Helping entrepreneurs build the world of tomorrow by propelling innovative technologies with a positive social impact is what we do best.
ACET was born from a desire to offer any entrepreneur or researcher who has developed a technological innovation the possibility to start their business by surrounding themselves with resources that meet their needs in order to maximize their chances of success.
We aspire to train a new generation of entrepreneurs who are likely to forge the world of tomorrow and ensure the progress of our society thanks to the marketing of technological innovations.
bold and innovative projects with high potential of success.
entrepreneurs in their development.
innovative startups that have a positive impact on society.
Each day, what pushes our limits is the human relationships we cultivate with people we believe in, where respect, integrity, empathy, attentiveness, and passion come together.
This trust is what drives our networks, our experts, and our team to give 100% in order to meet your needs and take you and your business further.
We value innovative ideas and foster creativity to develop and support bold projects that will build our future.
Our entrepreneurs are real agents of change: they contribute to the common good by pushing the established limits and shaking up the future thanks to their innovation and their willingness to positively change the world.
With our entrepreneurs and their businesses, we seek the path of excellence.
We therefore accept a limited number of projects each year according to very selective criteria in order to offer exceptional support to those we choose.
To achieve this, we also believe it’s necessary to be persistent, have courage, dare, know how to learn from one’s mistakes, listen, trust, and be passionate.
For us, each project that we accept is unique and subject to its own specific needs, which is why we create a customized support scenario with each of our entrepreneurs that meets their expectations and their ambitions while respecting their pace of growth.
ACET grew out of a shared desire of the Université de Sherbrooke – which wanted to offer its students and graduates the appropriate resources and essential support to transform their technology projects into innovative startups, while also helping them become true entrepreneurs – and the region’s business community, which wanted to get involved in creating a coaching model for startups.
After more than 2 years of work to put in place a solid organizational structure and develop an attractive entrepreneurial pathway, ACET welcomes its first promising tech startup projects from the Université de Sherbrooke.
ACET unveils ACET Capital 1, its first investment fund exclusively for ACET tech startups, to accelerate and optimize their growth through an initial raising of capital.
ACET launches its iA7 market intelligence service to meet the growing demands of its startups seeking strategic information to deepen their understanding of coveted markets and increase their chances of commercial success.
ACET has a successful year thanks to launching ACET Capital 2, being designated as a CDPQ Hub and receiving a generous donation from National Bank.
ACET participates in the creation and launch of Quantacet, the first venture capital fund in Canada aimed exclusively at supporting the development and growth of quantum startups.
Ghyslain shares his wide-ranging experience in business start-up and development, including the critical stages of creating a tech company.
Jacques brings to the table a vast network in the research and granting sectors, providing access to both research and business contacts. He helps entrepreneurs with issues related to technologies’ business potential.
Passionate about marketing and communication, Cécile puts her business acumen at the service of our organization in order to promote ACET ‘s initiatives in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and to create a dynamic community around her.
Romuald helps entrepreneurs understand and take stock of their market so they can clarify their strategy. To do so, he draws on local and international experience with competitive analysis in the industrial as well as service and new technology sectors.
In addition to being an active collaborator in the ACET financial ecosystem, Dominic supports our incubated companies in the preparation of financing rounds and their financial arrangements, and by analyzing their file with a view to potential investments from our investment fund. private ACET Capital.
With his experience as an entrepreneur, René supports our companies and guides them through the crucial stages of their development.
With nearly 20 years’ experience in accounting for a variety of companies, Véronique is responsible for managing ACET’s administrative activities and accounting operations. Her passion for problem-solving, her team spirit and her versatility enable her to supervise and coordinate all our financial operations with expertise.
With several years of experience in the field and endowed with a keen sense of organization, Suzanne supports ACET’s growth by supporting the activities of the management team, and by ensuring file management and the communication of our corporate messages.
Martin plays an important role in the development of an investment fund dedicated to quantum technologies, in the technical due diligence of companies, in the support of entrepreneurs, in the development of the transaction flow and in the relations with the various partners in the quantum ecosystem.
With a wealth of experience in financing and commercializing innovations, Michel supports and guides quantum and deep-tech companies in their development and growth.
With her diverse experience, combining corporate management in retail, over eight years in sales and business development, and training in accounting and marketing, Marilyn possesses a solid understanding of both the strategic and on-the-ground aspects of the business world.
Marilyn works on the development of business services as well as the development of corporate projects aimed at improving ACET’s productivity and operations, notably through the integration of artificial intelligence, databases, and other internal innovation tools. She is also the director responsible for ensuring the presence of ACET’s support teams within the Espace Konect incubator at Technum Québec.
With over 25 years’ experience in entrepreneurship and business development, both as an executive and as an entrepreneur, Valérie is passionate about the impact of entrepreneurship on society. A seasoned strategist, she excels in business project modeling, fundraising and business development. In addition to coaching our entrepreneurs and managing the ACET Boost program, she contributes her expertise to a number of key initiatives to continually enhance our support offering.
Thanks to her creativity, versatility and 360 vision, Marie-Ève deploys various campaigns and communication strategies to contribute to the growth of our organization and the notoriety of our incubated startups, especially by exploiting all of our digital opportunities.
A bachelor’s student in marketing communications at Université de Sherbrooke and a graduate of the media arts and technology program at Cégep de Jonquière, Angélique has a wide range of skills in the field. Creative, curious, and hard-working, she will contribute to the successful implementation of our various projects, including the InnovAcet event and the ACET Boost program.
Jacques brings to the table a vast network in the research and granting sectors, providing access to both research and business contacts. He helps entrepreneurs with issues related to technologies’ business potential.
Passionate about marketing and communication, Cécile puts her business acumen at the service of our organization in order to promote ACET ‘s initiatives in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and to create a dynamic community around her.
Romuald helps entrepreneurs understand and take stock of their market so they can clarify their strategy. To do so, he draws on local and international experience with competitive analysis in the industrial as well as service and new technology sectors.
In addition to being an active collaborator in the ACET financial ecosystem, Dominic supports our incubated companies in the preparation of financing rounds and their financial arrangements, and by analyzing their file with a view to potential investments from our investment fund. private ACET Capital.
With his experience as an entrepreneur, René supports our companies and guides them through the crucial stages of their development.
With nearly 20 years’ experience in accounting for a variety of companies, Véronique is responsible for managing ACET’s administrative activities and accounting operations. Her passion for problem-solving, her team spirit and her versatility enable her to supervise and coordinate all our financial operations with expertise.
With several years of experience in the field and endowed with a keen sense of organization, Suzanne supports ACET’s growth by supporting the activities of the management team, and by ensuring file management and the communication of our corporate messages.
Martin plays an important role in the development of an investment fund dedicated to quantum technologies, in the technical due diligence of companies, in the support of entrepreneurs, in the development of the transaction flow and in the relations with the various partners in the quantum ecosystem.
With a wealth of experience in financing and commercializing innovations, Michel supports and guides quantum and deep-tech companies in their development and growth.
With her diverse experience, combining corporate management in retail, over eight years in sales and business development, and training in accounting and marketing, Marilyn possesses a solid understanding of both the strategic and on-the-ground aspects of the business world.
Marilyn works on the development of business services as well as the development of corporate projects aimed at improving ACET’s productivity and operations, notably through the integration of artificial intelligence, databases, and other internal innovation tools. She is also the director responsible for ensuring the presence of ACET’s support teams within the Espace Konect incubator at Technum Québec.
With over 25 years’ experience in entrepreneurship and business development, both as an executive and as an entrepreneur, Valérie is passionate about the impact of entrepreneurship on society. A seasoned strategist, she excels in business project modeling, fundraising and business development. In addition to coaching our entrepreneurs and managing the ACET Boost program, she contributes her expertise to a number of key initiatives to continually enhance our support offering.
Thanks to her creativity, versatility and 360 vision, Marie-Ève deploys various campaigns and communication strategies to contribute to the growth of our organization and the notoriety of our incubated startups, especially by exploiting all of our digital opportunities.
A bachelor’s student in marketing communications at Université de Sherbrooke and a graduate of the media arts and technology program at Cégep de Jonquière, Angélique has a wide range of skills in the field. Creative, curious, and hard-working, she will contribute to the successful implementation of our various projects, including the InnovAcet event and the ACET Boost program.
Over the past 20 years, Michel Coutu has become established in a market that requires two essential qualities: hard work and perseverance. After studying finance and law at Université de Sherbrooke, Mr. Coutu was driven by his fascination with the American market to do his MBA in Rochester, New York. The son of famous pharmacist Jean Coutu, he bought his first pharmacy in 1987, while also working on the creation of the Jean Coutu Group USA. In 1994, he acquired 221 Brooks pharmacies. Ten years later, he acquired 1,560 Eckerd pharmacies, making this name the fourth leading North American giant in the industry.
Paul Gobeil is a chartered accountant and has held management positions in an array of food businesses as well as in the government of Quebec, for which he has acted as Minister responsible for Government Administration, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of International Affairs. He holds one master’s degree in commerce and another in accounting from Université de Sherbrooke in addition to having completed the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He is also a director for many corporations including DiagnoCure inc., National Bank of Canada, MDN inc. and Yellow Media inc.
Matthew Cassar holds a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s in business administration (MBA), and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 2008. He earned these degrees while continuing to carry out his duties as President of SherWeb, a flagship of Estrie entrepreneurship that he cofounded with his brother in 1998.
This continually growing company has staked out its place as a leader in the North American cloud computing market with a range of services including business productivity (Office 365), infrastructure as a service, security solutions and VOIP telephony. Its impressive list of more than 100,000 client organizations across over 100 countries sets SherWeb apart as a leading Canadian provider of enterprise IT services.
Nathalie Beauregard is a partner of the Corporate Practice Group. Her work is focused on the financing, mergers and acquisitions transactions of technology companies and intellectual property as applied to businesses (whether start-ups, growing or established). She represents numerous companies in life sciences, information technology, green technologies and artificial intelligence with respect to negotiating national and international strategic alliances, joint ventures, licensing and collaboration agreements and government contracts. She also advises prominent franchise systems expanding in Quebec, and is a founding member of Réseau Anges Québec.
Holding a Master’s degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Sherbrooke, Jean-Pierre Lahaye has worked for more than 25 years at the National Bank of Canada, where he currently holds the position of Regional Vice-President, Business and Private Management. . Throughout his career, he worked in Business Services to support entrepreneurs in the Estrie region in the development of their business projects. Mr. Lahaye is also involved with his alma mater, notably as part of the Great UdeS Campaign for the School of Management.
Sophie has rare experience in B2C and e-commerce. She has been involved in the Canadian venture capital industry for over 25 years. She worked for the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec for seven years, managing a large portfolio of international venture capital investments, with assets of close to one billion dollars.
Since 2003, Sophie has been Managing Partner of Brightspark, an early-stage venture capital firm. She has participated in the success of several venture capital-backed companies, including Touchtunes, Servicesoft, Think Dynamics, Raidan6, Protecode, Jewlr and Hopper.
Dynamic leader in the international rail industry, Josée currently heads the Services Division for Alstom North America, generating annual sales of over 1.2 billion. With a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke, Josée has distinguished herself throughout her career by holding a variety of key positions in major companies around the world. Her rich professional experience, positive leadership and commitment to society have earned her the title of Université de Sherbrooke’s Great Ambassador in 2024, the highest distinction awarded by the UdeS to its graduates.
Senior Partner at IBM Consulting for over 20 years, Bernard was responsible for the organization’s strategic direction and operations for various sectors in Quebec. He previously held senior positions with economic ministries as a Cabinet Director, and held finance and accounting responsibilities with PwC.
With over 40 years’ professional experience in a variety of fields – corporate transformation and digital transformation, finance, accounting and networking – Bernard possesses a strong business sense and a unifying leadership based on inclusion, collaboration and diversity.
A seasoned investor and experienced manager, André is currently President and CEO of Colvest, the family office he founded in 2018. Until December 31, 2024, he worked for nearly 20 years at a major international private equity fund specializing in a variety of investments including real estate, financing, industrial and service companies and financial assets on a global scale. He headed the real estate division and later became Global President. His career also includes management roles at Investissements PSP and CDPQ. A CPA by training, he also holds an MBA.
Dr. Louis Valiquette is a recognized leader in the field of infectious diseases and an influential figure in healthcare innovation in Quebec and internationally, with over 20 years’ experience in medicine, research and entrepreneurship. A full professor since 2014 and Director of the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Université de Sherbrooke since 2016, his Alma mater, he took on a new challenge on July 1, 2025, when he became Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
At the same time, he co-founded LUMED, an award-winning ACET-propeled company in antibiotic governance and clinical technologies, acquired by bioMérieux in 2024. He now acts as a consultant to Global Medical Affairs.
A renowned physician, professor, and university and hospital administrator, Pierre Cossette served as Rector of the Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) from 2017 to 2025. With the leadership team he assembled, Mr. Cossette enabled the institution to enrich its programs and achieve remarkable growth in its research revenues, which more than doubled between 2017 and 2025. A significant partnership strategy facilitated the development of nearly 500 research and innovation projects involving students, primarily in collaboration with Quebec SMEs and community organizations. He prioritized sustainable development, which earned the University, in 2023, the highest score ever awarded worldwide for international STARS accreditation. He also implemented numerous measures related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Formerly Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, he notably contributed to the complete overhaul of the pre-doctoral medical program, the development of the first co-op nursing program, significant growth in research, and the creation of clinical simulation laboratories. As a hospital administrator, he made a major contribution to the success of the CHUS-Hôtel-Dieu expansion project.
He was inducted into the National Order of Quebec as a Knight in June 2024.
An energetic leader known for his remarkable business acumen, Ghyslain Goulet has 25 years of experience in economic development and strategic coaching for business executives. He began his career in the manufacturing industry before taking the helm of the CLD de la MRC de Memphrémagog. During this period, he was President of the Association des Professionnels en Développement économique du Québec, from 2003 to 2005. In 2010, he founded A+ Stratégies, a consulting firm specializing in investment projects for subsidiaries of foreign companies in Quebec. Six years later, he took on new challenges when he became Vice President of Financial Affairs for ACET, an organization for which he has assumed the role of President and CEO since January 2017. He is also President and lead manager of the ACET Capital 1 & 2 venture capital funds.
Over the past 20 years, Michel Coutu has become established in a market that requires two essential qualities: hard work and perseverance. After studying finance and law at Université de Sherbrooke, Mr. Coutu was driven by his fascination with the American market to do his MBA in Rochester, New York. The son of famous pharmacist Jean Coutu, he bought his first pharmacy in 1987, while also working on the creation of the Jean Coutu Group USA. In 1994, he acquired 221 Brooks pharmacies. Ten years later, he acquired 1,560 Eckerd pharmacies, making this name the fourth leading North American giant in the industry.
Paul Gobeil is a chartered accountant and has held management positions in an array of food businesses as well as in the government of Quebec, for which he has acted as Minister responsible for Government Administration, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of International Affairs. He holds one master’s degree in commerce and another in accounting from Université de Sherbrooke in addition to having completed the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He is also a director for many corporations including DiagnoCure inc., National Bank of Canada, MDN inc. and Yellow Media inc.
Matthew Cassar holds a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s in business administration (MBA), and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 2008. He earned these degrees while continuing to carry out his duties as President of SherWeb, a flagship of Estrie entrepreneurship that he cofounded with his brother in 1998.
This continually growing company has staked out its place as a leader in the North American cloud computing market with a range of services including business productivity (Office 365), infrastructure as a service, security solutions and VOIP telephony. Its impressive list of more than 100,000 client organizations across over 100 countries sets SherWeb apart as a leading Canadian provider of enterprise IT services.
Nathalie Beauregard is a partner of the Corporate Practice Group. Her work is focused on the financing, mergers and acquisitions transactions of technology companies and intellectual property as applied to businesses (whether start-ups, growing or established). She represents numerous companies in life sciences, information technology, green technologies and artificial intelligence with respect to negotiating national and international strategic alliances, joint ventures, licensing and collaboration agreements and government contracts. She also advises prominent franchise systems expanding in Quebec, and is a founding member of Réseau Anges Québec.
Holding a Master’s degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Sherbrooke, Jean-Pierre Lahaye has worked for more than 25 years at the National Bank of Canada, where he currently holds the position of Regional Vice-President, Business and Private Management. . Throughout his career, he worked in Business Services to support entrepreneurs in the Estrie region in the development of their business projects. Mr. Lahaye is also involved with his alma mater, notably as part of the Great UdeS Campaign for the School of Management.
Sophie has rare experience in B2C and e-commerce. She has been involved in the Canadian venture capital industry for over 25 years. She worked for the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec for seven years, managing a large portfolio of international venture capital investments, with assets of close to one billion dollars.
Since 2003, Sophie has been Managing Partner of Brightspark, an early-stage venture capital firm. She has participated in the success of several venture capital-backed companies, including Touchtunes, Servicesoft, Think Dynamics, Raidan6, Protecode, Jewlr and Hopper.
Dynamic leader in the international rail industry, Josée currently heads the Services Division for Alstom North America, generating annual sales of over 1.2 billion. With a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke, Josée has distinguished herself throughout her career by holding a variety of key positions in major companies around the world. Her rich professional experience, positive leadership and commitment to society have earned her the title of Université de Sherbrooke’s Great Ambassador in 2024, the highest distinction awarded by the UdeS to its graduates.
Senior Partner at IBM Consulting for over 20 years, Bernard was responsible for the organization’s strategic direction and operations for various sectors in Quebec. He previously held senior positions with economic ministries as a Cabinet Director, and held finance and accounting responsibilities with PwC.
With over 40 years’ professional experience in a variety of fields – corporate transformation and digital transformation, finance, accounting and networking – Bernard possesses a strong business sense and a unifying leadership based on inclusion, collaboration and diversity.
A seasoned investor and experienced manager, André is currently President and CEO of Colvest, the family office he founded in 2018. Until December 31, 2024, he worked for nearly 20 years at a major international private equity fund specializing in a variety of investments including real estate, financing, industrial and service companies and financial assets on a global scale. He headed the real estate division and later became Global President. His career also includes management roles at Investissements PSP and CDPQ. A CPA by training, he also holds an MBA.
Dr. Louis Valiquette is a recognized leader in the field of infectious diseases and an influential figure in healthcare innovation in Quebec and internationally, with over 20 years’ experience in medicine, research and entrepreneurship. A full professor since 2014 and Director of the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Université de Sherbrooke since 2016, his Alma mater, he took on a new challenge on July 1, 2025, when he became Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
At the same time, he co-founded LUMED, an award-winning ACET-propeled company in antibiotic governance and clinical technologies, acquired by bioMérieux in 2024. He now acts as a consultant to Global Medical Affairs.
A renowned physician, professor, and university and hospital administrator, Pierre Cossette served as Rector of the Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) from 2017 to 2025. With the leadership team he assembled, Mr. Cossette enabled the institution to enrich its programs and achieve remarkable growth in its research revenues, which more than doubled between 2017 and 2025. A significant partnership strategy facilitated the development of nearly 500 research and innovation projects involving students, primarily in collaboration with Quebec SMEs and community organizations. He prioritized sustainable development, which earned the University, in 2023, the highest score ever awarded worldwide for international STARS accreditation. He also implemented numerous measures related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Formerly Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, he notably contributed to the complete overhaul of the pre-doctoral medical program, the development of the first co-op nursing program, significant growth in research, and the creation of clinical simulation laboratories. As a hospital administrator, he made a major contribution to the success of the CHUS-Hôtel-Dieu expansion project.
He was inducted into the National Order of Quebec as a Knight in June 2024.
An energetic leader known for his remarkable business acumen, Ghyslain Goulet has 25 years of experience in economic development and strategic coaching for business executives. He began his career in the manufacturing industry before taking the helm of the CLD de la MRC de Memphrémagog. During this period, he was President of the Association des Professionnels en Développement économique du Québec, from 2003 to 2005. In 2010, he founded A+ Stratégies, a consulting firm specializing in investment projects for subsidiaries of foreign companies in Quebec. Six years later, he took on new challenges when he became Vice President of Financial Affairs for ACET, an organization for which he has assumed the role of President and CEO since January 2017. He is also President and lead manager of the ACET Capital 1 & 2 venture capital funds.
Together, let’s build the world of tomorrow.
