How do you get from fundamental research to developing technologies for industrial applications? From invention in the lab to innovation in the market? On this episode of Market Hunt, we interview Sébastien Blais Ouellette, CEO of Photon etc.

Check out the Photon etc. case study on the International Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub.

Guest Bio: Sébastien Blais-Ouellette, Founder and CEO, Photon etc.

Sébastien Blais-Ouellette is the founder and CEO of Photon etc. He is the cornerstone of Photon etc's business development and strategic planning. Sébastien also serves as the ambassador for the company, upholding its vision and advancing its mission. Furthermore, his long-term commitment to work-life balance has created a physically and mentally healthy corporate culture. Sébastien's vision of a better world, and determination to make it happen, motivates his team to pursue ever more ambitious projects.

Sébastien completed a master degree in high energy physics at the University of Montreal and a Ph.D. in astrophysics in co-direction at the University of Montreal and the University of Aix-Marseille. Then, it is as a researcher in the astronomy department of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) that he developed a technology using volume Bragg gratings to combine images and optical spectra of an object or sample in order to understand its nature. This is how Photon etc. is born from the desire to reveal features of the universe still invisible. Suspecting the potential of this filter for microscopy, medicine, and the environment, Sébastien Blais-Ouellette decides to push the exploration by turning its instrument towards terrestrial applications, and clear the way for the birth of an outstanding company.

Episode Links:

Photon etc

University of Montreal

University of Aix-Marseille

California Institute of Technology

Volume Bragg

IR VIVO Hyperspectral Camera

National Research Council Canada

Industrial Research Assistance Program

Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive

Competing Against Luck. Clayton M. Christensen, 2016.

Optina Diagnostics

Food and Drug Administration

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Small Business Innovation Research Program

Mont Mégantic Astrolab

Questions or feedback on our episode? Get in touch with show host Thierry Harris: [email protected]

Market Hunt is produced by Cartouche Media in collaboration with Seratone Studios in Montreal and Popup Podcasting in Ottawa. 

Market Hunt is part of the International Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub network.  Funding for this program comes from the Social Sciences and Humanities Resource Council of Canada.

Executive Producers: Hamid Etemad, McGill University Desautels Faculty of Management and Hamed Motaghi, Université du Québec en Outaouais

Associate Producer, Jose Orlando Montes, Université du Québec à Montréal.

Technical Producers Simon Petraki, Seratone Studio and Lisa Querido, Pop up Podcasting

Show consultant, JP Davidson. 

Artwork by Melissa Gendron. You can check out the ie-Knowledge Hub Case studies on Photon etc. as well as other cases at ie-knowledgehub.ca.