AppDirect acquires low-code B2B marketplace builder Builtfirst
Nicolas Demarais-founded AppDirect looks to become a one-stop solution for B2B marketplace building.
R|T: The Retail Times – South Korean retail unicorn to set roots in Toronto
Plus: Shopify’s Tobi Lütke headlines BetaKit Town Hall.
A|I: The AI Times – Why Nvidia’s CEO handpicked this U of T professor
Plus: A mysterious “gpt-2” chatbot came online and vanished just as quickly.
Propel unveils latest Atlantic Canada cohort, ventureLAB opens applications for semiconductor incubator
Both accelerators recently received federal funding to continue their operations.
S|W: The SaaS Weekly – Is Bill Gates still the real brains behind Microsoft?
Plus: 1Password’s new product looks to secure unmanaged devices.
The Growcer raises $3 million Series A backed by former Farm Boy Co-CEO Jeff York
Growcer develops vertical farms in modular containers to help combat food insecurity in challenging climates.
ACOA grants Springboard Atlantic $9.8 million to aid research commercialization
Springboard’s 19 member institutions contributed an additional $5.2 million to the organization.
F|T: The FinTech Times – Jack Dorsey’s Block investigated by US federal prosecutors
Plus: Binance CEO sentenced to four months.
Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and RBC launch FinSec incubator
Incubator aims to help emerging FinTech and cybersecurity startups achieve product-market fit.
H|T: The Healthtech Times – Recent hospital research undercuts AI’s timesaving promises
Plus: Drug discovery startup from controversial ex-Stanford president raises $1B.
1Password looks to help businesses secure unmanaged devices with a new offering
Extended Access Management stems from 1Password’s acquisition of Kolide in February.
R|T: The Retail Times – Klarna joins growing BNPL trend, sunsets rewards program
Plus: The Amazon union movement reaches Québec.
Versaterm acquires American mental health platform for first responders
This is the public safety tech firm’s second acquisition within the past month.
Feds set hard cap on Start-up Visa program applications, pause self-employed persons program
Last year, the feds targeted 3,500 SUV applications in 2024. Now, it’s a maximum of 840.
A|I: The AI Times – Meet Sanctuary AI’s most human-like robot yet
Plus: OpenAI, Meta, and Google sign on to child exploitation safety measures.