It is with great pride that we announce today the arrival of Christian Mérat and Maxime Boissonneault as partners at Moov AI.
It’s not every day that we have the privilege of welcoming not one, but two new partners like them into a company!
After having greatly contributed to the growth and success of GSoft, one of Quebec’s flagship tech companies, Maxime and Christian will allow us to take a giant step forward in our efforts to democratize artificial intelligence in Quebec.
Maxime co-founded Moov AI and has been involved as an investor from the very beginning of our project. Going forward, he will be taking on the role of co-CEO alongside Dominic Danis.
Christian will act as Chief Technology Officer and will oversee the development and marketing of our software products.
I asked Christian and Maxime a few questions so that they could introduce themselves and explain to us why they chose to get involved in the field of artificial intelligence with Moov AI.
Why did you decide to join Moov AI?
Maxime: I have the feeling that our world will be greatly impacted by artificial intelligence. Some people see this change as a negative thing, but I like to believe that the impact will be positive since humans will be at the centre of this transformation. Furthermore, I believe that Quebec has an opportunity to take on a leadership role on the world stage.
For this to happen, artificial intelligence must not impoverish or be focused on replacing people, but rather help them to be more efficient and impactful in their roles. I want to contribute, with Moov AI, to this positive revolution that is already underway!
Also, it is a unique pleasure to work with friends whilst contributing to Moov AI’s mission in such an inspiring atmosphere!
Christian: Moov AI is a company that operates in a cutting-edge sector and is made up of people I trust. Evolving and surpassing myself in a respectful stimulating environment is a challenge that motivates me enormously! This is what drove me to join the team!
How does Moov AI’s mission to democratize AI inspire you?
Max: Because we must rapidly promote the use of these technologies across Quebec in order to stay ahead of the wave and strengthen our position within the global market thanks to artificial intelligence.
Quebec is currently known as an important global hub of AI research but we want to enable businesses in Quebec to be known for how they actually leveraged the benefits of applied AI
Chris: I’ve always been a technologist: I believe that technology should be an engine that serves to improve our lives. AI currently shows tremendous potential, but we’ve barely seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of what it has to offer.
The more widespread its use becomes, the more we will be able to derive its value to improve people’s lives.
The killer question: What do you want to accomplish?
Max: 2 things! To help companies become more productive and efficient as well as to contribute to “AI for Good” projects like education or environmental initiatives.
Chris: I think there’s no shortage of technology challenges. I want to surround myself with people who have similar traits to my own: curiosity, a desire to surpass oneself, a desire to improve people’s lives and with them build, in our own way, a piece of this better world
What impact do you think AI can have on businesses in Quebec?
Max: I see AI as an accelerator and a valuable enabler that can propel Quebec’s businesses. Whether it’s to make better decisions, make them faster, automate them, or make great discoveries, machine learning and artificial intelligence will have a major impact on those that leverage it.
Chris: AI is a technology that is still in its infancy and we’re already seeing how it has turned some industries upside down. Getting the most out of this new technology will allow companies to overcome significant challenges and move confidently towards the future.
Quebec is positioning itself to be a dominant AI hub. I believe that the more we are able to improve our approaches and push to make AI accessible and efficient, the more it will be an opportunity to make the entire province of Quebec shine.
Maxime, earlier you mentioned “AI for Good”. If you each had to choose a societal challenge to solve with AI, what would it be and why?
Maxime: I have 2 challenges! * laughs * Education and the environment!
Education, because it’s the foundation of our society. We’ll be able to solve many of the problems we are currently experiencing thanks to a reinvented system of education. We need to revolutionize the way our students learn and, for me, artificial intelligence will be an important vehicle for change in this area.
Secondly, the environment. With the imprint that humans are leaving on the earth today, it is easy to be negative about what the future holds for us. However, much can be done to solve many of the problems and we would love help to solve them.
Chris: AI has the potential to automat certain repetitive tasks. This can result in a welcomed decrease in the labour requirements for sectors that have chronic recruitment needs but are not very popular for a variety of reasons.
Many of these sectors have significant positive impacts on society and improving the cost-effectiveness of these projects would translate into an improved quality of life for all citizens.
One example would be the complete automation of recycling sorting facilities since reducing the cost of recycling and retrieval would greatly benefit society.
Entrepreneur profiles
To help you get even more familiar with these guys, we thought it would be a good idea to also share their biography.
Maxime Boissonneault
Co-CEO
Maxime is a seasoned entrepreneur. He was a partner at GSoft, one of Quebec’s flagship tech companies for more than 10 years. With customers all over the world, two successful product launches and an in-house product incubator, GSoft achieved great commercial success.
He co-founded Club Social, an alcohol portfolio which includes Portage gin, White Keys vodka, Saint-Marie rum and Les Iles spritz. He also acts as angel investor in several start-ups and Quebec investment funds, notably with Creative Destruction Lab.
A portrait of Maxime would not be complete without mentioning his extensive involvement in several social causes. He sits on the board of multiple non-profit organizations, participates actively in fundraising activities, but above all, he is personally involved with the children at Sainte-Justine Hospital.
As co-CEO of Moov AI, Maxime will share his great expertise and experience in building and growing a successful consulting business. He will be a proud ambassador of our mission to democratize artificial intelligence in Quebec.
Christian Mérat
CTO – Chief Technology Officer
Christian is an accomplished software architect with an impressive track record of creating successful software products. One of GSoft’s first employees, and eventual shareholder, he strongly contributed to the commercial success of the company’s flagship product, Sharegate, thanks to his strategic vision and cutting-edge technological expertise.
Christian knows how to turn a product’s vision into reality. He can overcome any technical obstacle thanks to his innate ability to leverage the right technology to meet business needs.
At Moov AI, he will act as CTO and oversee the development and marketing of our software products. He will also take on a coaching role within the team and share best practices in software engineering and product development.
Guillaume is co-founder and VP Marketing of Moov AI. A natural communicator, he is dedicated to promoting the brand and growing the company. He prides himself on forging solid partnerships and developing strategies to ensure optimal strategic positioning for Moov AI. As a speaker, Guillaume enjoys awakening audiences to the transformative influence of AI in business ecosystems. He has extensive marketing expertise in different industries, having held the position of Marketing Director at GSoft (Workleap) and Pyxis Technologies.
