Inno-centre has already participated in the startup of more than 150 companies holding a world-class technological lead.

Board of Directors

Josée Goulet, Chairwoman
Ms. Josée Goulet is a veteran manager who has held many positions in business unit management, marketing, engineering, project management, customer service and sales. In particular, she has assumed the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and President of Bell Québec. In 2007, Ms. Goulet became a marketing and management consultant and joined, in 2011, Knightsbridge as a Principal and team lead, Leadership Solutions.

Jean-Pierre Brunet, Vice-Chairman
Mr. Jean-Pierre Brunet is a businessman who offers advice in engineering and specialized business, including industrial and technological development, technical expertise, industrial systems design, environmental engineering and construction management. As founding president of an engineering firm, Mr. Brunet is very involved in the startup of technology businesses at the provincial and regional levels.

Francine Bonicalzi, Director
Armed with a Master's in Music, Ms. Francine Bonicalzi started her career as a professor of music and quickly became the chair of the arts department. Ms. Bonicalzi was then hired by the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal where she held various positions of responsibility. She joined the Collège Shawinigan as Director General with a mandate to reorganize the college's finances. in 2001, Ms. Bonicalzi accepted the position of President and Chief Executive Officer at the Technopole Vallée du Saint-Maurice. she successfully positioned the organization amongst others, which included the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, several research centres and development agencies, as well as various ministries and economic agencies. Ms. Bonicalzi is very involved on a volunteer basis with various business, social and cultural organizations.

Daniel Coderre, Director
Mr. Daniel Coderre is the Director General of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), a graduate research and training university that is part of the Université du Québec network. He is very active on the national and international stage, participating in the advancement and positioning of science and technology. In particular, Mr. Coderre presides over the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec's (CRÉPUQ) strategic committee for science, technology and innovation. He also sits on the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie's international science committee and presides over the American experts' regional council. Over the past few years, he was a member of the Conseil de la science et de la technologie and the Groupe conseil auprès du ministre du Développement économique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation pour la Stratégie québécoise de la recherche et de l'innovation. Throughout his university career, Mr. Coderre has held various positions, including professor, environmental sciences doctoral program director, Dean of the Faculty of Sciences, UQAM's vice-provost for research and creation, and the Université du Québec's vice-president for teaching and research. In 2009, he served as the University's interim president.

Pierre Hugron, Honorary Chairman
Mr. Pierre Hugron has worked in university management, teaching and research for over 35 years. His teaching and research are mainly oriented to creation and administration of SMEs. A member of Boards of Directors of private companies and non-profit organizations, Mr. Hugron also acts as a management consultant in the private sector. He was the founder responsible for the Entrepreneurship and Bachelor of Business Administration concentration at École des HÉC from 1984-85 to 1995-96. He is also the founder responsible for the Groupe de recherche sur les entreprises familiales (GREF) and founder and member of the Board of Directors of Club des Entrepreneurs HÉC.

Claude Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Claude Martel, a veteran, results-driven entrepreneur, has over 20 years of experience in the development of new technology companies with high potential. As President and Chief Executive Officer, he is positioning Inno-centre as the Canadian leader in research valorization to the benefit of technology startup companies. A confirmed leader, Mr. Martel excels in the ability to identify and evaluate promising projects. A high-level strategist, he has ably negotiated over $500 million in venture capital financing in his career. In 1996, Mr. Martel won the prestigious "Top 40 under 40" competition, which recognizes the best managers under 40 in Canada. His ability to build and use business networks makes Mr. Martel an undeniable asset for the companies with which he associates.

Denis Pageau, Director
Mr. Denis Pageau, a talented executive with years of sales, marketing and customer service experience, has excellent knowledge of markets and distribution networks for consumer and industrial goods in Canada, the U.S.A., Japan and Latin America. Mr. Pageau holds a Bachelor of Science (Agro-economics) and began his career as a management consultant with the Union des Producteurs Agricoles. He went on to become a market research and socio-economic consultant with Éconosult, a subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin. As a special advisor to the Canadian Minister of Agriculture, Denis Pageau was promoted to chief of staff, which involved monitoring agricultural policy development by maintaining a close relationship with the deputy minister and his team. His career in politics continued in 1993 when he accepter the position as chief of staff for party leader the Hon. Jean Charest. He returned to the private sector as Senior Vice-President, Sales and Marketing for Premier horticulture, a business unit of Premier Tech. He was then recruited by Courchesne-Larose where he is currently Vice-President, Administration and Operations.

André Poirier, Director
Mr. André Poirier is a talented businessman who founded APG Solutions & Technologies Inc. (APG), a private company which provided information technology consulting services. APG achieved $80 million in sales per year, realized several major acquisitions, had offices across Canada and abroad (Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, the south of France, New York and Washington) and employed over 800 people. After the sale of APG in 2000, Mr. Poirier founded Spinlogic , which provides strategic advice to emerging or growing companies.

Maryse St-Jean, Observer
Ms. Maryse St-Jean holds a Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and is the coordinator for the liaison and transfer team of the Direction de l'innovation et du transfert within the Ministère du Développement économique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation (MDEIE) since 2009. This team's mandate involves supporting liaison and transfer agencies (CLT, CCTT, technology incubators) and managing support measures to complete and reinforce liaison and transfer mechanisms - measures for technological intensification as well as reinforcement of research and innovation capacity. Ms. St-Jean joined the MDEIE in 2001 as an innovation advisor. From 1991 to 2001, she was a senior project manager at COREM, a precompetitive research consortium specialized in the treatment and transformation of minerals.