For the Montreal Summit on Innovation and the ACFAS (Association francophone pour le savoir) conference, the LIEU Network was invited to share its experience in promoting the results of university research in FWB and to present its model in Quebec.

Within the framework of the international C2 Montreal conference, the Quartier de l’innovation (QI), the Fonds de recherche du Québec (Quebec research funds) and Aligo Innovation held the 8th Montreal Summit on Innovation (SMI). The SMI invited more than 120 experts, university researchers, entrepreneurs and lenders in order to develop thought and discussion surrounding the key competitiveness and innovation drivers from research, and in particular the new ways of advancing science to benefit society.

For the occasion, Olivier Vande Vyver, Operational Director of the LIEU Network, spoke at the closing panel to present the model and approach for promoting university research in Wallonia-Brussels. In the presence of the Quebec Minister of Economy, Mr Pierre Fitzgibbon, this panel had particular importance at a time when the Quebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation and Quebec universities are currently considering the models for promoting research from universities.

The following week, Michel Morant, Chairman of the LIEU Network and Director of the University of Liège Interface Entreprises-Université spoke at the round table discussion organised jointly by Aligo Innovation and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (OIPC). In the presence of representatives from Innovation, Sciences and Economic Development Canada, Quebec and Ontario universities, as well as several companies promoting research, these discussions were especially rich and inspiring, and championed the system for promoting university research in Wallonia-Brussels.