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Canvass Analytics secures $5.7 million from federal government to double Toronto workforce (BETAKIT)
Toronto-based artificial intelligence company Canvass Analytics has received a $5.7 million grant from the Government of Canada through the Jobs and Growth Fund.
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As it brings its bipedal robots to market, Agility announces a $150M round (TECHCRUNCH)
Amazon announced that Agility Robotics is one of the five initial startups benefitting from the company’s $1 billion innovation fund. If I had to guess, I’d say that meant the retail giant was eyeing the Oregon State University spinoff as a potential addition to its warehouse robotics arsenal. After all, logistics has become an increasingly import piece of Agility’s go to market strategy for its bipedal Digit robot, while Amazon’s hundreds of thousands of robots are a big part of how it manages to turn around package deliveries so quickly.
Shopify makes strategic investment in US AI recommendation startup Crossing Minds (BETAKIT)
Fjolla Bakalli, Shopify’s manager of corporate development and strategic initiatives, said in a press release statement that the company’s strategic investment in Crossing Minds will help Shopify merchants “meet customer’s evolving needs” by providing product recommendations and personalized experiences.
The 26-Year-Old Dropout Lapping the Hedge-Fund Field (WALL STREET JOURNAL)
Eva Shang is doing the hedge-fund thing her way. That means making money but also making time to blog about dreams, her labradoodle and her fear of becoming a Silicon Valley has-been at age 26.
Toronto venture funding continued to reach new heights in Q1 2022, but tech valuations may be due for a cooling (BETAKIT)
Toronto’s tech sector once again swept venture funding records away in Q1 2022, but showed signs it may cool off in the coming quarters. Meanwhile, the first quarter also saw Alberta’s tech sector set a new venture funding record, British Columbia see strong results, while Waterloo Region “moved in the right direction,” according to new reports from briefed.in.
Bank of Canada taps quantum computing startup to tackle complex financial problems (FINANCIAL POST)
The Bank of Canada is experimenting with quantum computing as a means of tackling complex financial problems, potentially those involving cryptocurrencies, that go beyond the scope of traditional computers.
Telus backs new social impact fund focused on community safety and wellness in Edmonton (BETAKIT)
In partnership with the Edmonton Police Foundation, Telus has backed a new social impact fund designed to support graduates of the Telus-sponsored Community Safety and Wellness Accelerator (CSW) program.
Biden administration takes step forward on AI policy (AXIOS)
The Department of Commerce has appointed more than two dozen experts to a committee that will advise President Joe Biden on artificial intelligence policy.
Unlearn.AI, a startup developing a ‘digital twin’ service for clinical trials, raises $50M (TECHCRUNCH)
The idea of digital twins — digital representations of humans built with computer models — for medical research is gaining traction in private and academic sectors. With predictive simulation technology, some experts say that digital twins have the potential to improve healthcare by assessing health risks before a disease becomes symptomatic, helping clinicians determine, for example, when (and whether) to intervene.
Alberta launches new innovation strategy focused on attracting tech talent, capital (BETAKIT)
The Government of Alberta has unveiled its new innovation strategy, which outlines how the province plans to strengthen its tech sector and diversify its energy-reliant economy.
How the AI industry profits from catastrophe (TECHNOLOGY REVIEW)
As the demand for data labeling exploded, an economic catastrophe turned Venezuela into ground zero for a new model of labor exploitation.
University of Alberta spinout DrugBank closes $9 million from Brightspark, Amplitude, Theodorus to fuel drug discovery with its data platform (BETAKIT)
Training machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms requires quality data. In the pharmaceutical sector, obtaining this data can be tough because most of the knowledge about drugs is contained in scientific publications in an unstructured text format.
Hospital Robots Are Helping Combat a Wave of Nurse Burnout (WIRED)
Since February, the nurses at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia, have had an extra assistant on their shifts: Moxi, a nearly 6-foot-tall robot that ferries medication, supplies, lab samples, and personal items through the halls, from floor to floor. After two years of battling Covid-19 and related burnout, nurses say it’s been a welcome relief.
Scale AI moves to scale supply chain AI startups with new funding, partnerships (BETAKIT)
Scale AI, Canada’s artificial intelligence (AI) cluster, has announced it is investing $24 million to support five AI projects in supply chain operations. The federally and Québec government-supported AI cluster is also partnering with MaRS to support the commercialization of 12 Canadian supply chain solutions AI startups.
Can A.I. All but End Car Crashes? The Potential Is There. (NEW YORK TIMES)
Well before self-driving cars become a reality, there are simpler approaches that can make roads much safer.