Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) has announced $19 million in innovation cluster funding across 12 projects aimed to aid the commercialization of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) across Canada’s manufacturing sectors. Combined with industry partner contributions from each project, NGen said the program carries a total value of $55 million.
The innovation cluster launched what it called an AI for Manufacturing (AI4M) funding challenge earlier this year as part of the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy. The challenge called for at least one AI company and one manufacturing company to partner and submit a project focusing on the commercialization of AI and/or ML solutions in manufacturing.
NGen said the program aims to enhance the competitiveness of Canadian manufacturers and enable the development of new commercial opportunities for AI solution providers and manufacturers alike.
Selected projects featured companies from New Brunswick to British Columbia with solutions ranging from automation to medical manufacturing. NGen provided a project funding breakdown to BetaKit.
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Toronto-based Promise Robotics, which raised a $20.8-million Series A round last week, received $2.2 million from NGen for its project developing an AI-enabled robotic solution for building component prefabrication. Alongside its partner, Edmonton’s Landmark Group of Companies, the project value totals $6.54 million.
Cosm Medical, which secured $4.7 million in a seed round last year for its custom gynecological prosthetics, submitted a project with SiteRocket Labs, Hamilton Health Sciences, and Objex Unlimited for the use of AI in manufacturing the “world’s first” digital gynecology platform. The total project value totals $3.43 million, with $1.2 million coming from NGen.
The full list of projects taking part in the challenge can be found here.
As NGen launches the AI4M projects, the cluster is also seeking project applications for its Quantum Advantage program under Canada’s National Quantum Strategy. Earlier this year, NGen partnered with DIGITAL, another Canadian innovation cluster, to invest $30 million in new projects to drive the commercialization of quantum technologies.
Feature image by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash.
