Alberta Enterprise Corporation launches Accelerate Fund IV with $15 million to back early-stage tech startups
First close from AEC brings Fund IV more than halfway to its $25-million target.
AI
Spexi raises $16.2-million CAD Series A for blockchain-based drone imagery network
Startup’s long-term goal is to reward drone pilots on its platform with a native crypto utility token.
Foreign and domestic AI with Tenstorrent and Cohere
Plus: Canada Post strike didn’t slow Shopify’s BFCM weekend.
Lessons in leadership, hiring, and AI from SAAS NORTH 2024
Also discussed: how to make leather from mushrooms. SAAS NORTH 2024 was crazy.
Cohere secures federal backing to build multibillion-dollar Canadian AI data centre
This marks the first investment through the new Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy.
KisoJi raises $57-million CAD Series B to advance antibody cancer therapy
Montréal-based biotech company using AI to boost antibody identification platform.
Federal government outlines $2 billion in AI compute spending commitment
Strategy includes $1.3 billion for computing infrastructure and $700 million for AI data centres.
Musical AI partners with India’s Beatoven.ai to create “fully licensed” AI song generator
Music tech startups join forces to compensate IP holders for songs created with AI.
BDC launches program to help small businesses access financing to adopt AI
Program includes cybersecurity assessment and workflow automation assistance.
AI chipmaker Tenstorrent closes nearly $700-million USD Series D at $2.6-billion valuation
Samsung, Bezos-backed financing comes after the firm quietly relocated to the US.
The DOJ wants to take Google Chrome away, Rob Kenedi wants to decelerate tech
After a decade of quiet dominance, the browser space is suddenly filled with uncertainty.
Major Canadian news orgs sue OpenAI for copyright infringement
Torstar, Postmedia, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press, and CBC/Radio-Canada are seeking monetary damages.
With new name, FleetOps secures $30.8-million CAD Series A round
Now called Class8, trucking data startup’s round was led entirely by United States-based investors.
Nurau raises $1.5 million CAD in seed funding to take AI-powered HR coach to the US
Montréal-based startup claims its conversational AI platform can reduce HR complaints. What are the risks?
Workers are embracing AI faster than employers can keep up
Research finds that training is essential for success adoption in the workplace.