ACET

What ACET does

ACET (Accélérateur de création d'entreprises technologiques) is a non-profit technology business incubator and accelerator founded in 2014 and headquartered in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, in close affiliation with the Université de Sherbrooke. The organization supports technology entrepreneurs across five verticals — digital technologies, health technologies, green technologies, quantum technologies, and innovative manufacturing — through a service portfolio that includes personalized coaching (commercialization, entrepreneur development, company launch), specialized programs (ACET Boost for students, ACET Quantum/Quantacet for deep-tech, ACET konect, and Parcours Horizon PDG for CEO development), and direct investment via ACET Capital and the ACET Capital 2 S.E.C. fund. Services are delivered by 15+ specialized coaches and a broader team of 11–50 staff, with no direct fees charged to selected startups.

The organization's business model is a publicly-funded intermediary model: ACET does not sell a software product and does not charge startups for incubation services. Instead, operating revenues are sourced from federal and provincial government grants (Government of Quebec Startup Québec program; Government of Canada contributions; Quebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation funding for quantum), financial-institution partnerships (Investissement Québec, CDPQ's Espace CDPQ, BDC, EDC, Banque Nationale, Mitacs, Anges Québec, Futurpreneur Canada), and ancillary services such as the iA7 market intelligence product. ACET Capital 2 S.E.C., capitalized at $7.6M CAD (including $2M from Investissement Québec), provides risk capital to portfolio companies and generates fund-management economics.

ACET's strategic positioning combines a regional anchor in the Estrie/Eastern Townships ecosystem with broader Quebec consortium reach (Centech, CTS Santé, ZÚ) and cross-border tech-transfer agreements (PULSALYS/Université de Lyon). Over its operating history ACET has supported more than 90 innovative business projects, creating approximately 400 quality jobs and facilitating $15M+ of investment in portfolio companies in a single year (2017). Notable alumni outcomes include Nord Quantique ($2B CAD valuation), UgoWork (75 employees, $51M raised), Classcraft, Immune Biosolutions (Johnson & Johnson partnership), Boréas Technologies, and Letenda, demonstrating the accelerator's deep-tech orientation and capacity to incubate companies in capital-intensive verticals.

Name

ACET

Legal name

Accélérateur de création d'entreprises technologiques

Website

https://acet.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACET is a non-profit technology business incubator and accelerator based in Sherbrooke, Quebec, affiliated with the Université de Sherbrooke. It supports early-stage tech startups across digital, health, green, quantum, and manufacturing verticals via coaching, specialized programs, and venture capital (ACET Capital).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Business Incubation

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Fintech / Insurtech CVC (Financial-services-led CVC) (FSANAHAK)

Keywords

• Technology business incubation
• Startup acceleration services
• Venture capital funding
• Entrepreneur coaching services
• Startup ecosystem support

Headquarters

HQ city

Sherbrooke

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Accelerator/Incubator Services: ACET is a non-profit organization (organisme à but non lucratif) that provides business incubation and acceleration services to technology startups. Revenue is derived from government funding, private sector partnerships, and investment fund management (ACET Capital).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ACET is a non-profit technology business incubator and accelerator that provides personalized coaching, structured support programs, and venture capital investment to technology entrepreneurs. Its service portfolio includes commercialization strategy, entrepreneur development, company launch support, specialized programs (ACET Boost for university students, ACET Quantum for quantum technologies, ACET konect, Parcours Horizon PDG for CEOs), investment funds (ACET Capital and ACET Capital 2 S.E.C.), and market intelligence services (iA7) across digital, health, green, quantum, and innovative manufacturing sectors.

Product overview

ACET (Accélérateur de création d'entreprises technologiques) is a technology business incubator and accelerator based in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Rather than a single software product, ACET operates as a comprehensive service portfolio that includes personalized coaching programs, specialized incubation and acceleration tracks, and investment capital. The core offerings include: accompaniment programs (commercialization, entrepreneur development, company launch), specialized programs (ACET Boost for students, ACET Quantum for quantum tech, ACET konect), investment vehicles (ACET Capital, ACET Capital 2), and market intelligence services (iA7). The organization supports technology startups across five sectors: digital technologies, health technologies, green technologies, quantum technologies, and innovative manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACET Capital: ACET's venture capital investment fund that provides risk capital to support the growth of portfolio companies.
• ACET Boost
• ACET Quantum / Quantacet
• Parcours Horizon PDG

Products and services

• Accompagnement (Personalized Support Program)

Quantifiable outcome

• 52 companies supported in first 5 years, creating 170+ jobs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Université de SherbrookecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary academic partner providing access to research, talent, and student entrepreneurs. Collaboration on ACET Boost pre-incubation program for students and joint initiatives including the Centre Laurent Beaudoin training partnership.
• PulsalysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership signed May 15, 2018 with PULSALYS, the Technology Transfer Office affiliated with Université de Lyon, France, to systematize and deepen cross-border collaboration.
• Centre Laurent BeaudoinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Laurent Beaudoin Centre at Université de Sherbrooke's School of Management to deliver customized training on technology company creation.
• Magog TechnopoleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement providing financial support and expertise to companies with strong technological potential in the Magog region.
• Centech, CTS Santé, ZÚmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of four high-tech incubators (ACET, Centech, CTS Santé, ZÚ) created to leverage combined tools, contacts, and mentors for accelerated startup support.
• SopremaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRichard Voyer, Executive Vice President and CEO of Soprema North America, joined ACET's Board of Directors bringing dynamic approach and deep understanding of business challenges.
• Sherbrooke InnopolemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization supporting ACET companies with financing, networking, and market access in the Sherbrooke ecosystem.
• C2MI (Centre de Collaboration MiQRO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation center in Bromont providing infrastructure and expertise for microelectronics and technology development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Centech: Centech is a Montreal-based deep-tech incubator and accelerator affiliated with École de technologie supérieure (ETS). It is a direct peer, co-listed in ACET's consortium with CTS Santé and Zú, serving Quebec tech startups with similar coaching, programs, and capital access.
• Creative Destruction Lab (CDL): CDL runs the Quantum Stream and other deep-tech accelerator cohorts at multiple universities including partnerships with Université de Sherbrooke. It is a direct peer in university-affiliated, equity-free cohort-based acceleration for science-based startups.
• DMZ (Toronto Metropolitan University): DMZ is a leading Canadian startup accelerator based in Toronto, offering cohort programs, mentorship, and investor access. It is a direct peer as a Canadian university-affiliated tech accelerator with similar incubation and growth-stage programs.
• Founder Institute: Founder Institute is a global pre-seed accelerator running structured programs for aspiring tech entrepreneurs. It is a direct peer in early-stage cohort-based startup formation with mentor networks and follow-on funding access.
• Entrepreneur First: Entrepreneur First is a global deep-tech talent investor running cohort programs for technical founders to form startups from scratch. It is a direct peer in pre-seed deep-tech cohort acceleration and founder formation, including quantum and biotech.

Broad incumbents

• MaRS Discovery District: MaRS is a large urban innovation hub in Toronto providing incubation, advisory, and capital connections for tech and science startups. It is a broad incumbent Canadian accelerator with overlapping verticals (health, clean tech, fintech) but at much larger scale.
• Techstars: Techstars is a global accelerator operating mentor-driven, cohort-based programs worldwide. It is a broad incumbent comparable to ACET in delivery model (intensive cohort coaching, demo day, investor access) but operates at far larger scale and geographic breadth.
• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the world's largest startup accelerator, offering seed funding, mentorship, and demo days to early-stage companies. It is a broad incumbent in the same accelerator category, though it focuses on software/digital companies rather than hard-tech.

Regional players

• Notman House (OSMO Foundation): Notman House is a Montreal-based startup campus and community hub offering events, mentorship, and co-working. It is a regional peer in the Quebec startup ecosystem, similar community-led support model but less specialized in deep-tech verticals.

Emerging players

• Quantonation: Quantonation is a Paris-based early-stage venture fund dedicated to quantum technologies. It is an emerging player closely comparable to ACET's quantum specialization, providing capital and incubation to deep-tech quantum startups globally.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acet
• Facebookfacebook.com/acetsherbrooke

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about ACET