International Aerospace Innovation Forum (IAIF) 2026
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.