What SERDEX International does

SERDEX International is a regional export support organization (ORPEX — Organisme régional de promotion des exportateurs) serving manufacturing and value-added service SMEs in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Alma, Quebec, the organization delivers export consulting, market studies, commercialization planning, trade mission organization, and ongoing accompaniment to help regional SMEs diversify beyond Quebec markets. Its core service portfolio is built around the "Hélico" line — Hélico Décollage (export commercialization planning), Hélico en Action (detailed action plan execution), Hélico Diversification (expansion into new markets), and Hélico Conseil (market studies and client lists) — supplemented by free advisory services, the VPNI digital positioning audit, the Expar responsible-business-practices program, and the ÉCLO-funded technical training cohorts.

Delivery is led by a core team of four: Directrice générale Nadine Brassard (in role since 2009, President of Commerce International Québec since 2019), digital strategist and adjunct international commissioner Gabrielle Ouellet Duval, commercialization and communications advisor Any Truchon, and strategic export advisor Dominique Tremblay. SERDEX's distinguishing methodology combines Artificial Intelligence (IA), Human Intelligence (IH), and Relational Intelligence (IR): AI tools are applied to accelerate strategic analysis, automate low-value tasks (administration, payroll, document processing, ETL), support market research and scenario generation, and produce content for communications and client deliverables, with human judgment and relational networks retained as the binding advisory layer.

Revenue mechanics blend free or heavily subsidized services (funded by Développement économique Canada and the Gouvernement du Québec) with paid tier programs on unit and multi-year contract pricing (VPNI at CAD $1,678 for 30 hours of accompaniment, Expar at CAD $3,200 over 12 months, ÉCLO cohorts at CAD $500 per company). The organization is governed by a board of regional business leaders drawn from companies including Industries Dodec, Alco-tmi, STAS, Fabtech Id, and Fusium, and operates an ecosystem of regional partners (Promotion Saguenay, Développement économique Alma Lac-Saint-Jean, Commerce International Québec, Rio Tinto, Desjardins, Éco-conseiller, EDC, Investissement Québec International). The FY 2025-2026 annual report indicates that mandate targets were exceeded alongside completion of 7 special projects and 2 technical cohorts, with new growth vectors including the Spring 2026 VPNI launch and the trade-tension-driven Opération Prospérité mobilization initiative.

Name

SERDEX International

Legal name

SERDEX International

Website

https://serdex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SERDEX International is a Quebec regional export support organization serving manufacturing and value-added service SMEs in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, providing export consulting, market studies, commercialization planning, and training under an AI-augmented advisory model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Export Consulting Services

NAICS

All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54199)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade, Export Controls & Customs Compliance (BPAHAFAN)

Keywords

• Export consulting services
• Trade promotion services
• Market diversification support
• Export commercialization planning
• International market development

Headquarters

HQ city

Alma

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. Export Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for export strategy development, market studies, and commercialization planning. Services include individual accompaniment, group training, and specialized programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SERDEX International is a regional export support organization that provides export consulting, market studies, commercialization planning, training cohorts, and ongoing accompaniment to manufacturing and value-added service SMEs in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec. Its core Hélico service line covers export commercialization planning (Hélico Décollage), detailed action plan execution (Hélico en Action), market diversification into new territories (Hélico Diversification), and market studies with client lists (Hélico Conseil), supplemented by free advisory, commercial missions, and specialized programs such as VPNI and Expar. Services are delivered by a small team of export commissioners and strategic advisors, with portions funded or subsidized by federal and provincial government partners.

Product overview

SERDEX International is a regional export support organization serving manufacturing and value-added service SMEs in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec. The organization operates as a unified service portfolio centered on export advisory, combining human expertise with AI augmentation. The core offering consists of the 'Hélico' service line: Hélico Décollage for initial export commercialization planning, Hélico en Action for detailed action plan execution, Hélico Diversification for market expansion into new territories, and Hélico Conseil for market studies and client lists. Additional services include free advisory consultations, commercial mission organization, and specialized programs including VPNI (digital positioning validation), Expar (sustainable business practices), technical training cohorts, and the regional ÉCLO funding program. The organization also leads Opération Prospérité, a regional initiative supporting exporters amid trade disruptions. SERDEX positions its approach around the equation of Artificial Intelligence (IA) + Human Intelligence (IH) + Relational Intelligence (IR) to deliver strategic advisory services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hélico Décollage: Plan de commercialisation à l'exportation service
• Hélico En Action
• Hélico Conseil
• Hélico Diversification
• Opération Prospérité Québec-Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
• VPNI - Valider votre présence numérique à l'international
• Expar
• Cohorte technique en diversification de marchés (ÉCLO)
• HTAG 360

Products and services

• Hélico Décollage (Plan de commercialisation à l'exportation) An export commercialization planning service that helps SMEs develop a clear and credible strategy for international markets by simplifying processes and facilitating access to resources (time, money, HR).
• Hélico en Action (Plan d'action détaillé) A detailed action plan service that helps businesses execute their export objectives by detailing activities, identifying responsible parties, and providing ongoing strategic follow-up with scheduled advisor meetings.
• Hélico Diversification (Aller vers de nouveaux marchés) A market diversification service for experienced exporters seeking expansion into new markets, gathering information and data on new markets, adapting strategies to local realities, and updating international plans.
• Hélico Conseil (Études de marchés et listes de clients) A consulting service providing answers to international development questions, including market studies, client lists, development strategies, customs information, and business internationalization support.
• Services-conseils gratuits (Free Advisory Services) Free advisory services providing information on customs, client validation, export processes, export diagnostics, and regulations and certifications, available by phone for project questions or export inquiries.
• Missions commerciales (Trade Missions) Commercial mission organization services including preparation of missions, meeting preparation, and logistics coordination for individual or group business trips and technology transfer visits.
• VPNI - Valider votre positionnement numérique à l'international A digital positioning validation service providing SMEs with a current portrait of their digital positioning and competitors. Includes strategic audit, competitive analysis, and concrete action plan across 30 hours of personalized support at $1,678 + taxes (stated value $4,200).
• Expar (Pratiques d'affaires responsables) A sustainable business practices program combining international commercialization expertise with sustainable development expertise, helping strengthen company positioning and competitiveness by meeting major buyers' sustainable development requirements; 12 months of personalized support at $3,200 + taxes (stated value $15,225).
• Cohorte technique en diversification de marchés (ÉCLO) A technical training cohort in market diversification for businesses wanting to develop new markets or detach from US markets, including export diagnosis, market qualification, specialized training on international trade aspects, and expert presentations; 3 days of training at $500 per company (value $1,850).
• Opération Prospérité Québec-Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean A regional mobilization initiative providing strategic solutions, tariff monitoring, and business support programs to help SMEs diversify into new international markets in the context of trade wars.
• HTAG 360 - Accompagnement 360 pour positionnement numérique A 360-degree accompaniment program for digital positioning targeting businesses in the 2nd and 3rd transformation of aluminum, offered in collaboration with Société de la Vallée de l'aluminium.
• Fonds régional ÉCLO A regional diversification fund established by MRCs of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean to support businesses with tools for structured market diversification and economic development, particularly in response to US tariffs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Exceeded mandates completed targets, completed 7 special projects, and delivered 2 technical training cohorts in fiscal year 2025-2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• Rio TintominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor regional employer and business partner in the aluminum sector, collaborating on economic development initiatives.
• Commerce International Québec (CIQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of regional export support organizations (ORPEX) to which SERDEX belongs. CEO Nadine Brassard serves as President. Provides access to broader export ecosystem and coordinated regional initiatives.
• Éco-conseiller (Eco-advisor)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Expar project to integrate responsible business practices with export commercialization, combining export expertise with sustainability advisory.
• Commerce International QuébecmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for VPNI (Digital Presence Validation) service delivery, combining SERDEX's export expertise with CIQ's international network.
• Promotion SaguenaymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization collaborating on initiatives to support export diversification in the context of trade tensions.
• Développement économique Alma Lac-Saint-JeanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal economic development corporation collaborating on the ÉCLO Regional Fund and regional export support initiatives.
• Therrien Couture JolicoeurminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExpert law firm providing legal advisory services in the technical cohort training on international contracts and litigation.
• Exportation et développement Canada (EDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal export credit agency providing expert presentations on export financing in the technical cohort training.
• BSL AvocatminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal expertise partner for the cohort training on intellectual property protection and international business law.
• Investissement Québec InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial export development agency providing market intelligence and expert support for cohort training participants.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC): Federal development bank providing advisory services to Canadian SMEs including export support. Comparable as a wider, federally-backed advisory provider whose SME export services overlap with SERDEX's mission.
• Export Development Canada (EDC): Canada's federal export credit agency providing financing, insurance, and market expertise. Acts as a broader incumbent counterpart to SERDEX's advisory services and is a documented partner providing expert presentations in SERDEX's cohort programs.
• Trade Commissioner Service of Canada: Federal government service that helps Canadian companies succeed in international markets with on-the-ground trade expertise. Provides a directly comparable service offering at national scale and is a complementary resource SERDEX refers SMEs to.
• Investissement Québec International: Provincial export development agency that provides market intelligence and expert support to Quebec exporters. Overlaps significantly with SERDEX's mandate at a province-wide scale and is a documented partner in cohort training.

Direct peers

• Altios International: Global trade consulting firm with offices across multiple countries that supports SMEs with international expansion, market entry, and export advisory. Directly comparable as a private-sector export advisory provider serving SME clients with similar commercial services.
• Commerce International Québec (CIQ): Network of Quebec regional export support organizations (ORPEX) of which SERDEX is a member; the most directly comparable counterpart as it coordinates and supports the same ORPEX model across Quebec regions. SERDEX's CEO holds its Presidency.

Regional players

• World Trade Centre Montréal: Montreal-based trade promotion organization offering international trade services, networking, and market intelligence. Comparable as a Quebec-focused trade intermediary, though concentrated in the Montreal metro area rather than regional Quebec.

Others

• Developpement economique Canada pour les régions du Québec: Federal economic development agency for Quebec regions and SERDEX's primary federal funding partner. Indirectly comparable as the principal public-sector counterpart whose program funding underwrites a large share of SERDEX's services.
• Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Saguenay-Le Fjord: Local chamber of commerce serving the same Saguenay-Le Fjord region. Comparable as a regional business support organization with overlapping SME services, though broader in mandate than SERDEX's export focus.
• Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie du Québec: Quebec's provincial economic development ministry, a core funder of SERDEX and the ORPEX network. Indirectly comparable as the overarching policy and funding body whose priorities shape SERDEX's mandate and resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/serdexinternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/serdex-international
• Xx.com/serdex_int

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

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SERDEX International