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Award-winning coverage of Canadian startups and tech innovation since 2012.
Prime Minister Mark Carney admitted that Canada has underinvested in defence and relied “too heavily” on the United States for protection over the past few decades—a situation he said has become untenable amid economic threats and challenges to Canadian sovereignty.
“The world has changed”: Canada’s new Defence Industrial Strategy aims to reduce US dependency | BetaKit
Prime Minister Carney hopes to shore up Canada’s defence industry by buying domestically and partnering with "trusted allies."
betakit.com
February 17, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Prime Minister Mark Carney admitted that Canada has underinvested in defence and relied “too heavily” on the United States for protection over the past few decades—a situation he said has become untenable amid economic threats and challenges to Canadian sovereignty.
The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) has halted trading of XTM’s stock on the Canadian Securities Exchange, citing “pending news” as the reason.
betakit.com/canadas-inve...
betakit.com/canadas-inve...
Canada’s investment regulator halts stock trades for XTM as FinTech faces missing money allegations | BetaKit
The regulator cited “pending news” for halt, following multiple reported accusations against company’s subsidiary.
betakit.com
February 17, 2026 at 8:39 PM
The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) has halted trading of XTM’s stock on the Canadian Securities Exchange, citing “pending news” as the reason.
betakit.com/canadas-inve...
betakit.com/canadas-inve...
Cohere’s new multilingual #AI model Tiny Aya supports more than 70 languages. And the company says it’s designed to run in places that may not have large-scale compute infrastructure.
From Amharic to Zulu: Cohere’s new multilingual AI model supports more than 70 languages | BetaKit
Toronto scaleup says Tiny Aya can run in regions where large-scale infrastructure isn’t always available.
betakit.com
February 17, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Cohere’s new multilingual #AI model Tiny Aya supports more than 70 languages. And the company says it’s designed to run in places that may not have large-scale compute infrastructure.
On The BetaKit Podcast this week, @trondizzle.bsky.social talks to @madisonmcla.bsky.social about her fantastic story on a report full of candid VC feedback about BDC that the government asked for but never actioned.
🎧 Listen now:
🎧 Listen now:
Is BDC too big to change?
Canadian VCs who rely on the Crown corporation have feedback on its “steady hand” approach. Who’s listening?
betakit.com
February 17, 2026 at 3:30 PM
On The BetaKit Podcast this week, @trondizzle.bsky.social talks to @madisonmcla.bsky.social about her fantastic story on a report full of candid VC feedback about BDC that the government asked for but never actioned.
🎧 Listen now:
🎧 Listen now:
💡In The BetaKit Newsletter this week, is something big really happening in #AI?
Plus:
🔎 The insider BDC feedback that was never actioned
🍁 Ottawa's $6.6B defence strategy
📉 Shopify stock slumps despite strong Q4 earnings
Plus:
🔎 The insider BDC feedback that was never actioned
🍁 Ottawa's $6.6B defence strategy
📉 Shopify stock slumps despite strong Q4 earnings
Is Something Big happening in AI?
Plus: Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy revealed.
betakit.com
February 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM
💡In The BetaKit Newsletter this week, is something big really happening in #AI?
Plus:
🔎 The insider BDC feedback that was never actioned
🍁 Ottawa's $6.6B defence strategy
📉 Shopify stock slumps despite strong Q4 earnings
Plus:
🔎 The insider BDC feedback that was never actioned
🍁 Ottawa's $6.6B defence strategy
📉 Shopify stock slumps despite strong Q4 earnings
From client to cap table. AI infrastructure startup Shakudo just raised $7M USD, and several of its backers have close ties the company's clients, like Loblaw and CentralReach.
From client to cap table: Shakudo converts customers to investors with $7-million USD raise | BetaKit
New backers with ties to Loblaw and CentralReach have invested in the Toronto startup.
betakit.com
February 17, 2026 at 2:08 PM
From client to cap table. AI infrastructure startup Shakudo just raised $7M USD, and several of its backers have close ties the company's clients, like Loblaw and CentralReach.
Feds’ $6.6-billion Defence Industrial Strategy takes aim at building “a robust” Canadian defence sector. #CDNpoli #CDNtech
Feds take aim at building “a robust” Canadian defence sector with Defence Industrial Strategy
The Government of Canada has promised to prioritize buying Canadian, focusing on the country’s existing strengths, and picking domestic champions in its new Defence Industrial Strategy.
betakit.com
February 15, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Ottawa and Gatineau have launched a new task force aimed at turning the country’s capital region into a defence innovation hub. #CDNtech
Ottawa, Gatineau launch defence innovation task force in bid for NATO defence bank
The cities of Ottawa and Gatineau announced the launch of a new task force aimed at turning the country’s capital region into a defence innovation hub.
betakit.com
February 13, 2026 at 11:29 PM
Ottawa and Gatineau have launched a new task force aimed at turning the country’s capital region into a defence innovation hub. #CDNtech
Cohere reportedly soars past revenue target with $240 million USD in annual recurring revenue. #CDNtech
Cohere reportedly soars past revenue target, with $240-million USD ARR
Canada’s AI champion had projected $200 million USD ARR last year.
betakit.com
February 13, 2026 at 10:52 PM
Cohere reportedly soars past revenue target with $240 million USD in annual recurring revenue. #CDNtech
“Often, I find myself being one of the only Black innovators in the rooms I’m in, so it was great to step into a space where that was not the case."
LiberatedAI co-founder Ruth Orekogbe on the importance of the Black Business Ventures Association Innovation Expo in Alberta.
LiberatedAI co-founder Ruth Orekogbe on the importance of the Black Business Ventures Association Innovation Expo in Alberta.
Black Business Ventures Association brings Dragons Den energy to Edmonton Unlimited | BetaKit
Innovation Expo spotlights homegrown startups and growing tech talent.
betakit.com
February 13, 2026 at 10:08 PM
“Often, I find myself being one of the only Black innovators in the rooms I’m in, so it was great to step into a space where that was not the case."
LiberatedAI co-founder Ruth Orekogbe on the importance of the Black Business Ventures Association Innovation Expo in Alberta.
LiberatedAI co-founder Ruth Orekogbe on the importance of the Black Business Ventures Association Innovation Expo in Alberta.
If you're looking for a fascinating Friday read, here's Jesse Cole's story on the Edmonton #quantum company that's quietly pushing the leading edge of an industry poised to transform everything from pharmaceutical development to research into the fabric of the universe.
Inside the Edmonton facility building quantum’s hidden infrastructure | BetaKit
Zero Point Cryogenics is manufacturing the extreme-cold systems behind quantum computing.
betakit.com
February 13, 2026 at 6:15 PM
If you're looking for a fascinating Friday read, here's Jesse Cole's story on the Edmonton #quantum company that's quietly pushing the leading edge of an industry poised to transform everything from pharmaceutical development to research into the fabric of the universe.
How much transparency does the government owe us when it uses #AI to help create policy?
Jaxson Khan and @trondizzle.bsky.social sort through transparency, accountability, and answer whether the government should show us its prompts.
Their full chat is here: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
Jaxson Khan and @trondizzle.bsky.social sort through transparency, accountability, and answer whether the government should show us its prompts.
Their full chat is here: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
February 13, 2026 at 4:46 PM
How much transparency does the government owe us when it uses #AI to help create policy?
Jaxson Khan and @trondizzle.bsky.social sort through transparency, accountability, and answer whether the government should show us its prompts.
Their full chat is here: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
Jaxson Khan and @trondizzle.bsky.social sort through transparency, accountability, and answer whether the government should show us its prompts.
Their full chat is here: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
Apple hasn't confirmed why it acquired the company. But Kuzu develops “lightweight embedded database technology" that Apple could possibly use in its FileMaker Pro, Freeform, or iWork apps--for social features in other apps like Apple Music or Apple Games.
Apple strikes deal to acquire Canadian database software startup Kuzu | BetaKit
The US tech giant confirmed the October 2025 deal in a disclosure to the European Union.
betakit.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Apple hasn't confirmed why it acquired the company. But Kuzu develops “lightweight embedded database technology" that Apple could possibly use in its FileMaker Pro, Freeform, or iWork apps--for social features in other apps like Apple Music or Apple Games.
This is an important step towards using quantum technology in everyday communications. It further proves that a network like Telus’ can reliably carry quantum information over long distances.
Photonic and Telus are deepening their partnership to pursue quantum-safe networking projects together.
Photonic and Telus are deepening their partnership to pursue quantum-safe networking projects together.
Photonic claims “world-first” quantum teleportation across Telus fibre network
Quantum company deepens partnership with investor and telecom giant.
betakit.com
February 13, 2026 at 2:45 PM
This is an important step towards using quantum technology in everyday communications. It further proves that a network like Telus’ can reliably carry quantum information over long distances.
Photonic and Telus are deepening their partnership to pursue quantum-safe networking projects together.
Photonic and Telus are deepening their partnership to pursue quantum-safe networking projects together.
Six Alberta projects are getting money from the province's Technology, Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund, which comes from industrial carbon pricing revenue.
They cover everything from reducing methane from livestock to electrokinetic remediation of inactive oil and gas sites.
They cover everything from reducing methane from livestock to electrokinetic remediation of inactive oil and gas sites.
Alberta invests $28 million in six projects to improve environmental outcomes | BetaKit
Funding comes from province’s industrial carbon pricing revenue on large emitters.
betakit.com
February 13, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Six Alberta projects are getting money from the province's Technology, Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund, which comes from industrial carbon pricing revenue.
They cover everything from reducing methane from livestock to electrokinetic remediation of inactive oil and gas sites.
They cover everything from reducing methane from livestock to electrokinetic remediation of inactive oil and gas sites.
Kainova Therapeutics is developing better treatments for cancer and inflammatory diseases that target GPCRs, one of the most important families of receptors in the human body.
Kainova closes $32 million to advance cancer and inflammation therapies | BetaKit
New backer Investissement Québec led the first close of the biopharma firm’s Series B round.
betakit.com
February 12, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Kainova Therapeutics is developing better treatments for cancer and inflammatory diseases that target GPCRs, one of the most important families of receptors in the human body.
Quantum computers need extreme cold to work. In Edmonton, Zero Point Cryogenics is building the technology that make it possible. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the hidden infrastructure powering quantum research.
Inside the Edmonton facility building quantum’s hidden infrastructure | BetaKit
Zero Point Cryogenics is manufacturing the extreme-cold systems behind quantum computing.
betakit.com
February 12, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Quantum computers need extreme cold to work. In Edmonton, Zero Point Cryogenics is building the technology that make it possible. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the hidden infrastructure powering quantum research.
Canada can never own the entire #AI ecosystem, so the country must be strategic.
Jaxson Khan argues the signals Canada sends about AI might be more important than the money it pours into the technology.
Listen to Jaxson's full interview on The BetaKit Podcast: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
Jaxson Khan argues the signals Canada sends about AI might be more important than the money it pours into the technology.
Listen to Jaxson's full interview on The BetaKit Podcast: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
February 12, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Canada can never own the entire #AI ecosystem, so the country must be strategic.
Jaxson Khan argues the signals Canada sends about AI might be more important than the money it pours into the technology.
Listen to Jaxson's full interview on The BetaKit Podcast: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
Jaxson Khan argues the signals Canada sends about AI might be more important than the money it pours into the technology.
Listen to Jaxson's full interview on The BetaKit Podcast: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
ICYMI: A 2023 stakeholder report on BDC, filled with unfiltered feedback from Canadian VCs, was barely referenced in BDC's legislative review, and never actioned. We talked to 6 of the anonymous VCs who contributed to the report.
The feds asked investors for candid feedback on BDC. It was never actioned | BetaKit
BetaKit-obtained 2023 report outlines private-sector grievances with Canada’s largest VC.
betakit.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:58 PM
ICYMI: A 2023 stakeholder report on BDC, filled with unfiltered feedback from Canadian VCs, was barely referenced in BDC's legislative review, and never actioned. We talked to 6 of the anonymous VCs who contributed to the report.
.@backboardio.bsky.social claims it has achieved accuracy of 90.1 percent on the LoCoMo benchmark test and 93.4 percent accuracy on the LongMemEval benchmark.
Backboard.io claims its AI has a better memory than yours | BetaKit
The Ottawa startup’s AI platform outperformed other models in two key memory benchmarks.
betakit.com
February 11, 2026 at 9:38 PM
.@backboardio.bsky.social claims it has achieved accuracy of 90.1 percent on the LoCoMo benchmark test and 93.4 percent accuracy on the LongMemEval benchmark.
Graeme Barlow’s Founders Dinners have just two rules: no sales, and no politics.
The curated founder networking series is in Alberta this week with dinners in Edmonton and Calgary.
The curated founder networking series is in Alberta this week with dinners in Edmonton and Calgary.
A seat at the table: Founders Dinner comes to Alberta | BetaKit
Graeme Barlow’s dinner series offers curated networking with strict no-sales rules.
betakit.com
February 11, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Graeme Barlow’s Founders Dinners have just two rules: no sales, and no politics.
The curated founder networking series is in Alberta this week with dinners in Edmonton and Calgary.
The curated founder networking series is in Alberta this week with dinners in Edmonton and Calgary.
The team at @applyboard.bsky.social have developed an elegant solution for some #AI hallucinations: a "confidence score" that helps gauge the trustworthiness of an LLM’s output.
Their research was recognized with an award at the IEEE’s ICPRS 2025 in London, UK.
Their research was recognized with an award at the IEEE’s ICPRS 2025 in London, UK.
ApplyBoard researchers say they have a fix for AI’s “silent failure” problem | BetaKit
EdTech company’s team wins recognition for “confidence score” that helps keep LLMs honest.
betakit.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:55 PM
The team at @applyboard.bsky.social have developed an elegant solution for some #AI hallucinations: a "confidence score" that helps gauge the trustworthiness of an LLM’s output.
Their research was recognized with an award at the IEEE’s ICPRS 2025 in London, UK.
Their research was recognized with an award at the IEEE’s ICPRS 2025 in London, UK.
Many of you are still talking about the government's #AI task force report. Just a reminder that BetaKit's Josh Scott heroically read all 348 pages of submissions and complied the most interesting recommendations. Well worth the read:
We read every submission from Canada’s AI task force: here’s what they said | BetaKit
Nearly 350 pages of recommendations sketch a fractured but urgent road map for Canada’s AI future.
betakit.com
February 11, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Many of you are still talking about the government's #AI task force report. Just a reminder that BetaKit's Josh Scott heroically read all 348 pages of submissions and complied the most interesting recommendations. Well worth the read:
Jaxson Khan gives an insider’s take on Canada’s #AI task force report.
The former ISED senior policy advisor says Canada needs to get its ducks in a row to have any hope of keeping control of its AI future.
Listen to his full interview on The BetaKit Podcast: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
The former ISED senior policy advisor says Canada needs to get its ducks in a row to have any hope of keeping control of its AI future.
Listen to his full interview on The BetaKit Podcast: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
February 11, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Jaxson Khan gives an insider’s take on Canada’s #AI task force report.
The former ISED senior policy advisor says Canada needs to get its ducks in a row to have any hope of keeping control of its AI future.
Listen to his full interview on The BetaKit Podcast: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
The former ISED senior policy advisor says Canada needs to get its ducks in a row to have any hope of keeping control of its AI future.
Listen to his full interview on The BetaKit Podcast: betakit.com/an-insiders-...
ICYMI: Montréal luxury e-commerce platform Ssense will return to the hands of its founders after an unsuccessful attempt by its lenders to block a buyback deal.
Ssense founders can buy back company, court rules | BetaKit
Atallah brothers’ $78-million buyback bid moves forward despite several creditors’ objections.
betakit.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:15 PM
ICYMI: Montréal luxury e-commerce platform Ssense will return to the hands of its founders after an unsuccessful attempt by its lenders to block a buyback deal.