Celebrating 20 years for Ciao: the story of a dream become brand

This year, Ciao is blowing out 20 candles. Twenty years feels both long and short. Long, when we think of all the ground covered, the challenges, the sleepless nights, the calls for tenders, the hirings, the slightly crazy bets. Short, when we look at the energy that still drives the team today, as if the adventure was only just beginning.

Behind Ciao, there is first and foremost a deeply human story: Jean Drouin’s story, the story of an entrepreneurial dream, of a trip to Italy, of a 300‑page call for tenders read aloud because of an injured eye, and of a team that has grown into a true tribe.

This post is a way to celebrate these 20 years, to look back on the key moments, the decisive choices and the vision that is now carrying Ciao onto the international stage.

The entrepreneurial dream… at 43

Contrary to the image of the “young prodigy” who launches a start‑up at 20, Ciao’s story begins at 43. For Jean, becoming an entrepreneur was a childhood dream, but one he took the time to prepare.

Entrepreneurs are not in short supply in his family. Many inspired him, but Jean first threw himself wholeheartedly into his first employer. He got involved to the point of becoming a shareholder. That’s where he developed a crucial kind of confidence: he discovered that he had a head for business, a solid understanding of calls for tenders, and above all, that he loved building things.

When that company was acquired by CGI, Jean took a first step toward entrepreneurship by co‑founding a firm with two former colleagues. A new stage, a new dose of confidence. Then, in 2006, at the age of 43, he decided to strike out on his own. On April 21, 2006, he founded Ciao.

It’s a nice nod to everyone who thinks it’s “too late” to start a new project: Ciao’s story proves exactly the opposite.

Finding a name that sounds like a brand

Creating a company also means finding it a name that carries a vision. Jean knew he didn’t want a cold three‑letter acronym. He wanted a brand, a word that evokes something, that sticks in your head, that makes you smile.

The inspiration came on a highway in Italy. Jean and Nancy were celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary. Along the roadside, the same sign kept appearing: cafés called “Ciao.” The word struck him and stuck in his mind. It was simple, warm, and welcoming.

Back in Quebec, when it came time to choose a name for the company, that Italian “flash” resurfaced. Jean checked the business registry: the name was available. Ciao Technologie Incorporée was born. At first, in keeping with the trend at the time, there was an attempt to turn Ciao into an acronym—“Conseil informatique aux organisations,” or some other similar variation. But the team quickly realized this wasn’t necessary. During a marketing exercise, a clear decision was made: they would simply keep “Ciao.”

Ciao is short, friendly, and accessible. It reflects the team. And over the years, it would become a brand in its own right.

The early days: from SOGIQUE to the first contracts

Ciao’s early years are rooted in the healthcare network. Jean first landed a contract as project manager at SOGIQUE, an organization under the Ministry of Health and Social Services, responsible for developing and maintaining systems for the network.

One of the major projects he worked on involved integrated service networks for seniors, a 60‑million‑dollar project. For four years, Ciao relied heavily on these mandates and on a network of subcontractors. It wasn’t yet a large, structured company, but its reputation was already taking shape, relationships were being built, and expertise was being strengthened.

The healthcare network’s computerization plan created some great opportunities. Ciao was in the right place, at the right time, with the right skills.

2009: the contract that changed everything

If there is one date that keeps coming up in Ciao’s history, it’s 2009. Three years after its founding, a single mandate changed everything: the development of the Management Report Production Software, LPRG Web.

This system is far from just an administrative tool. It is used to produce the interim and final budgets and financial statements of all healthcare institutions. At the time, around 30 billion dollars flowed through this tool. The mandate, worth three million dollars, enabled Ciao to cross an important threshold.

Still in use today, LPRG Web now supports 80 billion dollars in flows.

Thanks to LPRG Web, Ciao was finally able to hire its first employees, rent two offices, and bring on an administrative assistant. Jean moved from being a well‑connected freelancer to a business leader at the head of a team.

This project also became an extraordinarily powerful calling card: a major reference in subsequent calls for tenders and a springboard to other large‑scale mandates, notably with the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec.

It’s no exaggeration to say that LPRG Web is the turning‑point mandate in Ciao’s history.

Growing without losing its soul: from tribe to 100 employees

Over the years, Ciao has kept on growing. But that growth is about more than numbers. Jean first describes it with pride in terms of perseverance: staying the course over 20 years, maintaining nearly constant growth, that’s no small feat.

One of the most powerful symbols of this journey is the milestone of 100 employees, reached in 2025. At the outset, Jean never imagined getting to that number. And yet, Ciao got there while preserving what makes it unique: a human approach, a culture of proximity, this idea of a “tribe” where each person matters.

There has been no shortage of challenges along the way. Among the biggest in the last ten years: the labour shortage. The order book is full, calls for tenders are being won, projects are rolling in—but recruiting becomes a real struggle.

Instead of just enduring, Ciao chose to act. The company invested in international recruitment missions, particularly in Morocco and Brazil. A significant portion of today’s team comes from these initiatives. It’s a great example of how Ciao approaches obstacles: as opportunities to open up, diversify, and grow richer.

A warm and inclusive visual identity

In 2013, Ciao decided to revamp its visual identity. The original logo, more serious, was inspired by classic consulting firms. But after seven years, it no longer really reflected the spirit of the team or the company’s evolution.

A marketing review exercise was launched with experts. From this process emerged a new identity, more modern and vibrant. Orange became the corporate colour: an energetic, warm colour that conveys accessibility and proximity. The team embraced it immediately.

One detail of the logo also stands out: the small dots above the word Ciao. They quite simply represent the Internet. At the time, the web was evolving rapidly, and these dots symbolized that connection, that openness to the digital world, which was about to become central to Ciao’s activities.

This colour choice isn’t just about aesthetics. Care was also taken to ensure it aligned with accessibility principles—a field in which Ciao was just about to play a key role.

Digital accessibility: from one meeting to a purpose

In 2011, a dinner once again changed the company’s trajectory. Jean met up with Yves Hudon, a government professional he had previously worked with. Yves had retired from government service around the time the Quebec government’s web accessibility standards were adopted, a process in which he had a major impact.

Rather than stepping away entirely, he wanted to keep contributing as a consultant. He explained to Jean the potential of the digital accessibility market, the scarcity of expertise, and the lack of service offerings in Quebec. The message came through clearly: there was a real need there, and an opportunity to make a difference.

With Yves, Ciao organized the A11y Québec Days for five years. These annual events brought together up to 250 participants and around twenty speakers from around the world. The impact was twofold: tremendous visibility for Ciao and a concrete contribution to developing an accessibility culture in Quebec.

It was also during this period that Ciao hired its first accessibility specialist, Cynthia Thibault‑Larouche, who is still part of the team today. Accessibility stopped being just “one area among others” and became a structuring pillar of the company.

And sometimes, fate steps in to remind us just how important this subject is. While preparing the famous 300‑page proposal for LPRG Web, Jean seriously injured his eye playing floor hockey. He could no longer see properly, but the document still had to be finalized. The team gathered, subcontractors read the texts aloud, and Jean revised the syntax without even seeing the pages.

At the same time, he discovered in a very concrete way the benefits of accessibility tools: text enlargement, display adjustments, everything that makes life easier when your vision is temporarily reduced. This experience further heightened his awareness of the essential role of accessibility—not only for people with permanent limitations, but also in all temporary or situational circumstances.

For a company that was about to become a significant player in this field, that’s no small detail.

From Ciao to Ciao x IT Link: planning succession and reaching further

Over time, another question naturally rose to the surface: succession. Jean was approaching his sixties. He knew he had to think about Ciao’s future, beyond himself. Naturally, he first considered internal succession. Mélinda, who had been with the company for 15 years, would have been an ideal choice, but she had other plans. Jean fully respected her decision—and she chose to support him throughout the process of finding the best partner.

That process led to IT Link. The choice was not made on the basis of numbers alone, but first and foremost on values. Despite its size, IT Link operates with an almost family‑like culture, where autonomy and innovation are encouraged. The human “fit” was strong, both with the leaders—such as Éric Guillard and Matthieu Girard—and with the teams they met.

Other factors also weighed into the decision: IT Link had already successfully completed several acquisitions, in a context where we know that 90% of mergers fail. And above all, one point was particularly important to Jean: preserving the Ciao brand. The idea was not to dissolve 20 years of history into a new name, but to integrate it into a larger whole.

Today, IT Link’s slogan is “one group, four brands.” Ciao is one of them. This alliance allows Ciao to shine beyond Quebec’s borders, opening doors to the international market while, in turn, contributing to the growth and visibility of the group’s other entities.

20 years today… and already looking to the next 20

Ciao’s last 20 years are marked by key dates:

• The company’s founding in 2006;

• The LPRG contract in 2009;

• The creation of the accessibility department in 2012;
  

• The major mandate with the RAMQ that same year;
  

• The acquisition of Ciao’s offices in 2016;
  

• The creation of the digital studio in 2021;
  

• The merger with IT Link in 2024;
  

• The hiring of the 100th employee in 2025;
  

• And this 20th anniversary in 2026.

But beyond the dates, what stands out is a trajectory: that of a company that has managed to grow without abandoning its roots, to open up without losing itself, to innovate without sacrificing its humanity.

Jean says it himself: Ciao’s greatest achievement is not the story of a single man. It’s a collective adventure. As in auto racing, where 80% of success comes from the car and 20% from the driver, Ciao is above all the result of the work of all the committed people who have joined the tribe over the years.

In 20 years, Ciao has learned, tried, succeeded, sometimes succeeded less, learned lessons, and always moved forward. Today, thanks to the strength of its team and its partnership with IT Link, the company is looking ahead to the next 20 years with a clear ambition: after making Ciao shine across Quebec, to turn the brand into a name known internationally.

It’s easy to imagine, 20 years from now, another blog post, written somewhere between Montreal, Paris, São Paulo or Casablanca, telling the story of how a small company born from the dream of a 43‑year‑old entrepreneur, inspired by “Ciao” cafés on an Italian highway, ended up putting its orange signature on every continent.

In the meantime, for this year, one thing is certain: Ciao is 20 years old… and this is only the beginning.