Organization: Caisse de dépot et placement du Québec

Editorial – 30-10

Is Canada finally getting its innovation house in order? Two recent developments offer encouraging signs that federal (and provincial) policy is beginning to address past shortcomings at both ends of the innovation spectrum, acknowledging the importance of fundamental research and ensuring that rapidly expanding tech firms grow while remaining in Canada.

VC investment surging to best performance since 2001

Canada’s venture capital industry closed the third quarter with its best investment performance since 2001, driven by 11 large deals worth $50 million or more for a total of $774 and a nine-month total of $2.5 billion. Information technology accounted for $1.6 billion or 62% of the investment total in the year-to-date, followed by life…

Caisse de dépôt opens investment/development hub

Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is launching an investment and development hub for entrepreneurs to accelerate the growth and globalization of small Quebec-based firms. espace cdpq engages eight investors with more than $1.2 billion under management and five organizations focused on business development and growth. In addition to the funds that have joined…

XPND capital raises $75 million

XPND Capital has closed its second fund with $75 million from institutional and private investors. The XPNDCROISSANCE Fund is aimed at transforming Quebec-based companies in traditional sectors such as transportation into innovative businesses by acquiring and implementing leading-edge technologies. Investments to date include Téo, an electric taxi project and Lion Bus, a manufacturer of electric…

Caisse and Solidarity invest $78.3M in GLV acquisition

The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Solidarity Fund QFL have invested $39.8 million and $38.5 million respectively in GLV Inc to finance the Trois-Riviéres-based company’s $85-million acquisition of Austrian-based Christ Water Technology AG. The acquisition is being made through GLV’s indirect subsidiary, Eimco Water Technologies GmbH and will give GLV added design…

iNovia Capital launches new $107-million fund

iNovia Capital has launched a $107-million seed and early stage venture capital fund focused on the information technology, cleantech and life sciences sectors. iNovia Investment Fund II LP has attracted the participation of more than a dozen backers including Consensus Business Group, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, FIER Partners, BDC Capital, AVAC Ltd,…

TOPIGEN raises $26 million to accelerate clinical trials

Montreal-based TOPIGEN Pharmaceuticals Inc has secured $26 million in series C financing to accelerate Phase II clinical programs related to its lead products for respiratory therapeutics. The total raised to date from all sources is now $75 million and more may be added to the C series. Investors in the latest round are NovaQuest, MMV…

Minacom secures third private placement

Minacom Inc, Montreal, has secured US$6 million private placement for its third round of financing to further develop and market its quality of service (QoS) management automation software. Innovatech Grand Montréal and Sofinov (a subsidiary of Caisse de dépot et placement du Québec) are the co-lead investors in the financing, followed by Investissement Desjardins and…