How a violent act changed the trajectory of Hosni Zaouali | ONfr+

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[THE ONFR+ MEETING]

TORONTO – A successful entrepreneur, fan of artificial intelligence and spokesperson for the Franco-Ontarian economy, Hosni Zaouali left behind the presidency of the Conseil de la coopération de l'Ontario (CCO), an organization he helped develop, to focus on his digital transformation business and his new assignment as an agri-tech consultant to a branch of the United Nations (UN). A look back at an extraordinary journey and an unknown legal misadventure that changed the destiny of this Tunisian who passed through France, Quebec and Silicon Valley.

“Why did you resign from the CCO before the end of your mandate?

I have held this position for more than four years. I think I realized a lot of things that I had on my agenda and then I had a little too much on my plate. I'm a consultant at Stanford University in California, and my business, Tech AdaptiKa, which creates virtual reality campuses, exploded during the pandemic from 7 employees to 63. We're selling more than ever. And then I accepted an interesting job as a consultant with the UN in Africa. If I had kept this task of president, I would not have been as productive as before. It's time to make way for someone else.

What do you mean by “virtual reality campus”?

We offer companies platforms that allow them to train their employees remotely, in an immersive and fluid way, with customizable avatars. The same is offered to students in classrooms where they can learn and interact with their teacher.

What does your mission with the UN consist of?

I work for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a branch of the UN that tries to address the global food shortage. My role is that of an instructor designer. I have to create the online architecture to deliver accessible training content to farmers in Africa. It is a challenge for me to focus on agritech, this fusion between agriculture and technology. I feel like I have a bigger impact there than, say, creating food delivery apps.

Has the pandemic accelerated this use of technology and, in some way, reinforced your vision of this sector?

Absolutely. The pandemic has created a huge demand. I saw it at Stanford University, where I train executives online, through a program that grew from 89 to 5,000 students in the space of a few years, but also in my company, which helps large companies provide virtual campuses. All the big companies that recruit and train thousands of people have come to us. Even Facebook, which manages 2 billion accounts worldwide, has released its own virtual universe with avatars. The arrival of this big player democratizes our approach to human behavior online. We are no longer in the Zoom. We are in another dimension with avatars: the metaverse (meta-universe).

What accomplishments are you most proud of during your past four years as CCO Chairman?

I've done a lot of things I wanted to do when I arrived, like business incubators and online entrepreneurship programs. These programs have worked very well: more than 200 entrepreneurs have graduated. The next step, with physical incubators in Toronto and Hamilton, is emerging. My objective, behind all of this, was to instil and shape a culture of Francophone innovation. La Francophonie is no longer just social or cultural, but is in the process of creating strong economic power so that our children and our children's children can take their destiny into their own hands.

How is the emergence of these Francophone entrepreneurs an asset for the Ontario economy?

The place Francophone entrepreneurs are making for themselves in Ontario will benefit everyone, including Anglophones who will have access to new opportunities. Our card to play on the international chessboard is quite extraordinary since, since Brexit, the United States and Canada no longer go through London to access Europe, the largest economic market in the world with 450 million consumers. It goes through Germany and France. It gives Franco-Ontarians an incredible position to build a bridge between North America and Europe. Without forgetting Africa and its 41% of young people who are under 15 years old. This population will double in the next two decades. 2.5 billion Africans, that represents a huge (partly) French-speaking market.

After entrepreneurship programs and business incubators, what remains to be done to complete this Francophone economic ecosystem ?

First, consolidate the main economic organizations involved in this cause: the Federation of Francophone Business People of Ontario (FGA), the Ontario Economic Society (SÉO) and the CCO. In the past, there was a competition between them. Today, they work hand in hand to seek government support and coordinate programs. But we must go further by opening up access to international markets. We must do as Quebecers do: create a delegation that visits these different markets. In November, the Francophonie summit will be held in Tunisia. All French-speaking countries will be present. This is an opportunity to build this same approach.

Accessing the markets is one thing, obtaining funds is another. How to convince investors to believe in the ideas of French-speaking entrepreneurs?

Subsidies are nice, but they are not enough. If you really want to grow an entrepreneurial initiative, you need an investor who invests $50,000 to $500,000 and says to himself: "We'll see what happens in two years." That does not exist in the economic Francophonie. Entrepreneurs seek their money from venture capital firms, which themselves seek their funds from funds of funds. In Canada, it is the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) but it does not reserve any funds for the Francophonie outside Quebec. It is unacceptable not to have a francophone venture capital firm. Creating a Francophone fund is an idea that haunts me. I would have liked to set this up.

With hindsight, if we look in the rear view mirror, do you regret certain things or, on the contrary, do you believe that everything you have accomplished has led you where you wanted to arrive?

There is something about my journey that few people know about that has had some pretty huge consequences in my life. At 16, I was a very violent person. One day, I had a violent altercation with a person and I found myself in front of a judge for children who said to me said: "You have two choices: either you go to prison, or I put you in a sports school. . If you miss a single training session, you go back to prison”.

From there, my grades went up and all the energy and rage I had in me, I put into the sport. This state of mind opened a lot of doors for me afterwards. I had the opportunity to leave France for Canada to do my master's degree at Université Laval, in Quebec. This stage of my life, which fortunately derailed my destiny, explains many things today.

Why are you so passionate about the world of smart technologies?

What has always struck me is the impact that artificial intelligence and 3D printing can have on the world of work. According to a McKinsey report, by 2030, 600 to 800 million people will lose their jobs due to automation and robots. These people will find another job that does not yet exist. I always said to myself that these people will have to be reformed.

The last few years have shown me how far we are in this process. There is a huge demand for vocational training and education. It was necessary to create tools different from Skype, Zoom or Teams, to create something more immersive with avatars capable of multiplying interactions. I was always told it would never work, but COVID-19 has shown otherwise. Everyone is exhausted by traditional online conferences and is looking for another mode of exchange.

Beyond the spirit of innovation that drives you, you have a certain art of communication. Why is this important in business?

Many things are unlocked in business by communicating. I try to convince. I read and think a lot. I try to surround myself well to have a global understanding of a problem. I like to create a desire to know more because the solution often begins there. Instead of being the victims of what is happening in the world, we are more effective by positioning ourselves one step ahead. That's when we start to see opportunities before everyone else. I experienced this when I was in Silicon Valley. Once you're there, you always try to keep one foot in the door. You meet a lot of smart people. All you have to do is have a beer with a guy who tells you how quantum mathematics will change the world in such and such a field. It's inspiring.

You are from Tunisia and have traveled from France to Canada. Is putting your digital skills at the service of the African continent a way for you to come full circle, in a way?

This mission with IFAD and the UN goes beyond my personal comfort. I believe in the energy that everyone has deep inside. If I've met all the people I've met in my career and my life, it's not so that I buy myself a Tesla and a bigger TV. Whether at Stanford or in Africa, I want to offer millions of young people what I myself have benefited from: an education, a training. If I manage to do that, my life will not have been lived in vain. Giving Africans access to universities while remaining in Africa and putting their acquired skills at the service of their country offers new perspectives. »

HOSNI ZAOUALI KEY DATES:

1980: Born in Tunis (Tunisia)

2008: Arrives in Ontario, in Toronto

2014: Creates his first business, Voilà Learning, acquired in 2019 by Tech AdaptiKa

2017: Appointed President of the Cooperative Council of Ontario (CCO)

2018: Becomes a consultant at Stanford University, California

2021: Becomes a consultant to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Every weekend, ONFR+ meets with a player in Francophone or political issues in Ontario and Canada

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