Topic: artificial intelligence

Reports: Q1 2018 records strong VC interest, but PE growth ‘slow’

Investments in innovative companies were up in the first quarter of 2018 (Q1/18) across several sectors with venture capital funds leading the way, according to two new reports on Canadian activity. However, when it comes to private equity investments, one report indicates that investments were relatively slow but still bigger in value.

OCE supports six regional sites for C/AV

Six regional technology development sites (RTDSs) across Ontario will receive financial support from the Ontario government as part of the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN) project, which seeks to position the province as a leader in transformative automotive technologies, transportation systems and related supporting infrastructure. Earlier this month, the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), which…

Research Money ≠ Research Effort

Expenditure-based measures have been the most successful and best used indicator of innovation to date because the data can be collected with minimal effort and maximum accuracy (not perfect) and interpreted without huge complexities.

Ontario Budget 2018 puts more support for scale-ups, startups and promising sectors

With elections just around the corner, Ontario Liberals released earlier than usual its 2018 budget, which includes at least $1.5 billion for R&D and innovation. The $158.5-billion spending plan focuses largely on enhanced social, education and healthcare initiatives but also commits millions to businesses as well as R&D, innovation and competitiveness.

Tech Mahindra invests $100M for Centre of Excellence in AI, blockchain

India’s Tech Mahindra will invest $100 million over the next five years to create a new Centre of Excellence (COE) in Canada for major emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and Blockchain. The Indian technology powerhouse made the announcement during Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to India in February. Tech Mahindra said the COE,…

Funding from VCs up in 2017 – PwC/CB Insights report

Canadian venture capital investment, measured in US$, reached an all time high last year, according to the latest report by PwC Canada and CB Insights. Artificial intelligence and fintech firms were the most attractive for VC investors, who poured up to US$2.7 billion into 333 deals in 2017, up 7% from 2016. Average VC funding…

Thales creates Montreal-based cortAlx to provide safe and ethical AI solutions

A new centre for artificial intelligence is in the works in Montreal further solidifying its position as one of Canada’s main hubs for AI. Thales SA, a France-based, multinational defence and aerospace contractor, recently announced the creation of the Centre of Research and Technology in Artificial Intelligence eXpertise (cortAIx), which will be supported by the…

Waterloo tests AI for use in financial sector

The Univ of Waterloo has developed software with AI algorithms that can help financial institutions justify the decisions they make as they comply with regulations.  Waterloo’s deep-learning algorithms are able to process and analyze rich data, and detect patterns that even users can’t tell how the analyses were made, researchers say. To test the algorithms,…