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Canadian Tech in 100 Words

Edmonton Tests AI Body Cameras Amid Rising Privacy Concerns

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Edmonton police have begun testing AI-enabled body cameras trained to identify roughly 7,000 individuals on a “high-risk” watch list, marking one of North America’s most significant deployments of facial recognition in frontline policing.

The pilot, developed with Axon Enterprise, comes six years after the body-camera giant halted work on facial recognition over ethical concerns raised by its own AI advisory board. A former chair of that board now warns the technology is advancing without adequate public scrutiny or independent evaluation. The trial is drawing national attention as agencies debate surveillance risks and evolving privacy expectations.

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AI Strategy Drives Inovia’s Latest Partner Promotions

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Inovia Capital has promoted principals Kory Jeffrey and Taha Mubashir to partner as the Montreal-based firm prepares to raise new editions of its discovery fund and core venture fund. The promotions reflect Inovia’s growing emphasis on backing companies developing AI systems and enterprise AI software.

Waterloo-based Jeffrey co-authored the firm’s generative AI thesis with CTO Steve Woods and helped champion Inovia’s investments in Cohere, leading its US$270-million Series C and later its US$600-million round. He also guides Spellbook and Reliant AI. Toronto-based Mubashir has supported AI startups including Signal 1 and Landbase.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on The Logic.

Shopify Arms Merchants for AI-Driven Shopping Future

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Shopify is preparing its merchants for an era in which consumers increasingly shop through AI assistants rather than visiting traditional websites. The company introduced “agentic storefronts,” enabling chatbots such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity to surface products from Shopify sellers directly within conversations.

Shopify is also expanding its Sidekick assistant with customizable tools, plugins, and text-prompt design features. As more browsing shifts to AI interfaces, retailers face the risk of declining site traffic, prompting brands to adapt code for improved crawler visibility. OpenAI plans to let ChatGPT users purchase from Shopify stores, potentially taking a transaction cut.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on The Logic.

CURA Secures Capital to Advance Low-Carbon Cement Pilot

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Calgary-based CURA has secured its first private investment, announcing a pre-seed round led by Amplify Capital and Zacua Ventures to advance its low-carbon cement technology. Cofounder and CEO Erin Bobicki said the funding will help CURA meet timelines and deliver cement with up to 85% fewer emissions.

Amplify’s Trish Nixon called CURA’s approach commercially grounded, while Zacua’s Juan Nieto highlighted its potential to transform construction through an electrochemical process. Funds will support a 100-tonne-per-year pilot, team expansion, and sample deliveries. CURA recently exited stealth with a founding team from UBC and Deep Sky.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Calgary.tech.

Toronto’s Waabi Pursues US$3B Valuation in Major Raise

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Waabi is reportedly in discussions to raise US$750 million at a US$3 billion valuation, positioning the Toronto autonomous-trucking developer for one of Canada’s largest early-stage financings. The round is said to be co-led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, with Uber preparing a US$250-million commitment.

The talks surface as Waabi nears a major milestone—the planned launch of fully driverless trucks by year-end—supported by ongoing integration of its system into Volvo vehicles. The company faces formidable rivals, including Waymo, Tesla, Gatik, and Uber-backed automation initiatives. Waabi’s 2024 Series B ranked among Canada’s largest AI investments.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on The Globe and Mail.

Twenty Canadian Startups Join NATO’s Largest DIANA Cohort

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Twenty Canadian firms have been chosen for NATO’s largest-ever cohort of its Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, a program linking startups with military users, mentors, investors, and test facilities. Selected companies include Avivo Biomedical, developing universal-blood technology, and Alchemy, working on thermal camouflage, alongside Canadian Space Mining Corporation and Volta Space Technologies.

They join 150 companies from 24 NATO nations drawn from nearly 3,700 applicants. Beginning January 2026, participants receive funding and access to accelerator sites and more than 200 test centres. Technologies span communications, autonomy, biotech, energy, and space. Reaction Dynamics and Tactiql advanced earlier this year.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on BetaKit.

Rogers Launches Satellite Service for Remote Canada

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Rogers Communications has launched Rogers Satellite, a new service that promises to keep Canadians connected in areas without cellular coverage. The company says it is the first provider in the country to support voice and video calling applications over satellite, including WhatsApp.

Customers can also access Google Maps, AccuWeather, X and more, with additional apps expected as developers update their software. Rogers is also introducing satellite-to-mobile connectivity for IoT businesses, enabling remote asset tracking and sensor monitoring. The service follows a beta trial that tallied more than one million text messages.

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Microsoft Commits $19B to Canada’s AI Future

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Microsoft is making its largest commitment to Canada, announcing $19 billion in investment between 2023 and 2027. The technology giant will expand AI and cloud infrastructure, add data centres beginning in 2026, and launch a five-point plan to protect digital sovereignty. Microsoft employs more than 5,300 Canadians and supports an estimated 426,000 jobs through partners.

The company says new capacity will enable secure data residency, confidential computing, and advanced cybersecurity, including a Threat Intelligence Hub in Ottawa. Microsoft pledged further investment in skills training through its Elevate unit to help Canadians succeed in an AI era.

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Calgary Co-op Tests AI at the Deli Counter

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Calgary Co-op has introduced an AI-powered charcuterie kiosk at its Oakridge store, offering shoppers a virtual “sommelier” for selecting specialty cheeses, meats and pairings. Developed by Calgary-based CGS Immersive, the touchscreen system guides customers through a short conversation about budget, flavour and guest numbers before generating a personalized board based on real-time inventory.

The kiosk prints a shopping list or staff can prepare a finished platter. Specialty cheese carries margins of up to 60 per cent, yet many shoppers lack confidence. The kiosk fills that gap and supports deli teams during the busy holiday season.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Calgary.tech.

Calgary Startup Raises $4M to Help Farmers Hedge Risk

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Calgary startup SimpleHedge has secured $4 million in seed financing to expand its platform for managing commodity price risk. Investors include Tall Grass Ventures, Trillick Ventures, Startup TNT, Barrel Ventures and others. The company reports supporting more than US$350 million in transactions from nearly 3,000 farmers, overseeing more than 110 million acres after only eighteen months.

SimpleHedge combines market data, inventory details and pricing scenarios so producers can evaluate strategy without directly trading futures or options. Hiring will occur in Calgary and Winnipeg as product development scales. Backers say the platform brings modern tools to agriculture.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Calgary.tech.