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During the SDG Innovation Network 7th Student Forum held on May 13, 2026, at the École de Technologie Supérieure, Guy Dulude, Vice President Portfolio Development & Sales Acceleration at Siemens, shared Siemens’ perspective on how digital transformation is reshaping industry. His presentation focused on the need to embrace complexity and use digital platforms, connected data, and intelligent software to enhance innovation, efficiency, and operational performance.

Drawing on the Siemens Xcelerator platform, industrial AI, and digital twin technologies, the presentation illustrated how companies can better design, simulate, optimize, and operate complex systems. Several examples demonstrated the concrete impact of Siemens solutions, including at JetZero, FIA, and PepsiCo, where they help improve productivity, reduce lead times, lower maintenance time, and improve more sustainable engineering and manufacturing practices.

You can download the full presentation here.

The SDG Innovation Network participated in the 3rd edition of Montréal-Messe 2026, held on May 6, 2026, in Ville Saint-Laurent and organized by the Centre d’expertise industrielle de Montréal (CEI MTL).
 
The event brought together approximately 150 participants to discuss key issues related to industrial transformation, productivity, and technological innovation. The program featured four presentations and a panel discussion covering major topics such as defense sector supply chains (CAE), industrial energy efficiency (Altanergy), artificial intelligence in manufacturing (Ingeno), advanced automation and productivity improvement (ExcelPro), as well as a panel discussion focused on the digital transformation journeys of Quebec SMEs.
 
 
In addition, the event hosted 13 exhibitor booths presenting digital solutions and business support services for companies.
 

Represented by its Scientific Director, Christophe Danjou, and Project Manager, Syrine Njah, the SDG Innovation Network presented its activities and its Digital Transformation Initiative (OTN Program) to participating SMEs. This program aims to assist SMEs in implementing digital transformation projects in collaboration with Quebec universities, with financial support from the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy (MEIE).

During the event, the SDG Network team also had the opportunity to connect with several strategic partners, including Investissement Québec, PME MTL  and Conseil de l’innovation du Québec, to further expand collaboration opportunities supporting SMEs in their digital transformation efforts.

 

 

This participation contributed to increasing the visibility of the SDG Innovation Network, strengthening connections between industrial and institutional stakeholders, and promoting impactful digital transformation initiatives for Quebec SMEs.

The SDG Innovation Network congratulates CEI Montréal on the success of this event and is delighted about the promising future partnership between the two organizations, aimed at supporting the development of digital transformation skills within SMEs.

 

 
The SDG Innovation Network participated in the 10th edition of the International Aerospace Innovation Forum, co-organized by Aéro Montréal and Espace Aéro, held on April 13–14, 2026 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, under the theme: BEYOND TECHNOLOGY: From Idea to Adoption.
 
This event brought together nearly 1,500 participants from the aerospace ecosystem, including leading organizations such as Airbus, Siemens, ADM Aéroports de Montréal, EY, Embraer-X, CAE Inc… The SDG Innovation Network was represented by its director, its members, as well as the directors of the SDG Advanced Air Mobility Institute (AAMI), established in September 2024.
 

The Forum created an engaging environment for dialogue and reflection on the sector’s most pressing challenges, including innovation adoption, international collaboration, sovereignty, sustainability, and technological transformation. Aligned with its mission, the SDG Innovation Network actively contributed to this event, supporting efforts to accelerate the transition from ideas to tangible industrial impact and to strengthen value creation across the aerospace ecosystem.

Two members of the Network made notable contributions to the Forum’s scientific program.

David Rancourt, Professor at the Université de Sherbrooke, moderated the panel « Captains of Autonomy: Steering the Integration of Intelligent Systems », which addressed key challenges associated with the integration of autonomous systems, particularly certification, safety, and data governance.

Carole El Ayoubi, Director of Education at the Concordia Aerospace Institute and Director of the Advanced Air Mobility Institute (AAMI) within the SDG Network, moderated the panel « Emerging Tech: New Tools for Schools », dedicated to talent transformation in the era of artificial intelligence. The discussions underscored the importance of strengthening digital foundations, fostering interdisciplinarity, and leveraging emerging technologies to prepare a new generation of professionals equipped to drive aerospace innovation.

 

The SDG Innovation Network also participated to a two-day dedicated session on the development of an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) strategy, gathering approximately 150 participants, including Hany Moustapha, Director of the SDG Network; David Rancourt, Professor at the Université de Sherbrooke; as well as Carole El Ayoubi and Jean-Marc Frayret, Directors of the Advanced Air Mobility Institute (AAMI) within the SDG Network. Structured as collaborative roundtable workshops, this strategic exercise engaged participants in key thematic areas such as governance, regulation, air traffic management, infrastructure, safety, business models, socioeconomic integration, and social acceptability. These exchanges helped lay the groundwork for a shared roadmap for the deployment of Advanced Air Mobility in Quebec, aligned with the sector’s innovation and technology adoption priorities.

 

Tech Webinar on Advanced Air Mobility, jointly organized by Concordia University’s Institute for Aerospace Design and Innovation (CIADI) and the Advanced Air Mobility Institute of the SDG Innovation Network.

Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Time: 12:00 – 1:30
Format: Online | Offered in English
Presented in collaboration with: Aéroports de Montréal.

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is often presented as the next revolution in aviation. But behind the headlines and futuristic renderings lies a much harder reality: building safe, scalable, and economically viable aerial systems is an enormous engineering challenge.

In this webinar, the CEO of Moya Aero will share the real story of launching and growing a cutting-edge aerospace company in this emerging field. The talk will explore the technical, business, and regulatory barriers that define the industry today, as well as the milestones and lessons learned while developing large electric unmanned aircraft for cargo operations.

Special attention will be given to the key technological challenges shaping the future of AAM, including energy limitations and management, aircraft reliability and autonomy, certification of new aircraft architectures, integration with existing airspace systems, and the difficulty of scaling aerospace manufacturing.

Designed to inspire students, the session will also reflect on leadership, innovation, and the role the next generation of engineers will play in turning ambitious visions into real aerospace systems.

✈️ Dive into the future of air mobility!

👉 Register now.

Advanced air mobility could revolutionise how we transport people and goods. The technology for new aerial vehicles, focused on sustainability and automation, is developing fast – but to make them a reality, we need to understand how they can integrate into today’s world. In Canada, Professor Jean-Marc Frayret, of the Polytechnique Montréal, and his colleagues at the SDG Institute of Advanced Air Mobility are using advanced ‘digital twin’ simulations and other industrial engineering techniques to research how technologies such as drones, flying taxis and vertiports could move from science fiction to reality.

Full paper online: https://futurumcareers.com/preparing-the-world-for-the-next-generation-of-flying-machines

Published: February 10, 2026

Online Tech Webinar: Embraer-X Flying on Innovation

Online Tech Webinar on Advanced Air Mobility, co-organized by the Advanced Air Mobility Institute of the SDG Innovation Network and Concordia University’s Institute for Aerospace Design and Innovation (CIADI), and presented in collaboration with Aéroports de Montréal. 

Join us for an inside look at Embraer-X, Embraer’s innovation, and venture arm focused on transforming bold ideas into impactful businesses. During this session Daniel Moczydlower, CEO and President of Embraer-X, will share a pragmatic, inside view of how Embraer-X nurtures ideas into ventures—connecting entrepreneurship, technology, and strategic intent to shape advanced air mobility and adjacent opportunities.

Date: Friday, February 6

Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (ET)

Speaker: Daniel Moczydlower, CEO and President, Embraer-X

Moderator: Carole El Ayoubi, Director of Education, CIADI

Funding for a new research project with Alstom at the SDG Innovation Network ($960,300)


Project: Improving the efficiency of welding activities through artificial intelligence (led by Professors Michael Morin and Jonathan Gaudreault of Lab-Usine)
Partnership objective: Combine the potential of artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and optimization to create the conditions for more efficient design and manufacturing of welded structures optimized to meet the needs of the Canadian rail market and equipment manufacturer Alstom

Industrial partner: Alstom

Funding partners: NSERC & MITACS

Academic partners: Laval University (Lab-Usine), ETS (LOPFA), UQAM (IoT Laboratory)

On September 12, 2025, the SDG Innovation Network held a strategic meeting at ÉTS, bringing together representatives from the eight partner universities. The objective: to review the state of the network and define a common vision for the 2025–2030 period.

🕊️ A morning focused on reflection

The discussions assessed the progress made, particularly in terms of projects and funding. They confirmed that the network is built on solid foundations, ready to support its future ambitions. On this occasion, the new website was unveiled, structuring projects around six key sectors.

🔎 An afternoon dedicated to sustainability

Deliberations focused on long-term strategies, with an emphasis on diversifying funding sources and strengthening partnerships with the private sector. The idea of a major unifying project, involving all universities, was also explored.

🎯 Concrete actions for tomorrow

The day concluded with the identification of action pathways, including consolidating existing committees and organizing events focused on skills development, particularly for SMEs.

🌱 Towards an intelligent, digital, and sustainable society

The SDG Innovation Network continues its journey with determination, driven by a shared vision and a strong commitment to impact. The future is being built collectively—with rigor, ambition, and dedication.

📸 Some moments captured at Lac à l’Épaule

 

The Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau in Montreal welcomed H.E. Ambassador Nabil Mekki, Dr. Hany Moustapha (Director of the SDG Innovation Network), and researchers from Polytechnique Montréal, UQAM, UQTR, and ÉTS to mark the launch of a collaborative project with Galala University (Egypt).

The project is led by Christophe Danjou (Polytechnique Montréal), Yasmina Maïzi (UQAM), Ygal Bendavid (UQAM), Tasseda Boukherroub, Eng. (ÉTS), Neila El Asli (UQTR). Funded by the Government of Quebec, the initiative aims to:

  • Train Galala University students in IoT, simulation, and artificial intelligence technologies applied to medicine.

  • Offer two fully funded master’s scholarships in Canada to top-performing Egyptian students.

The event was also attended virtually by a representative of the Government of Quebec. Dr. Ahmed Gaber, Egyptian Cultural Counselor, congratulated the team and reaffirmed his support for future initiatives on a larger scale.

👏 A significant step forward in academic and technological cooperation between Quebec and Egypt!

Montreal is rapidly becoming a key hub for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), bringing together government, private companies, and academic institutions to foster innovation in aviation. Through initiatives like the SDG Innovation Network, the city supports cutting-edge projects, educational opportunities, and internships, creating a dynamic environment for students and professionals alike.

In the latest episode of The Ways We Move, Hany Moustapha, Director of the SDG Innovation Network, shares insights on Montreal’s unique ecosystem, the future of mobility, and the collaboration driving this transformation.

Tune in and enjoy the podcast to discover how Montreal is shaping the next generation of aviation and transportation.