The MT Lab is supported by a Financing and Investment Committee made up of well-known personalities in the world of investment and business growth. Closely linked to the Altitude t.e.c.h. program, this committee plays a key role in the selection of startups that join the cohort. Thanks to their expertise and experience, companies benefit from high-level strategic advice to accelerate their development, structure their financing and maximize their growth potential.
La rencontre finale de la cohorte Altitude est un événement de « slow dating » ou les finissants bénéficient de rencontres privées en présentiel avec les membres du Comité.
Committee Members
Mokhtar Aljane
Senior Director, Government Assistance Practice – KPMG
Mokhtar Aljane, Senior Manager at KPMG in the Government Assistance Practice (G.A.P.) division, has more than 25 years of expertise in business consulting and public program management. He assists companies in obtaining public funding, including tax credits and subsidies. His experience includes key positions in organizations such as Investissement Québec and the City of Québec, where he contributed to the Economic Development Strategy. Committed to the economic revitalization of several regions in Quebec. He also sits on the boards of directors of several organizations working in the immigration field. Mokhtar combines strategic expertise with a passion for innovation and business growth.
Lucie Demers
Executive Director, Vision Travail
A graduate in finance and marketing from ESG UQAM, Lucie Demers has more than 20 years of experience in support and financing for SMEs. She was Director of Programs at the Institute of Canadian Bankers and then Executive Director of the Young Entrepreneurs Service (SAJE). She then directed the Info-entrepreneur network, the largest business library in Quebec. She joined Filaction in 2007 and has developed several investment funds for tourism, social economy, women-led and ethnocultural businesses. She is now the Executive Director of Vision Travail, an HR firm specializing in career development.
Georges Kattar
Senior Advisor – Investissement Québec
As part of Investissement Québec's venture capital team, Georges invests in and supports seed startups from all walks of life. An engineer by training with a master's degree in data science, he previously co-founded a tech startup in the restaurant industry, an experience that now fuels his passion for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Hakim Merah
Investment Director, Venture Capital – Desjardins Capital
Hakim Merah joins Desjardins Capital in 2024. He supports technology companies in their development, particularly in artificial intelligence and industrial technologies. He is recognized for his ability to build relationships of trust and promote the best SMEs by providing them with the resources to grow, prosper and ensure their development on a global scale.
Degree in Industrial Engineering. Specialized Graduate Diploma in Management (DESS)
Christian Perron
President, Chief Operating Officer – CEIM
Christian Perron is the President and Chief Operating Officer of CEIM. He has a great knowledge of the new economy, new business models and the opportunities created by new technologies. According to him, the best financing is a customer! He has excellent risk management judgment. He has 30 years of professional experience, including 3 years at CEIM, 6 years as director of PME MTL Centre-Ville, 10 years as director of the SDEVM, 10 years in consulting services, 2 and a half years as an advisor to the federal government and 2 years at the Royal Bank. Christian Perron holds a master's degree in SME management from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and a bachelor's degree in political science from the Université de Montréal. He also completed a Royal Bank training at IBAM in Toronto.
Noémie Ploteau
Directrice innovation, PME MTL
Noémie accompagne activement les startups et PME montréalaises dans l’accélération de leur croissance à l’intersection de l’innovation, de la stratégie et de la durabilité. Son ambition : bâtir des entreprises plus résilientes, compétitives et alignées avec les enjeux de demain, où innovation et durabilité deviennent de véritables moteurs de croissance.
En tant que Directrice Innovation, Noémie agit comme catalyseur au sein de l’écosystème, connectant les entrepreneurs aux bonnes ressources. Grâce à sa vision transversale et multisectorielle, elle identifie rapidement les leviers d’action concrets pour faire évoluer les organisations, clarifier leurs enjeux et capter des opportunités de croissance localement et à l’international. Forte de ses expériences en vente de solutions SaaS, elle combine une expertise terrain avec un Master en développement des affaires (B2B), un microprogramme en environnement et le titre de Conseillère en innovation du Québec.
Alexandre Préfontaine
Director, Industrial Innovation Fund – BDC
Alexandre joined BDC Capital in 2017 as part of the Strategy and Operations team, where he helped define the venture capital roadmap. After playing a key role in the development of the Fonds' investment thesis, he joined the Fonds in 2019 and now holds the position of Director, actively participating in the deployment of Fonds II. In this role, Alexandre leads investment activities, from opportunity identification to negotiation, and supports portfolio companies in value creation. Recognized in the Canadian tech ecosystem, Alexandre is also a member of the Creative Destruction Lab community and regularly teaches courses on venture capital at local universities. Prior to joining BDC, Alexandre began his career in the financial sector at TD Canada Trust. He holds a Master's degree in Financial Economics from HEC Montréal and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Ottawa.
Julien Richer
Advisor, Greater Montréal Business Office – Canada Economic Development
Passionate about the development of territories and the communities associated with them, Julien has been supporting SMEs for nearly five years now through his position as an advisor at Canada Economic Development. He collaborates with ambitious entrepreneurs and partners who want to take their business to a new level of growth.
Isaac Souweine
Investor – Pender Ventures
Isaac is a Montreal-based investor, operator, board member and community builder. As an investor, he has held associate positions at Pender Ventures (Series A) and Real Ventures (pre-seed/acceleration). As an operator, he has served as a product manager at Sonder, Frank and Oak, Yahoo, and Scholastic. Throughout his career, Isaac has been passionate about building communities. He is co-founder of blinkBL_NK, Product Tank Montreal, APM Montreal and Founder Poker Montreal. He serves on the Board of Directors of Front Row Ventures and is an active speaker and mentor. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Isaac holds a bachelor's degree in religious studies from Columbia University and an MBA from INSEAD.
Charles Sylvestre
Associé directeur, Triptyq
Charles Sylvestre cumule plus de 25 ans d’expérience en capital de risque, capital-investissement et financement d’entreprises technologiques. Au sein de Telesystem Argo, Novacap et du Fonds de solidarité FTQ, il a dirigé de nombreuses transactions et accompagné des entreprises en forte croissance, de l’investissement jusqu’à la sortie.
Charles possède une compréhension approfondie des attentes des investisseurs, de la structuration de transactions et des stratégies de financement. Il accompagne les entrepreneurs dans leurs démarches de financement, leurs négociations et leur croissance grâce à une expertise alliant investissement, gouvernance et droit.
For any questions about the Financing and Investment Committee or the MT Lab's support programs, contact Vincent Lafrenaye Lamontagne, Director of Entrepreneurship and Open Innovation Programs at [email protected]
