Quantino
Quantino is a private Quebec City high-tech business incubator, powered by INO, that runs a three-year incubation program for startups in optics, photonics, quantum, deeptech, hardware, and medical technologies, with capacity for 84 companies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersQuébec, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Quantino does
Quantino is a private high-tech business incubator founded in 2020 and operated as a subsidiary initiative of INO (Institut National d'Optique), Canada's largest optical and photonics research center. Headquartered at 2740 Einstein in Quebec City, the incubator supports early-stage technology companies developing advanced products in optics, photonics, deeptech, hardware, medical, and quantum technologies through a typical three-year incubation pathway. As of January 2026, the facility was expanded from 48 to 84 workstations and now offers medical-grade clean rooms and a photonic chip testing station, with 39+ technology companies cumulatively supported since launch.
Quantino does not sell a software or hardware product of its own; its offering is the incubation service bundle — shared lab infrastructure, equipment access, expert guidance, and business development support — delivered through a network of strategic partnerships. Core partners include INO (parent and technical backbone), three Université Laval-affiliated medical research centers (IUCPQ-UL for cardiovascular/respiratory/metabolic disease, CERVO Brain Research Centre for neuroscience, CHU de Québec for cancer/immune/regenerative medicine/women's health), Big Four and tier-one professional firms (KPMG, EY, Fasken, Norton Rose Fulbright), regulatory consultancy LOK North America, and financial partner Desjardins. Marketing and deal-sourcing occur primarily through the Quantino website, LinkedIn, Facebook, an email newsletter, semi-annual Demo Days (including the FresQC collaboration with LE CAMP, Entrepreneuriat ULaval, and 2 Degrés), and presence at international events such as Startupfest and Collision.
The revenue model combines incubation fees (paid by accepted startups, structure not publicly disclosed) with non-dilutive government and corporate funding, notably a CA$3M grant from the City of Quebec awarded in July 2023 and a CA$400,000 contribution from Desjardins through its GoodSpark Fund announced in January 2026. Admissions are gated by a formal process requiring proof of concept in a priority sector, a sustainable financial model, demonstrated or projected sales, ability to pay incubation fees, and on-site presence of the project leader — a structure that aligns selection toward commercially oriented deeptech startups rather than pre-revenue science projects.
Quantino firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Quantino
- Legal name
- Quantino
- Website
- https://quantino.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Quantino is a private Quebec City high-tech business incubator, powered by INO, that runs a three-year incubation program for startups in optics, photonics, quantum, deeptech, hardware, and medical technologies, with capacity for 84 companies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Quantino industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Incubation Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- QCaaS Platforms & Developer Portals (HDAGAIAB), Quantum Application Engineering & Solution Delivery Services (HDAGALAD), General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens) (HLAGAIAC)
Keywords
Where Quantino is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Québec
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Quantino business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Incubation fees: Startups are required to pay incubation fees to participate in the program. The specific fee structure is not publicly disclosed.
- Government grants and funding: Quantino receives government funding including a $3 million grant from the City of Quebec to enhance incubation services for young technology companies
- Partnership contributions: Partner organizations contribute resources and services to support incubated companies, including Desjardins' $400,000 contribution through its GoodSpark Fund
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Incubation program with comprehensive support services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels9 records
Quantino product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Quantino is a high-tech business incubator that provides shared infrastructure, specialized equipment (including medical-grade clean rooms and a photonic chip testing station), expert guidance, and business development support to technology startups. The incubator operates a typical three-year incubation pathway focused on startups developing advanced products in optics, photonics, deeptech, hardware, medical technologies, and quantum technologies. Quantino is powered by INO (Institut national d'optique) and partners with medical research institutions, professional service firms, and financial institutions to provide a comprehensive support ecosystem.
Product overview
Quantino is a high-tech business incubator powered by INO, providing incubation services to technology startups in optics, photonics, deeptech, hardware, medical technologies, and quantum technologies. Quantino does not offer a software product or technology platform — it provides advisory services, access to infrastructure and laboratories, expert guidance, and business development support to help early-stage companies develop and commercialize their own technology products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- High-Tech Startup Incubation Program A three-year incubation program for technology startups developing advanced products in optics, photonics, deeptech, hardware, medical, and quantum technologies. Provides workspace, specialized laboratories and equipment (including medical-grade clean rooms and a photonic chip testing station), expert guidance, and business development support through partnerships with medical research institutions, professional service firms, and financial institutions.
- Experts in Residence Program A program providing incubatees with access to experts and advisors from partner organizations covering intellectual property, cybersecurity, legal compliance, tax assistance, financial auditing, regulatory compliance (Health Canada, FDA, CE marking), and strategic consulting for mergers, acquisitions, and funding.
- Laboratories and Equipment Access Shared access to specialized infrastructure and equipment for incubated startups, including medical-grade clean rooms for life sciences development and a photonic chip testing station for characterizing photonic components. The expanded facility provides 84 workstations for incubated technology startups.
Quantifiable outcome
- $8.70 GDP contribution for every $1 invested in young emerging companies
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Quantino
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Quantino technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Quantino partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- CHU de Québec-Université LavalcorePartnership to expand regional incubation offerings for companies developing technologies to prevent, diagnose, and treat various diseases - notably cancer and immune diseases - as well as to promote regenerative medicine and women's health. Includes access to real-world care testing, R&D infrastructure sharing, and exploration of other opportunities.
- momentumPI / MAIN (Mouvement des accélérateurs d'innovation du Québec)minorINO and Quantino obtained partner organization status for the deep tech sector in the momentumPI service, which aims to offer intellectual property services to startups with high growth potential. Goal is to equip 600 startups with an IP strategy.
- CERVO Brain Research CentrecorePartnership to provide specialized incubation services for startups working in neuroscience and mental health, including psychiatric diseases, nervous system diseases, memory, learning, and therapy development. CERVO experts assist in selecting and guiding businesses with projects in these fields.
- LOK North AmericamajorPartnership to provide support on quality control and regulatory compliance for Canadian (Health Canada), American (FDA), and European (CE marking) markets. Incubatees receive guidance on developing and selling medical devices on international markets.
- EY (Ernst & Young)majorSponsorship agreement providing startups with free access to a range of services including training, coaching, financial auditing, tax services (including R&D tax credits), and consulting on mergers & acquisitions and funding.
- KPMGmajorThree-year partnership where KPMG provides Quantino startups with tax assistance, consulting services, and cybersecurity support. Services include company valuations for strategic partnerships, tax credits and grant assistance, tax planning, and financial statement auditing.
- FaskenminorExperts in residence providing guidance on cybersecurity and intellectual property best practices for deeptech startups.
- Norton Rose FulbrightminorExperts in residence providing guidance on intellectual property and cybersecurity best practices for startups.
- Université Laval's Québec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ-UL)corePartnership to provide comprehensive incubation services for emerging medical businesses focused on preventing, diagnosing, and treating cardiovascular and respiratory diseases (including COVID-19), as well as type 2 diabetes and obesity. The partnership provides access to Institute expertise, laboratories, clean rooms, and research platforms.
- INO (Institut national d'optique)coreINO is the parent organization powering Quantino. As Canada's largest optical and photonics research center, INO provides the foundational expertise, infrastructure, and organizational support that enables Quantino to offer world-class incubation services for high-tech startups.
- Entrepreneuriat ULavalminorCollaboration on The Quantino Hour events, including specialized quantum technology editions, to educate entrepreneurs about quantum initiatives in Québec and how quantum technologies will impact society.
- Québec QuantiqueminorCollaboration on quantum-focused Quantino Hour events to promote quantum technology initiatives and startups in the Québec region.
- ACETminorPartnership as part of the largest consortium of quantum technology incubators in Quebec, enabling companies to join a broader quantum technology ecosystem.
- LE CAMPminorCollaboration on FresQC Demo Day, a joint initiative showcasing the most promising tech companies from Quebec City incubators to investors.
- 2 DegrésminorCollaboration on FresQC Demo Day, a joint initiative showcasing the most promising tech companies from Quebec City incubators to investors.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Quantino competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Centech: Montreal-based deep-tech incubator and accelerator affiliated with École de technologie supérieure. Most directly comparable to Quantino as a Quebec-focused deeptech/medical-tech/hardware incubator with strong academic and industry partnerships.
- 2 Degrés: Quebec City incubator collaborating with Quantino on the joint FresQC Demo Day. Comparable as a Quebec-based tech startup incubator serving early-stage companies.
- HAX: Global hardware/robotics accelerator with Shenzhen and San Francisco operations. Comparable for Quantino's hardware and deeptech incubatees, given HAX's focus on physical-product startups needing specialized lab facilities.
- Entrepreneuriat ULaval: Université Laval's entrepreneurship office; co-hosts Quantino Hour Quantum Editions and FresQC Demo Day with Quantino. Comparable as a Quebec academic-linked incubator supporting student and early-stage founders in priority tech sectors.
- ACET: Quebec-based quantum technology accelerator that is part of the same Quebec quantum incubator consortium referenced by Quantino. Highly comparable for the quantum-incubation segment of Quantino's portfolio.
- LE CAMP: Quebec City innovation hub that co-organizes the FresQC Demo Day with Quantino. Comparable as a Quebec-based incubator supporting high-growth startups with shared event programming.
Broad incumbents
- Station F: World's largest startup campus in Paris. Comparable as a large-scale government-and-corporate-backed incubator offering shared infrastructure, programming, and partner services — similar to Quantino's multi-partner model.
- MaRS Discovery District: Toronto-based innovation hub supporting deeptech, healthtech and hardware ventures. Comparable in mission and venture-development focus, but at a much larger scale and broader mandate.
- Y Combinator: Largest global startup accelerator. Comparable as a benchmark incumbent for the accelerator/incubation business model, though YC targets a much broader sector mandate and uses an equity-based model.
- Creative Destruction Lab: Global science-based startup accelerator founded at the Rotman School. Comparable as a higher-tier deeptech/photonics/quantum incubator serving science-based ventures, though operates at a much broader geographic and sector scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Quantino social profiles
Digital presenceQuantino financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Quantino leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Quantino funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Quantino M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Quantino
What does Quantino do?
Quantino is a high-tech business incubator that provides shared infrastructure, specialized equipment (including medical-grade clean rooms and a photonic chip testing station), expert guidance, and business development support to technology startups. The incubator operates a typical three-year incubation pathway focused on startups developing advanced products in optics, photonics, deeptech, hardware, medical technologies, and quantum technologies. Quantino is powered by INO (Institut national d'optique) and partners with medical research institutions, professional service firms, and financial institutions to provide a comprehensive support ecosystem.
Is Quantino a public or private company?
Quantino is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Quantino founded?
Quantino was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Quantino based?
Quantino is headquartered in Québec, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Quantino make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Incubation fees are the primary driver. The others are government grants and funding and partnership contributions.
Who are Quantino's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Centech, 2 Degrés, HAX, Entrepreneuriat ULaval, ACET and LE CAMP. Broad incumbents are Station F, MaRS Discovery District, Y Combinator and Creative Destruction Lab.
Does Quantino have an API?
No public API is recorded for Quantino.
What industry is Quantino in?
Quantino's product category is Startup Incubation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated), with a secondary code of HDAGAIAB, QCaaS Platforms & Developer Portals. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.