BROMONT, QC, July 13, 2026 /CNW/ – The Minister Delegate for the Economy and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Daniel Bernard, announced funding for the MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI), located within the Technum Québec Innovation Zone, to support the operation of the integrated innovation chain, as well as funding for the Université de Sherbrooke to support the activities of the Institut quantique, including the development of training programs and expertise in quantum science and technology.

 

MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI)
The C2MI is Canada’s largest research and development centre for electronic systems. It is part of an integrated innovation chain dedicated to technology transfer and the commercialization of innovations in microelectronics, digital technologies, and quantum technologies.

This innovation chain also includes the Institut quantique and the Institut interdisciplinaire d’innovation technologique (3IT), located within the DistriQ Innovation Zone. Through the synergy among these institutions, innovations emerging from university research are developed and tested at the 3IT and the Institut quantique, then prototyped and manufactured at industrial scale and to industry standards using C2MI’s capabilities.

A total of $5.6 million has been awarded to C2MI to support:

• The development and delivery of microfabrication processes for quantum technologies, biomedical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and chip-scale assembly;
• The recruitment and training of highly qualified personnel;
• The acceleration of industry partnerships and technology transfers;
• The long-term sustainability of C2MI’s integrated innovation chain.

Through this support, C2MI will reach a pivotal milestone in its development by strengthening its role as a driver of technological innovation in Québec. By evolving into a benchmark industrial laboratory, it will increase its capacity to design, develop, and commercialize cutting-edge technologies while building an intellectual property portfolio that creates value and competitiveness for Québec’s innovation ecosystem.

 

Université de Sherbrooke’s Institut Quantique
A grant of $4 million has been awarded to the Université de Sherbrooke to support the operations of the Institut quantique, enabling it to maintain and expand training and expertise in quantum science and technology through three main initiatives:

• AlgoLab, specializing in quantum algorithms;
• The Quantum FabLab, dedicated to experimental research in quantum technologies;
• The Quantum Dialogues and Quantum Curious Minds projects, which focus on education related to the social and ethical dimensions of quantum technologies.

The funding aims to:

• Develop expertise and talent in quantum technologies, particularly to meet the needs of the DistrictQ and Technum Québec Innovation Zones;
• Foster technology transfer;
• Contribute to Québec’s technological sovereignty;
• Increase Québec’s attractiveness as a quantum innovation hub;
• Establish strategic international partnerships with world-renowned institutes.

This funding will enable the Institut quantique to respond to growing demand from industrial sectors and public and private research organizations interested in quantum technologies applicable to key fields such as materials, energy, healthcare, and finance, while contributing to major research initiatives. By also developing capabilities related to defence, national security, and dual-use technologies, the Institute will help strengthen Québec’s position as a leader in these highly strategic sectors in Canada and internationally.

The missions of C2MI and the Institut quantique support the objectives of Québec’s 2022-2027 Québec Research and Innovation Investment Strategy (SQRI²).

 

Quotes

“Innovation is a cornerstone of our economic development. By supporting C2MI and the Institut quantique, we are contributing to the growth of Technum Québec and DistriQ while strengthening collaboration between the two organizations and their industrial partners. Québec’s innovation zone model is attracting international attention, and we are proud to contribute to its continued success.”
Daniel Bernard, Minister Delegate for the Economy and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

“Innovation is what enables us to create tomorrow’s jobs, businesses, and technologies here at home. By supporting C2MI and the Institut quantique, we are giving Québec the means to remain at the forefront of strategic sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies. We are investing in our expertise, our talent, and our ability to transform ideas into meaningful and future-oriented advances. That is how we build a stronger, more innovative, and more sovereign economy.”
Bernard Drainville, Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Energy and Minister Responsible for the Maritime Strategy

“This support from the Government of Québec helps strengthen the essential capabilities required to attract, train, and retain highly qualified talent. As key players within the integrated innovation chain, the Institut quantique at the Université de Sherbrooke and C2MI help bridge the gap between leading-edge research and real-world applications. The Institut quantique provides world-class training and research, while C2MI plays a critical role in scaling innovations to industrial production. Investing in their development and leveraging the complementarity of the Institut quantique, the 3IT, and C2MI enables Québec to reinforce its global leadership in quantum science and technology while supporting the talent that transforms research into innovations that benefit society as a whole.”
Martin Bisaillon, Vice-President, Human Resources and Community Development, Université de Sherbrooke

 

Highlights

• Semiconductors are essential to the operation of today’s technologies and future innovations across sectors such as transportation, telecommunications, defence, healthcare, and energy. By investing in this cross-sector industry, Québec strengthens its capacity to innovate and remain competitive on the global stage.
• Inaugurated in July 2012, C2MI specializes in high-performance electronics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) manufacturing, printed electronics, and the microfabrication of quantum superconducting chips.
• The Université de Sherbrooke’s Institut quantique is a key provider of highly qualified talent and expertise in quantum technologies for the DistriQ and Technum Québec Innovation Zones. With 45 research groups, more than 300 members, and 11 research chairs, it is one of Canada’s few interdisciplinary research centres in the field and represents a strategic infrastructure for Québec’s technological sovereignty in quantum science and technology.
• The funding awarded to C2MI was announced under the Government of Québec’s 2024 Budget, through the initiative Establish Industrial Laboratories Within Innovation Zones, while the funding granted to the Université de Sherbrooke was announced in the 2026 Budget under the initiative Encouraging the Adoption of AI and Quantum Technologies.
• The Technum Québec Innovation Zone, located in Bromont, aims to increase the commercialization of innovations, exports, and collaborative initiatives in order to accelerate technology transfer and position Québec as a global leader in digital technologies and intelligent electronic systems.
• DistriQ, Québec’s Quantum Innovation Zone, is located in the heart of Sherbrooke and is building a dynamic ecosystem focused on quantum science and technological applications. It benefits from the contribution of leading companies and academic and research institutions that are helping position Québec as an international leader in the field.
• Québec’s innovation zones bring together world-class research, industry, education, and entrepreneurship stakeholders to showcase their sustainable competitive advantages and foster a culture of innovation.