Leader and entrepreneur Luc Sirois, who holds the rather unique position of Chief Innovator of Quebec, believes that knowledge and learning are essential in modern societies: "Digital creation innovators, women and men, put communities into action. They create and think about the future."

“I think of people like Mehdi Benboubakeur, the general manager of Printemps numérique | MTL Connecte . A chief innovator brings light to the specialists. He must make them want to surpass themselves. I am like a captain. I motivate people to play as a team. I just have a little more experience than some others in the field of innovation.”

The connections

The flame of innovation is in every individual, according to Mr. Sirois. The latter is responsible for helping workers in companies develop their innovations. The same goes for institutions, universities and research centers.

“Creativity and innovation often exist in connections. They are at the intersection of worlds. They emerge, for example, when business and academia work together. Yes, we can find specialists in digital technologies there, but also anthropologists, sociologists, experts in urban planning, design and artistic creation.”

Mr. Sirois encourages and supports the transformation of fundamental pillars of society, including education, health, culture, the environment and transportation. He believes that innovation partnerships between businesses and public sector researchers are essential to improve the competitiveness of Quebec and its industries through information and communications technologies. He is also responsible for ensuring the commercialization of innovations.

"A wake-up call "

The pandemic has been “a big wake-up call ” for many companies, the chief innovator says. Innovation doesn’t just drive profitability; it often drives a brighter future. This was evident as the virus spread around the world. Leaders who had previously innovated in communications, transportation, or workforce management were able to more easily adapt to the new paradigms imposed by health measures and people’s isolation.

"It is possible not to innovate in a company, but it may well no longer exist in five or ten years. The world is changing. The status quo is actually a step backwards. We must evolve, despite the [hazards]."

Indeed, there is a financial risk in innovation. But a new product, an unknown market, a transformation, by definition, presupposes a share of uncertainty, says Mr. Sirois. However, this should not discourage innovation. "You have to make a series of attempts and avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. The manager of a company must sow seeds for the long term. He is required to experiment. When the time comes for the big transformation, things will have grown."

According to Mr. Sirois, the post-pandemic renaissance will bring about major transformations. In fact, it has already begun.

Hacking Health and Axelys

To innovate, creators and entrepreneurs must be free.

“I like to give the example of Hacking Health ,” says Luc Sirois, co-founder of the organization. “People from various cities, including Montreal and Nantes (in France), decided to work together to find digital solutions to the rigidity of the healthcare world. Thanks to the sharing of knowledge and expertise, it becomes possible.”

Present in about twenty countries, Hacking Health is a concrete example. This organization's mission is to catalyze collaboration by allowing health professionals, patients, design and technology specialists to create innovative and concrete solutions that meet the challenges of this crucial area of society.

Luc Sirois is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the new Axelys corporation, which recently replaced three research valorization corporations in Quebec, namely Aligo Innovation, SOVAR and Univalor. Axelys' mandate is to accelerate and facilitate the technology transfer of research to industry. Axelys offers consulting services and support in the development and commercialization of innovation to several public research institutions throughout the province.

Ultimately, Luc Sirois wants to awaken and encourage innovators. The Conseil de l’innovation du Québec is one of the existing platforms to propel their ideas. That said, these creators have a fundamental responsibility in the ideation process: they must work as a team.