Réseau Québec maritime - RQM

What Réseau Québec maritime - RQM does

Réseau Québec maritime (RQM) is a non-profit inter-institutional and interdisciplinary research network founded in 2016 and headquartered at the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) in Rimouski, Quebec. Its mandate is to federate Quebec's maritime research community — including all Quebec universities, colleges, CCTT technology transfer centers, research centers, public and community organizations, and maritime businesses — to advance sustainable maritime development across ecosystem health, sustainable transport, marine energy, surveillance and safety, coastal communities, and the maritime economic sector. Core offerings include the biennial Avenir maritime congress (co-organized with Institut France-Québec maritime), the PLAINE research programme on mitigating commercial navigation impacts, a Ship Time Programme coordinating research vessel access (including N/R Coriolis II), student scholarships, the Balad'Eau podcast series, and the Regards sur le Saint-Laurent photo contest.

RQM's underlying technology layer is a research data management platform built on FAIR principles and integrated with the Observatoire Global du Saint-Laurent (OGSL) catalog, supported by a dedicated data scientist (Antoine Biehler) who assists research teams with data management plans, dataset standardization, variable harmonization, and DOI creation. The network does not sell software products or APIs; its revenue is overwhelmingly non-tax-based government research funding from FRQNT, MEIE, and MTMD, including a CA$10M+ envelope announced in December 2023 under the SQRI2 2022-2027 strategy, plus modest congress registration fees (CA$50-300 per attendee tiered across students, academia/government, and industry). With only 9 staff, RQM operates as a lean coordinating body that channels funding and infrastructure to a much broader member base, rather than as a commercial entity.

Name

Réseau Québec maritime - RQM

Legal name

Réseau Québec maritime

Website

https://rqm.quebec

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Réseau Québec maritime (RQM) is a non-profit research network coordinating Quebec's universities, colleges, and maritime partners around sustainable maritime development, funded primarily by Quebec government ministries and FRQNT.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Research Network Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Navigational Services to Shipping (488330), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Maritime research network
• Inter-institutional coordination
• Research funding programmes
• Ship time coordination
• Maritime data services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rimouski

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. Government Research Funding: RQM receives funding from government sources including FRQNT (Fonds de recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies), MEIE (Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie), and MTMD (Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable) to fund research programs, coordinate ship time, and support the maritime research community.
2. Congress Registration Fees: Revenue generated from registration fees for the Avenir maritime congress, with tiered pricing for industry (CAD $300), academic/government/community (CAD $100), and students (CAD $50).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Réseau Québec maritime is a non-profit inter-institutional research network that coordinates and funds maritime research across Quebec universities, colleges, CCTT technology transfer centres, research centres, government bodies and industry partners. Its core offerings consist of collaborative research funding programmes (notably PLAINE for navigation impact mitigation), coordinated research ship-time access, student scholarships and mobility support, FAIR-compliant maritime data services integrated with the OGSL catalog, and a biennial bilingual Avenir maritime congress co-organized with Institut France-Québec maritime to federate the French-Quebec maritime research community.

Product overview

Réseau Québec maritime (RQM) operates as a research coordination network rather than a traditional software product company. Its offerings consist of collaborative research programs, knowledge dissemination platforms, and event-based community building. The core offerings include: the Avenir maritime Congress (biennial flagship conference with the Institut France-Québec maritime), the PLAINE research programme for navigation impact mitigation, the Balad'Eau podcast series for science communication, Maritime Data Services (FAIR-compliant data management with OGSL integration), the Ship Time Programme for research vessel coordination, Student Scholarships for mobility support, and the Regards sur le Saint-Laurent Photo Contest. These services work together to federate Quebec's maritime research forces around sustainable development goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Avenir maritime Congress Biennial flagship congress co-organized with Institut France-Québec maritime that gathers the French-Québec maritime research and innovation community to present advances in sustainable maritime development and strengthen collaborative ties.
• Balad'Eau Podcast Podcasts series valorizing Quebec maritime research through quality audiovisual content that makes marine science accessible to audiences from primary schools to museums and the general public.
• PLAINE Research Programme Competitive research funding programme funding projects on decarbonization, coexistence with aquatic wildlife, coastal erosion mitigation, and circular economy in maritime transport.
• Maritime Data Services FAIR-compliant data management service for maritime research, including dataset standardization, DOI creation, data management plan support and publication in the OGSL catalog, delivered by a dedicated RQM-OGSL data scientist.
• Ship Time Programme Programme coordinating research vessel time allocations for maritime research projects, providing access to vessels such as Coriolis II and optimizing ship scheduling across multiple research teams.
• Student Scholarships Financial support programme for student mobility and participation in maritime research activities, including travel bursaries for conference attendees and support for student research projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 300 participants from Quebec and France at first congress in 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• Port de Trois-RivièresmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Principal partner for the 2025 Avenir maritime congress held in Trois-Rivières. The Port's commitment to innovation and sustainability in the port and maritime industry makes it a key ally for the congress.
• Institut France-Québec maritime (IFQM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016IFQM is the French-Québec maritime institute that co-organizes the Avenir maritime congress with RQM. This partnership enables transatlantic collaboration between French and Quebec maritime research communities, bringing together researchers from both sides of the Atlantic for joint conferences and initiatives.
• BiopterremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch center that initiated the marine fungi project and served as mission chief coordinator. Biopterre is a centre de transfert technologique (CCTT) working on marine biotechnologies at Cégep de La Pocatière.
• Cégep de La PocatièremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner providing student participation and teacher engagement for the marine science expedition program, collaborating in interdisciplinary student projects.
• ISMER-UQAR (Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey research partner providing specialized equipment and technical support. ISMER is the primary marine science research institute at UQAR and hosts RQM headquarters.
• ReformarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization managing the N/R Coriolis II research vessel, coordinating crew and ship management for RQM research missions at sea.
• MEOPAR (Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational marine research network providing financial support for the 'Ice to Water: At the Margins of Glaciers' exhibition and Arctic research collaboration.
• ARCTUSmajorTechnology or IntegrationArctic research technology company producing satellite imagery (RCM SAR imagery) used in glacier research and providing satellite data for the 'Ice to Water' exhibition on glacier margins.
• Centre d'artistes CaravansérailminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt center in Rimouski hosting the 'Ice to Water: At the Margins of Glaciers' exhibition from May 21 to June 3, 2026, bridging art and science.
• Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging institution of RQM, hosting the network's headquarters at ISMER. UQAR provides administrative infrastructure and is the host institution for RQM operations.
• Ambassade d'Italie au CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian Embassy in Canada co-organizing scientific panels during Amerigo Vespucci ship stops in Quebec City and Montreal (July 2026) on sustainable navigation and maritime technologies.
• Université LavalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuebec university co-organizing the Quebec scientific panel on sustainable navigation during Amerigo Vespucci stop, bringing maritime logistics and transport expertise.
• Polytechnique MontréalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering school co-organizing Montreal panel on autonomous systems, AI and advanced materials for the future of navigation, with Amerigo Vespucci stop.
• Organisation BleuemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience communication organization collaborating on the Balad'EAU podcast series, providing media production expertise for RQM research valorization content.
• Observatoire Global du Saint-Laurent (OGSL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint data service partnership where OGSL provides the data catalog platform for RQM research data, with shared staff resource (Antoine Biehler) for data management support.
• MerinovmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine research and innovation center in Gaspé specializing in fisheries and aquaculture research, participating in RQM's interdisciplinary research network.
• CIDCOmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre interdisciplinaire de développement de la cartographie des océans, specialized in hydrography and ocean mapping technologies, collaborating on maritime research.
• Fonds d'Action Saint-LaurentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental foundation co-organizing the 'Regards sur le Saint-Laurent' photo contest with RQM, engaging the public with St. Lawrence imagery and conservation.
• Technopole maritime du Québec (TMQ)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuebec maritime technopole and co-organizer of the European delegation Transatlantic mission visit in October-November 2024.
• CRPM (Conférence des Régions Périphériques Maritimes)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlantic Arc Commission of CRPM leading the Transatlantic pilot project connecting European and Quebec maritime ecosystems for collaboration.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Others

• CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales): French space agency supporting satellite ocean observation (altimetry, SAR imagery) used in marine and cryosphere research - including RQM's Amerigo Vespucci workshop with ARCTUS satellite imagery. Comparable as an enabling data and infrastructure provider adjacent to RQM's research scope.

Broad incumbents

• ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea): Intergovernmental marine science organisation coordinating North Atlantic ocean research among 20 member countries. Comparable in role as an inter-institutional convening body producing data, advice, and collaborative science, though at a larger international scale.
• Ifremer: France's national marine research institute operating ships, laboratories, and data services across oceanography, fisheries, and maritime technology. Comparable in coordinating maritime research infrastructure and science-policy support, but at national scale with a permanent staff and fleet.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI): One of the world's largest independent ocean research, engineering, and education organisations. Comparable as a flagship marine research institution that hosts ships, fellowships, and data programmes, though operating at vastly larger scale.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada / Pêches et Océans Canada (DFO/MPO): Canadian federal ministry responsible for maritime policy, science, and aquatic ecosystems, including the Canadian Hydrographic Service. Comparable as the principal government counterpart and potential co-funder of the type of maritime research RQM coordinates.

Direct peers

• EMODnet (European Marine Observation and Data Network): EU-funded marine data portal integrating observations from dozens of European providers using standardised, FAIR-aligned data layers. Closest functional peer to RQM's OGSL-integrated maritime data service.
• Hakai Institute: Canada-based coastal and ocean research organisation running long-term monitoring programmes, fellowships, and field stations along the BC coast. Comparable in operating a coordinated network of marine research infrastructure, data, and people around a single large water body (the St. Lawrence vs. the BC coast).
• MEOPAR (Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network): Canada's national marine research network of networks, funding interdisciplinary marine research, training, and partnerships across universities and government. Directly comparable to RQM in coordinating maritime research at a broader geographic scale, and an explicit partner on RQM's Arctic 'Ice to Water' exhibition.
• Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI): Canadian ocean research consortium hosted at Dalhousie and partner universities, focused on safe, sustainable ocean development. Comparable in scope and funding model - a multi-institutional, federally and internationally funded network federating marine research.
• Institut France-Québec maritime (IFQM): The French-Quebec maritime institute that co-organises the Avenir maritime congress with RQM. Operates as the French-side counterpart of the same transatlantic research network, making it functionally a peer network in a different national jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLOerj9LqPVOHU-e7cDs9Qcsz2prdttsN9
• Facebookfacebook.com/Baladeau
• Instagraminstagram.com/Baladeau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reseau-quebec-maritime

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Réseau Québec maritime - RQM