecting psychiatric and nervous system diseases, memory and the cognitive system and which open the door to new therapies.
“It’s extremely important for society in order to broaden the range of solutions to treat several neurological diseases, a growing need among other things in the context of the aging of the population”, indicated Mr. Chandonnet.
Nearly 500 people work at the Cervo research center in Quebec to probe the mysteries of the brain and find new therapeutic approaches.
The mysteries of the brain
“The brain is the most complex living organ in the known universe. It can perform much more complex tasks than the most powerful computers on the planet,” said Yves de Koninck, director of the CERVO Research Center.
Start-ups can count on equipment and professionals “for a few thousand dollars a month and sometimes less than that,” said Mr. Chandonnet.
Mr. De Koninck recalls that “the whole field of mental health and neurological diseases, worldwide, is lagging behind other medical fields.”
“We are all late. (…) We must accelerate development. The possibilities are enormous. So we have to go for it,” added Mr. De Koninck.
Before commercialization, there is a series of steps that requires the intervention of specialists who will be able to support companies whose action is targeted and who require very personalized follow-up, believes Jean-François Simard, MP for Montmorency, who was present at the announcement.
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