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Element AI's Overview

Total employeesApproximately 500 (pre-acquisition)
HeadquartersMontreal
Founded2016

Element AI was an artificial intelligence company founded in Montreal, Canada, with a mission to help organizations embrace an AI-first world. It focused on building scalable AI-powered solutions and products for various industries by connecting top academic researchers with business opportunities. Element AI was known for its strong ties to the academic AI community, particularly MILA (Quebec AI Institute). In January 2021, Element AI was acquired by ServiceNow, a leading digital workflow company. This acquisition aimed to significantly enhance ServiceNow's AI capabilities and integrate Element AI's talent and technology into the Now Platform, with many Element AI employees, including its CEO, joining ServiceNow.

Where is Element AI's Headquarters?

HQ Function

The Montreal headquarters served as the central hub for Element AI's global operations, including research and development, product innovation, business strategy, and corporate functions before its acquisition.

Notable Features:

Located in a district known for fostering tech companies, the office was designed to encourage collaboration and innovation among its AI researchers, engineers, and business teams. Specific architectural details are not widely publicized, but it was a modern workspace suited for a leading AI firm.

Work Culture:

Element AI cultivated a work culture that blended academic rigor with startup agility. It was known for attracting top AI talent globally, emphasizing cutting-edge research, ethical AI development, and collaborative problem-solving. This culture aimed to bridge the gap between fundamental research and practical AI applications.

HQ Significance:

The Montreal headquarters was strategically important due to its proximity to MILA and other AI research institutions, allowing Element AI to tap into a rich talent pool and stay at the forefront of AI advancements. It symbolized Canada's growing prominence in the global AI landscape.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters likely reflected Element AI's core values such as research excellence, innovation, global collaboration, and a commitment to advancing AI technology responsibly.

Location:

Prior to its acquisition by ServiceNow in January 2021, Element AI had established a significant global presence. Beyond its Montreal headquarters, it operated offices in Toronto, London, Singapore, and Seoul. These international locations were crucial for its strategy of developing and deploying AI solutions worldwide, supporting global sales, client services, talent acquisition, and research collaborations across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Street Address:

6650 Rue Saint-Urbain

City:

Montreal

State/Province:

Quebec

Country:

Canada

Element AI's Global Presence

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Address: Specific street address not readily available; located within Toronto's technology and financial district.

To strengthen Element AI's presence in Canada's largest city and economic hub, serving key industries like finance and healthcare with AI solutions.

London, United Kingdom

Address: Specific street address not readily available; likely situated in a central business or tech area.

To expand Element AI's footprint in Europe, access the European AI talent pool, and cater to the AI needs of European enterprises.

Singapore

Address: Specific street address not readily available; located in a strategic business hub.

To capitalize on the rapidly growing demand for AI in the APAC region and establish Element AI as a key player in Asian markets.

Seoul, South Korea

Address: Specific street address not readily available.

To engage with South Korea's dynamic tech ecosystem, serve local enterprises, and strengthen Element AI's presence in East Asia.

Buying Intent Signals for Element AI

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Executive Team of Element AI

As of April 2025, Element AI' leadership includes:

Jean-François Gagné - Co-founder & CEO
Yoshua Bengio - Co-founder & Scientific Advisor
Nicolas Chapados - Co-founder & Chief Science Officer
Philippe Beaudoin - Co-founder & SVP Research
Anne Martel - Co-founder & (early) Head of Operations/COO

Investors of Element AI

Element AI has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Real Ventures
Data Collective (DCVC)
BDC Capital
Intel Capital
Microsoft Ventures (M12)
National Bank of Canada
NVIDIA
Hanwha Asset Management
Fidelity Investments Canada
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)
Investissement Québec (on behalf of the Government of Quebec)

Executive New Hires/Exits in the Last 12 Months

Hire0 (Element AI ceased independent operations in Jan 2021)
Exits0 (Element AI ceased independent operations in Jan 2021, individual roles ended with acquisition)

The most significant event concerning Element AI's executive team was its acquisition by ServiceNow, finalized in January 2021. This led to the dissolution of Element AI's independent executive structure, with many key members and talent transitioning into ServiceNow. As Element AI ceased independent operations at that time, information on executive hires or exits for Element AI as a standalone entity in the 12 months prior to this prompt (i.e., 2023-2024) is not applicable.

Departures

Jean-François Gagné, Role as CEO of the independent Element AI entity concluded upon acquisition by ServiceNow.
Nicolas Chapados, Role as Chief Science Officer of Element AI concluded upon acquisition by ServiceNow.
Philippe Beaudoin, Role as SVP Research of Element AI concluded upon acquisition by ServiceNow.

New Appointments:

Jean-François Gagné, Formerly CEO of Element AI, Jean-François Gagné transitioned to a key leadership role at ServiceNow to spearhead AI innovation and lead operations in Quebec.
Nicolas Chapados, Formerly CSO of Element AI, Nicolas Chapados joined ServiceNow in a senior scientific capacity to drive AI research and development.

Technology (Tech Stack) used by Element AI

Discover the tools Element AI uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Element AI Email Formats and Examples

Prior to its acquisition by ServiceNow in January 2021, Element AI would have used corporate email addresses associated with its domain elementai.com. Common formats for tech companies include first name initial plus last name, or first name dot last name. These formats are no longer in active use for Element AI as an independent entity.

Likely formats included [first_initial][last]@elementai.com (e.g., jdoe@elementai.com) or [first].[last]@elementai.com (e.g., jane.doe@elementai.com).

Format

johndoe@elementai.com (example only, domain no longer active for Element AI)

Example

0 (The elementai.com domain is no longer actively used for Element AI company email communication post-acquisition, so emails to these historical addresses would not reach intended recipients at a functioning 'Element AI'.)%

Success rate

News and media

ServiceNow Official Blog / News ReleaseDecember 1, 2020 (Agreement announced); January 2021 (Acquisition closed)

Element AI News: ServiceNow to Acquire Element AI

ServiceNow announced its agreement to acquire Element AI, a leading Canadian artificial intelligence company. This acquisition was aimed at significantly enhancing ServiceNow's AI capabilities and strengthening its position in building intelligent workflow platforms. The deal brought Element AI's deep AI expertise and top talent to ServiceNow....more

Various Tech Publications (e.g., TechCrunch, BetaKit) / Element AI Press ReleaseSeptember 13, 2019

Element AI News: Element AI Raises $200 Million CAD ($151.3 Million USD) Series B Funding

Element AI announced a major Series B funding round of $200 million CAD, led by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ). The funding was intended to accelerate the company's global expansion and the deployment of its AI software solutions for enterprise customers, further solidifying its position as a key player in the AI industry....more

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