In the framework of the 25th anniversary of the Cooperation Agreement between the Government of Quebec and the Government of Catalonia, the MHC travelled virtually to Canada in order to participate in the ‘International Intercluster: Quebec & Catalonia’, which took place on the 29th and 30th September.
A business event organised by Acció together with the Quebec Ministry of Economy, which brought together 39 Catalan and Quebec clusters, in order to present the different initiatives of both territories and explore potential synergies.
Through the different sessions we were able to learn about the innovative ecosystem of Quebec, share challenges and best practices in the sector, while laying the foundations for future collaborations.
All these plenary sessions, informative workshops and 1:1 meetings, allowed us to address current international challenges presently faced by both regions, mainly in terms of digital and green transition, as well as resilience.
Inspiring plenary sessions
Here are some of the Quebec presentations we were able to attend:
- ‘Cluster Policy & Ecosystem in Quebec’, presented by Sylvain Giguère, Chief economist and Head of Metropolitan Economic Development, Montreal Metropolitan Community, and Daniel Gagné, General Manager of Regional Economic Stgrategies, Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Department at the Ministry of Economy and Innovation.
- ‘Keynote speech: Digital Transition, Innovation and Resilience’, presented by Luc Sirois, Chief innovator of Quebec and Director General of Quebec’s Innovations Council.
Building future relationships
During the event, the participating clusters had the opportunity to network through 1:1 meetings. In doing so, the CSMC was able to establish connections with some representatives of the sector in Quebec, thus creating a starting point for future collaborations:
- Jean-Michel Garro, Business Development Director – Life Sciences at Québec Vitae
- Nathalie Ouimet, Vice-President at Montréal InVivo
- Pierre Grenier, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale (CIRRIS)
- Valerie Daigneault, Director, Secretariat of the Audiovisual Cluster at Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC)
In conclusion, a highly enriching experience that allowed us to connect with projects and opportunities of potential interest for both our sector and the MHC ecosystem.
