In 2024, Canada struggled to find its place in the global AI race
Canada can’t outspend its peers. So how might it outsmart them?
Ottawa
Four new Canadian tech announcements in the Fall Economic Statement that shouldn’t be overlooked
BDC AI funding, procurement reform, money for Black entrepreneurs might have been missed in yesterday’s chaos.
Feds struggle to table Fall Economic Statement following Minister Freeland’s shock resignation
Mini-budget with many tech commitments comes during a day of chaos on the Hill.
TikTok challenges feds’ shutdown order, calls national security review process “procedurally unfair”
Social media giant describes conflicting instructions during national security review.
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.
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.
Canada Post strike didn’t slow Shopify’s record-breaking BFCM weekend
Shopify merchants drove $11.5 billion USD in sales over the weekend, eclipsing last year by more than $2 billion.
Shopify calls on feds to “do whatever is necessary” to resolve Canada Post strike before Black Friday
Shopify suggests federal government impose binding arbitration or legislation to make postal service operational.
The story of Sampler (live at SAAS NORTH 2024)
“I’m using failure with intent today, because I don’t want to be ashamed of saying failure.”
Why Sampler failed, according to its founder
Marie Chevrier Schwartz explains how her company lost product-market fit after a decade in business.
Sonaro, Celestra, Oasis Learning AI among competition winners at SAAS NORTH 2024
Startup winners collectively took home more than $600,000 from the conference.
Federal government reinvests in Scale-Up Platform with $47.5 million commitment to Invest Ottawa, MaRS, and Communitech
Scale-Up Platform offers regionally tailored programming for entrepreneurs in high-growth sectors.
CIFAR leader expects CAISI to help inform AI policy in Canada and abroad
With its new AI safety institute, Canada aims to study the technology’s risks and collaborate with other countries.
The state of Canadian software in 2024
Inovia’s Chris Arsenault came to SAAS NORTH armed with data and perspective.