Applications are officially open for the Accelerator Centre’s Alexa Voice Tech Accelerator program at the University of Waterloo, a collaboration between the Accelerator Centre (AC) and Amazon’s Alexa Fund.
“We’re really happy to be the first Canadian accelerator that Amazon is collaborating with to take Canadian voice tech to the next level.”
“When an AC client, YOURIKA, was one of nine companies worldwide to be chosen to join the Alexa Accelerator Powered by TechStars in Seattle, we had the unique opportunity to explore what more we could do in house to help accelerate voice technology,” said Clinton Ball, director of client programs and initiatives at the Accelerator Centre. “We’re really happy to be the first Canadian accelerator that Amazon is collaborating with to take Canadian voice tech to the next level.”
The program will run six to 12 months beginning December 2, and will target entrepreneurs looking to advance voice-powered technologies. Five Canadian companies will be selected to join the program, which will be tailored for software, hardware, and service companies that have the potential to integrate with Alexa, or are already directly incorporated with Alexa. Applications to join the Accelerator Centre’s Alexa Voice Tech Accelerator are now open until November 24.
RELATED: ecobee raises $80 million to invest in voice tech, AI
Participating companies will receive access to one-to-one mentorship sessions with AC’s in-house experts, dedicated office space in the AC x Amazon Alexa workspace, Amazon Alexa devices to build with, and potential access to grants and funding.
Successful applicants will also benefit from Amazon Demo Day opportunities, access to Amazon Web Services credits, and select access to Amazon’s vast mentor network. Select companies will also have the opportunity to participate in a pitch-based Demo Day at Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle.
Techstars also operates an Amazon Alexa Accelerator out of Seattle, a 13-week program that gives nine startups access to Amazon employees and mentors from Seattle’s artificial intelligence ecosystem. The Accelerator Centre program will be the first program of its kind in Canada.
Image courtesy Accelerator Centre