CQIB

What CQIB does

CQIB (Centre Québécois d'Innovation en Biotechnologie) is a non-profit life sciences incubator founded in 1995 and operational since 1996, headquartered at 500 Boulevard Cartier O, Laval, Quebec, on the INRS Armand-Frappier research campus. It provides turnkey BSL1 and BSL2 laboratory infrastructure (approximately 30,000 sq ft / 2,800 m2), flexible co-working offices, and a shared scientific equipment park to early-stage biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device startups. Its primary customers are life sciences and biotech startups (capacity 15-20 resident companies at a time), with secondary segments including established firms developing new R&D projects, international companies entering Canada via the Soft Landing program (co-run with Cité de la Biotech and Montréal International), pre-launch entrepreneurs, and external researchers paying per-use for high-end analytical equipment.

The facility's equipment park is the operational core of the value proposition, including UHPLC-MS/MS systems (Thermo TSQ Quantum Access Max), AKTA Pure protein purification, MicroCal iTC200 isothermal titration calorimetry, flow cytometry (Navios), real-time PCR (7900HT Fast), Evos FL inverted fluorescence microscopy, and a Single Quadrupole GC-MS platform (Thermo Scientific TRACE 1610 with ISQ 7610 MS, TRACE 1300 SSL injector, TriPlus RSH SMART autosampler) added in March 2026. On-site laboratory technician support, WHMIS/SIMDUT training, and access to the INRS National Centre of Experimental Biology's BSL3 pre-clinical facilities extend the technical offering beyond what most peer incubators can provide.

CQIB operates a hybrid subscription and contract revenue model: membership tiers (Office only $275/month, Standard $295/month, Co-lab $1,000/month, Co-lab Plus $1,600/month, Premium from $1,795/month), multi-year incubation leases of dedicated 250-1,100 sq ft labs (1-5 year terms), usage-based day equipment rental ($161.09-$209.42 per 8-hour day for the GC-MS), and public-sector grants plus partnership-supported member services (R&D Capital 3M CAD SR&ED financing envelope, BioQuébec free membership, Fisher Scientific 5-50% discounts, Mitacs grants). Go-to-market combines direct enterprise-style sales to life sciences startups, event-driven engagement (annual Life Sciences BBQ, Pfizer masterclass, Anges Québec networking dinners), and channel partnerships via institutional and international ecosystem partners (Montréal International, Cité de la Biotech, INRS, Université Laval). Cumulative outcomes since founding include incubation of over 100 companies, creation of approximately 1,000 scientific jobs, 100M CAD in revenue and 500M CAD in capital raised by member companies.

Name

CQIB

Legal name

Centre Québécois d'Innovation en Biotechnologie (CQIB)

Website

https://cqib.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CQIB (Centre Québécois d'Innovation en Biotechnologie) is a non-profit life sciences incubator in Laval, Quebec, providing turnkey BSL1/BSL2 laboratories, offices, and a shared scientific equipment park to biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device startups on the INRS Armand-Frappier campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biotechnology Incubator Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

akta.pro primary industry

Program Monitoring & Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Services (EDACAKAL)

Keywords

• Biotech incubator services
• Laboratory rental facilities
• Life sciences incubation
• Scientific equipment access
• Biotech startup programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Laval

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership and Co-lab Rentals: Recurring monthly membership fees for access to co-lab benches and offices. Co-lab: $1,000/month (30 hours lab/month + office option); Co-lab Plus (24/7 access): $1,600/month; Office only: $275/month (20 hrs/week); Membership from $295/month; Premium membership with expert support from $1,795/month.
2. Incubation Laboratory Rentals: Long-term rental of dedicated laboratories (250 to 1100 sq ft) including access to scientific equipment park, technical support, business development assistance, and 50 hours of free consultation with business development, regulatory, and financing specialists. Lease terms from 1 to 5 years.
3. Equipment Rental (Usage-based): Day-use equipment rental (8 hours) for the Single Quadrupole GC-MS platform, tiered by user type: $161.09 (internal members), $185.26 (external members), $209.42 (non-members). Other mobile equipment available for off-site rental subject to availability.
4. Government and Public Funding: Receives public funding as part of Quebec's 17 selected incubators/accelerators for innovative tech startups under the SQRI2 and SQSV programs (2026). Total of $13.8 million distributed to 17 organizations; earlier CED investment of $16 million from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) in 2024.
5. Partnership and Member Services: Provision of premium member services through partnerships (e.g., R&D Capital $3,000,000 envelope for R&D tax credit financing of CQIB members, BioQuébec free membership, Mitacs grants, Fisher Scientific discounts of 5-50%).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CQIB is a non-profit life sciences incubator providing turnkey BSL1/BSL2 laboratories, co-working and private offices, and access to a high-end scientific equipment park for biotech and medical technology startups and companies. It delivers multi-year incubation programs, membership tiers, pre-incubation validation services, and an International Soft Landing program for foreign firms seeking R&D foothold in Canada. The offering is bundled with on-site technician support, regulatory and business development accompaniment, and integration into the Cité de la Biotech ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Incubation Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 companies incubated; 1,000 scientific jobs; 100M CAD revenue; 500M CAD capital raised; 25+ years of operation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers34 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core academic partner (via member company glycovax pharma), flagship pharma partner, core international partner, flagship ecosystem partner, flagship founding partner, core service partner, minor service partner, flagship government partner and core program partner.

• Université Lavalcore academic partner (via member company glycovax pharma)Strategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Université Laval signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with CQIB member Glycovax Pharma, granting rights to develop and commercialize a family of compounds targeting galectin-3, based on IP from Professor Denis Giguère's research (Département de chimie). The deal covers fibrotic diseases (e.g., idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, kidney fibrosis), liver diseases (NAFLD, NASH, cirrhosis), and various cancers.
• Pfizerflagship pharma partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026Pfizer masterclass held at CQIB on March 11, 2026, designed for life sciences startups and growing companies to learn how to build meaningful partnerships with pharmaceutical leaders. Module 1 covers how pharma evaluates companies, key selection criteria, risk tolerance, and crafting a compelling pitch. Session delivered in English only.
• Montréal Internationalcore international partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-delivers the International 'Soft Landing' program with Cité de la biotech, helping foreign companies initiate small-scale R&D activities in Canada, including lab rental, recruitment, and startup support.
• Cité de la Biotechflagship ecosystem partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCQIB is born from the partnership between the City of Laval and the INRS. The Cité de la Biotech is a Greater Montréal life sciences and biotechnology hub with 5,000+ people at major biopharm companies and research institutes. Co-delivers the International 'Soft Landing' program. Member of the Cité include Roche, Servier, Sanofi, Bausch, Glaxo Smith Kline, Charles River, and 100+ biopharm companies.
• Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) - Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologieflagship founding partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of CQIB (with the City of Laval); CQIB is physically located on the INRS Laval campus. Provides access to 47 professor-researchers, 160+ graduate students, and the National Centre of Experimental Biology (LNBE) for BSL3 pre-clinical research.
• Ville de Lavalflagship founding partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of CQIB (with INRS); the third-largest city in Quebec, designated Cité de la biotechnologie et de la santé humaine du Grand Montréal by Quebec in 2001. Provides institutional and political support.
• BioQuébeccore service partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerService partner providing free membership (including member benefits) for resident companies of CQIB at the BioQuébec association.
• Mitacscore service partnerTechnology or IntegrationService partner providing grants and scholarships under the Accélération, GlobalLink, and Entrepreneur International programs.
• Fisher Scientificcore service partnerTechnology or IntegrationService partner providing laboratory equipment and products. Members are eligible for the New Lab Start-Up Program offering 5-50% discounts on lab product purchases.
• Medicassuranceminor service partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerService partner providing group insurance programs specifically designed for startup companies.
• Quebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation (Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation)flagship government partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport partner for entrepreneurship in life sciences. Source of public funding through SQRI2 and SQSV programs.
• Canada Economic Development (DEC) for Quebec Regionsflagship government partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal support partner for entrepreneurship in life sciences. Invested $16M in 13 Quebec incubators/accelerators (2024) and continues to support regional economic development.
• CIASQ (Consortium of 7 life sciences accelerators)core program partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCQIB is part of the ADOPT program, a consortium of seven Canadian life sciences accelerators/incubators offering three programs: Volet 1 (customized training/workshops to validate market idea), Volet 2 (clinical validation support), and Volet 3 (access to R&D infrastructure - hospital/university research centers for tech milestones).

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BioLabs: Network of coworking lab facilities across the US and Europe offering shared wet lab infrastructure to early-stage biotech startups. Directly comparable as a lab-as-a-service incubator with multi-site presence.
• LabCentral: Cambridge, MA-based nonprofit biotech incubator offering turnkey wet lab space and shared equipment to early-stage startups. Highly comparable operating model (nonprofit, shared BSL labs, equipment park, life-sciences focus) with US geography.
• MaRS Discovery District: Toronto-based innovation hub providing lab and office space, mentorship, and venture services to life sciences and tech startups. Comparable in mission and Canadian life-sciences incubator model, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader sector focus.
• Centech: Montreal-based tech and science incubator (affiliated with École Polytechnique) supporting hardware and life-sciences startups. Directly comparable Canadian Quebec-based incubator serving science and deep-tech startups with mentorship and lab access.
• BioGenerator: St. Louis-based nonprofit life-sciences venture builder that supports early-stage biotech startups with infrastructure, mentorship, and seed funding. Comparable nonprofit operating model with focus on creating and growing local biotech companies.
• MBC BioLabs: San Carlos, CA-based biotech coworking incubator that provides fully-equipped wet lab space to early-stage life sciences startups. Closely comparable in offering turnkey lab infrastructure and equipment to small biotech teams on a membership basis.
• adMare Biolnnovations: Canadian life sciences venture builder with offices in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto that supports biotech startups via infrastructure, scientific expertise, and capital. Directly comparable as a Canadian life-sciences incubator, though focused more on company creation than lab rental.

Broad incumbents

• JLABS by Johnson & Johnson Innovation: Johnson & Johnson's global network of life-sciences startup incubators providing lab space, equipment, and mentorship. Comparable in core offering but operates at much larger scale with J&J corporate backing and broader geographic footprint.
• Alexandria LaunchLabs: Alexandria Real Estate's startup platform providing turnkey lab and office space, equipment access, and venture capital connections to life-sciences startups. Comparable core offering but with much stronger real-estate backing and broader geographic reach.

Regional players

• Centre for Process Innovation (CPI): UK-based technology and innovation center providing specialized lab infrastructure and process development for life-sciences and advanced manufacturing companies. Comparable as a publicly-funded, non-equity lab infrastructure provider but operating in the UK.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=LbxWqcfkx8w
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cqiborg
• Xx.com/CQIB
• Facebookfacebook.com/manon.bouvier.50746

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CQIB