2 November 2020

PRESS RELEASE – A new international collaboration has been established, aiming to foster growth for innovative companies: The Sherbrooke – Rennes – Arizona Entrepreneurial Triangle. The initiative is holding its major virtual launch event on November 2, 3, 4, and 6, 2020, in partnership with the Government of Québec, under the theme Disruptive Technologies Commercialization, hosted by the world-renowned Paul Millier. Nearly 175 entrepreneurs, researchers, student entrepreneurs, experts, economic developers, and investors from Canada, France, Slovenia, and the United States will be attending.

Created in 2020, The Sherbrooke – Rennes – Arizona Entrepreneurial Triangle is an amalgamation of the following economic development organizations:

• Destination Rennes – Rennes, Brittany, France
• Le Poool – Rennes, Brittany, France
• Sherbrooke Innopole – Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
• Surprise Economic Development Department – Surprise, Arizona, United States
• Tech Parks Arizona – Tucson, Arizona, United States

The Entrepreneurial Triangle aims to foster the sharing of knowledge, practices, and resources in international innovation development and marketing to facilitate the processes and networking of companies in their chosen territory.

A renowned speaker

To empower technology companies in marketing their innovation, the partners of the Entrepreneurial Triangle invited to the virtual summit launch, Paul Millier, an expert and engineer from Arts et Métiers ParisTech, a Professor at emlyon business school, and a Business Advisor.

A Doctor in Management Sciences, Mr. Millier has been conducting research on marketing and managing innovative technology for almost 40 years. He has developed an innovative method to enter future markets, Segmentuition^TM, which he will share with participants over the four half-days of the event.

In addition to the workshops and case study presented by Mr. Millier, the Summit will provide a platform for the Entrepreneurial Triangle partners to showcase the business ecosystem of their territory. Representatives from the three regions will also form a panel of experts. With an exhibition space gathering over 30 organizations from Canada, the United States, and France, and a B2B component, the Summit’s digital platform will also foster networking among participants.

Registration is still open for the Virtual Summit: https://bit.ly/triangle-2020-insc.

This first networking activity offered by the Entrepreneurial Triangle aims to lay the foundation for a subsequent phase of development, which includes exploratory missions with companies in foreign territories. The organization of these missions will be accordingly set in motion once the international COVID-19 situation permits it.

Quotes

“In the current climate of economic recovery, the presence of a large number of innovative companies that have strong growth potential becomes even more important. We need their ideas, their intrepidness, and their spirit of innovation to create the products and services of tomorrow. I salute the establishment of the Sherbrooke – Rennes – Arizona Entrepreneurial Triangle and the organization of this first summit, which will equip technology entrepreneurs to better market their innovations. It is with a great deal of pride that the Québec government supports this initiative through Startup Québec.”

– MarieChantal Chassé, Member for Châteauguay and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economy and Innovation (Innovation and Entrepreneurship)

“Sherbrooke Innopole is proud to have been the catalyst for relations between the three regions of the Sherbrooke – Rennes – Arizona Entrepreneurial Triangle. Thus, the launch event reflects both the fruit of interwoven collaborations over the last three years with Rennes, and more recently Arizona, and the start of a highly promising tripartite partnership. Successfully marketing an innovation is achieved by applying a cutting-edge approach to enter future markets and by international networking making the technology profitable on the world stage: These are the two objectives being pursued by the partners of the Entrepreneurial Triangle, for the benefit of technology companies and our business ecosystems respectively.”

– Josée Fortin, Director General, Sherbrooke Innopole

“Sherbrooke Innopole’s Entrepreneurial Triangle initiative is further solidifying relations between Rennes (Brittany) and Québec, and is allowing us to envision a long-lasting partnership in innovation development driven by our entrepreneurs on both sides of the Atlantic.”

–  Simon Ferey, Development Manager with Québec, Destination Rennes

“The City of Surprise Economic Development Department and its business innovation center, the AZ TechCelerator, are excited to connect and build a global network that opens up new, exciting opportunities for our community, our businesses and to new start-ups seeking to grow in a supportive Southwestern US ecosystem.”

– Jeanine Jerkovic, City of Surprise Economic Development Director

“Today, every startup needs to be ‘born global’ and participating in this entrepreneurial triangle is laying the foundation for international market expansion with a support network baked-in. These scaling companies have access to the resources and programming needed for new market entry in the US. Direct access to our International Soft Landings designated incubator, the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, and Arizona’s larger businesses network make it an ideal collaborator for international companies.”

–  Carol Stewart, Associate Vice President, Tech Parks Arizona, University of Arizona

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The Disruptive Technologies Commercialization virtual summit is organized by Sherbrooke Innopole, in collaboration with Le Poool, Surprise Economic Development Department, and Tech Parks Arizona, with financial contribution from the Government of Québec. The partners of the Entrepreneurial Triangle would like to thank the partners of the event:

PLATINUM: Destination Rennes, Robic, Groupe Stratéys, Université de Sherbrooke

GOLD: Arizona Commerce Authority, AZ TechCelerator, Québec Government Office in Los Angeles, Québec Government Office in Paris, Eureach, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, iA7, Canada Arizona Business Council, Consulate of Canada in San Diego, Sun Corridor, University of Arizona, Ton Équipier, University of Arizona Center for Innovation, Ville de Sherbrooke

SILVER: ACET Banque Nationale, Benoît & Côté, Bretagne Commerce international, Fidal, Préférence Estrie

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About Sherbrooke Innopole
Sherbrooke Innopole is the City of Sherbrooke’s economic development organization whose mission is to accelerate the development of businesses from the five key sectors – Advanced Manufacturing, Cleantech, Information Technologies, Life Sciences and Micro-Nanotechnologies – and to ensure that Sherbrooke has an attractive and innovative business environment.

About the Poool
The mission of Le Poool, operator of the program French Tech Rennes St Malo, is to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship for employment on the territory of Ille et Vilaine (Brittany, France). 

About Destination Rennes
Destination Rennes is the organization dedicated to the attractiveness of Rennes and its region. A high-speed rail line positions Rennes 85 minutes from Paris, a new convention centre located downtown, and major urban projects: Rennes has everything needed to attract entrepreneurs and start-ups.

About City of Surprise Economic Development Department
The City of Surprise Economic Development Department and its business innovation center, the AZ TechCelerator, provides services that accelerate an enhanced quality of like and a thriving business environment for the northwest Greater Phoenix suburban community of Surprise, a growing city of 140,000 people in a region with nearly 5 million people.

About Tech Parks Arizona
Tech Parks Arizona creates the “Interactive Ground” that generates, attracts and retains technology companies and talent in alignment with the research, mission and goals of the University of Arizona. Tech Parks Arizona directs the UA Tech Park, the UA Tech Park at The Bridges and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, placing the highest priority on recruiting companies desiring connectivity to the University of Arizona.

Source: Sherbrooke – Rennes – Arizona Entrepreneurial Triangle