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Marc Lijour
DeepTech Strategy for Executives | IEEE Blockchain Regional Coordinator (USA & Canada) | Co-Founded DeFi Toronto, ColliderX, La French Tech Toronto
Marc Lijour is an accomplished entrepreneur, researcher, and educator with extensive experience in the technology and education sectors. Currently, he serves as the Head of Innovation and Business Development in the Financial Services Industry at Exaion, where he focuses on leveraging innovative technologies to drive digital transformation.
Professional Background
Marc's career began in education, where he taught Mathematics and computer-related subjects across various countries. He played a significant role at the Ontario Ministry of Education, leading initiatives such as the revision of the Technological Education curriculum and launching e-learning services that reached over 2 million students. His efforts also included revising the provincial Intellectual Property Directive and developing a toolkit for procuring Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for public services in Ontario.12
Transitioning to the private sector, Marc has held pivotal positions at major technology firms, including Cisco Systems and ConsenSys, where he contributed to the advancement of blockchain technologies. He was instrumental in launching Canada's first college program for Blockchain Developers and co-founded DeFi Toronto. His leadership extends to several advisory committees at Canadian post-secondary institutions, focusing on integrating innovative technologies into education.13
Current Roles
In addition to his position at Exaion, Marc is actively involved in various initiatives:
- Co-Founder of Permissionless Ventures, aimed at democratizing venture building in the DeepTech space.
- Ambassador for FIC North America, promoting cybersecurity conferences.
- Adjunct Faculty at International Business University, teaching strategy for tech management.23
Education
Marc holds multiple degrees, including a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) specializing in Management of Technology and Innovation from Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), along with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science.12
Contributions and Leadership
Marc is passionate about fostering innovation and has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations within the tech industry, such as La French Tech Toronto and TechConnex. His commitment to advancing blockchain technology is reflected in his role as Chair of the Blockchain Developer Certificate's Industry Program Advisory Committee at George Brown College.13
Through his diverse experiences and leadership roles, Marc Lijour continues to be a significant figure in driving technological advancements and supporting entrepreneurs in Canada’s evolving digital landscape.
Highlights
Gearing up for an inspiring conversation on Tuesday with Fortune 500 #DeepTech #innovation leaders at the Centre of Urban Innovation to explore the future of high performance computing #HPC.
⚛ #Quantum computing is disrupting cryptography as we know it, but it also offers a path to faster and more responsible computing, and a reduced carbon footprint. Exaion is working with Fortune 500 companies with the most demanding AI workloads, high stakes data and intellectual property generation, and a heightened commitment to environmentally friendly solutions.
📆 Valérian Giesz, co-founder of Quandela, headquartered in Paris 🇫🇷 , will provide an update on the installation of two photonics-based computers in Exaion's Canadian data centres.
👉 https://lu.ma/79bra6ak
Thanks for the invitation to the launch of the RBC #FinSec #incubator program Angelo Casanas. Full room! The entrepreneurship drive was palpable in the room. Great to see corporate innovation + startup founders collaborating actively. A shoutout to Toronto Metropolitan University for being the catalyst behind all this.
I'm looking forward to continuing the conversation at the FIC North America Forum next Fall in Montreal. We're expecting 5K participants to this major event counting Canada and US leaders as well (talking to FBI, White House, government representatives, and industry leaders).
The launch was an opportunity to share the avant-première on a #Quantum working group for the North American financial services industry I'm putting together with the team at Exaion (and we might just throw in France and the UK). DM me if you're interested to hear more about this.
Keep innovating and stay cyber-safe!
