Vancouver, BC — Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to innovation, warmly welcomes Andrew Fursman, CEO of 1QBit, as Chair of the newly formed Mitacs Industry Council.
As Co-founder and CEO of 1QBit, Fursman leads the technology company that partners with Fortune 500 clients and top hardware providers to solve problems in the areas of optimization, simulation, and machine learning. In seven years, the company has grown from a four-person start-up to a global leader in quantum computing with over 100 people located across Canada.
Since 1QBit’s founding, Mitacs has connected the company with more than 55 interns, and one-third of the company’s staff comprises current or former Mitacs interns.
As Chair of the Mitacs Industry Council, Fursman brings extensive experience in venture capital and start-ups to help establish the council and provide advice on the progress and direction of Mitacs’s outreach to industry, research collaboration, experiential learning, and overall reputation in the business community.
Once established, the Industry Council will provide critical feedback to Mitacs that will anchor the organization’s strategic initiatives, programs, and pilots in line with the current and future realities and expectations of the innovation sector in Canada.
By promoting meaningful engagement with the business community, the Industry Council will ensure that Mitacs continues to be able to design pilots and programs that harness the potential of Canadian talent to address the challenges faced by industry in this country.
Quotes:
Andrew Fursman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of 1QBit
“I am thrilled to have been named Chair of the new Mitacs Industry Council. By building partnerships between post-secondary students and industry, Mitacs makes important investments in the future of the technology sector in Canada. The Mitacs Industry Council will work to ensure alignment between Mitacs’s work and that of businesses right across the country as we continue to work on behalf of all Canadians to educate the next generation of experts and spur growth and innovation in Canada.”
John Hepburn, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director, Mitacs
“We are delighted to have Andrew chair the Mitacs Industry Council. 1QBit has partnered with Mitacs since its inception, and we have worked together to expand its size and reach while providing opportunities for some of the brightest and most talented students in Canada. Andrew’s insight and expertise will serve to ensure that Mitacs’s goals and strategic initiatives are well-aligned with the needs of businesses and Canadian innovation.”
About Mitacs:
- Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions.
- Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada along with the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.
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