7 January 2013

PRESS RELEASE – Imeka, a new medical imaging business, is setting up shop in Sherbrooke. Its core business will be image processing services, but it will also market an innovative software program, considered as revolutionary in the world of research.

Essentially, the software that was developed and named MICA (for Medical Imaging Clinical Assistant) enables researchers to devote less time to analysis and to improve research efficiency without increasing costs. Designed in a modular fashion, it can be adapted to the specific needs of each customer.

It’s thanks to the collaboration of senior researchers from the CHUS (Sherbrooke University Hospital Centre) and to the experience of the multidisciplinary team of entrepreneurs involved that the MICA software could be developed. Imeka was also assisted by the Accelerator for the creation of technological businesses (ACET) of Université de Sherbrooke to nurture its project to the marketing stage.

Imeka and its team of four shareholders are highly credible in the medical field and are already working in partnership with teams from around the world. “We soon hope to finalize an agreement with the Dijon CHU in France. For Imeka, this kind of technological exposure will provide access to a global network of potential customers whose needs are akin to the needs of the CHUS”, explains Maxime Descoteaux, researcher and co-founder of the budding organization.

In addition to ACET support, Imeka also obtained financial assistance from Sherbrooke Innopole, via the Young Promoter’s fund and from the Local Investment Fund/Local Solidarity Fund (FLI/FLS).

“We are extremely proud to support a promising business such as Imeka that contributes to the Life Sciences key sector. It’s yet another example of the vitality and importance of research for the creation of wealth and economic development in Sherbrooke.  It’s also an excellent example of collaboration between the Étienne-Le-Bel clinical research Centre of the CHUS, Université de Sherbrooke, via ACET and us, to launch this viable and innovative business”, is happy to say  Pierre Bélanger, Sherbrooke Innopole’s Director General.

Imeka’s start-up required an investment of close to $250,000 and should create eight new jobs for young graduates from Université de Sherbrooke in the next three years.

Source: Sherbrooke Innopole