Latest news with #SCALEAI
Montreal Gazette
10-07-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Canada invests $98.6M in 23 AI projects to boost industry adoption
By A Quebec aerospace firm using AI to forecast aircraft maintenance. A recycling company deploying machine vision to inspect bales in real time. A Montreal tech firm helping retailers enhance online search. These are just a few of the 23 projects receiving a share of nearly $100 million in federal funding announced Thursday by SCALE AI, Canada's artificial intelligence investment hub. The $98.6-million investment aims to accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence across sectors such as manufacturing, aerospace, retail and waste management. Speaking at the announcement in Montreal, Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, emphasized the importance of supporting Canadian entrepreneurs and helping them scale their innovations at home. 'Staying in Canada doesn't limit your global influence,' he said. 'It can enhance it.' Some notable projects in Quebec receiving funding include: Avianor, which is using AI to predict aircraft part needs and streamline technician scheduling. Industries Machinex, which is building an AI-powered auditing tool to improve recycling plant operations. Coveo Solutions, which is enhancing AI tools to improve product discovery and recommendation for online retailers. Each project is backed by a two-to-one ratio of private to public investment, a model intended to reduce risk and speed up real-world implementation. Solomon added that the federal government must also adopt the tools it encourages others to use. 'We can't talk about AI and not be using it,' he said. 'Government has to walk the walk. That means using procurement to help scale up great Canadian companies and making government itself more productive.' While decisions around the public service fall under another portfolio, he acknowledged the pressure to modernize. 'The prime minister has been very clear — government is going to have to be more productive and find efficiencies,' he said. 'But this isn't about replacing people. It's about giving workers better tools.' The funding announcement also comes as Startupfest, Montreal's flagship tech and entrepreneurship festival, gets underway in the Old Port — drawing founders, investors and developers, many with their sights set on AI. This year's theme is 'Ambition+'. Solomon, who said he visited, said the government's push goes beyond AI alone. 'This is the age of the entrepreneur.'
Cision Canada
10-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Canada's AI Adoption Accelerates, Driving Growth for Industries: Nearly $100M Invested in 23 New Projects Through SCALE AI's Latest Funding Round
MONTREAL , July 10, 2025 /CNW/ - SCALE AI, Canada's global innovation cluster in artificial intelligence (AI), announced today a total of $98.6 million in investments to support 23 new applied AI projects. With this latest round of investments, SCALE AI is contributing to the acceleration of AI adoption across multiple industries through the deployment of new, advanced solutions, helping to strengthen the economy and boost national productivity. While SCALE AI is funding projects from coast to coast, today's announcement supports initiatives led by businesses in Quebec adopting AI technologies, demonstrating a remarkable diversity of use cases, ranging from planning and scheduling aircraft maintenance, forecasting retail demand and optimizing inventory, to deploying AI-driven sorting lines in recycling centres, among other innovative applications. Mobilizing both public and private capital is essential to scaling transformative technologies like AI, as it helps de-risk major innovation investments and creates the right conditions for businesses to adopt cutting-edge technologies with confidence. The projects announced today were financed with a 2-to-1 ratio of private investment to public funds, reflecting a clear understanding among businesses of how AI can accelerate their growth and productivity. The announcement took place at SCALE AI's offices in the presence of Evan Solomon , Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation. The event also offered the Minister a platform to engage and discuss with major enterprises integrating AI into their operations, alongside SMEs and startups driving innovation through the development of Canadian AI technologies. This recent round of investments reinforces Canada's AI ecosystem by supporting homegrown AI developers to grow and scale, and enabling the broader AI ecosystem to bring innovations to market and compete globally. Quotes "AI is one of the most powerful drivers of Canada's future economy. By investing in real-world applications through SCALE AI, we're turning Canadian innovation into productivity—across manufacturing, transport, and beyond. This is how Canada leads: by building, adopting, and scaling homegrown solutions."— The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario " Canada is a pioneer in artificial intelligence, and today we are turning our early innovations into competitive advantages for Canadian industry. The federal government is working with partners like SCALE AI to grow our economy through the implementation of AI solutions across many sectors, spurring growth and attracting investment to Quebec and across Canada ." — The Honourable Mélanie Joly , Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions "This announcement clearly illustrates the accelerating adoption of AI across Canada . AI is no longer confined to a small circle of tech players — it is now emerging as a strategic lever across an increasingly diverse range of sectors. New industries are boldly embracing this transformation, driven by ambitious use cases and the growing uptake of a wide spectrum of technologies, from proven systems to the most advanced generative AI solutions. This momentum, which SCALE AI is actively supporting through this funding round, reflects a new level of maturity in our ecosystem and confirms that AI is becoming a cross-cutting and lasting driver of competitiveness for the Canadian economy." — Julien Billot , CEO of SCALE AI "We are witnessing the outstanding strides Canadian industry has made in leveraging AI across all industries. AI solutions and products have unparalleled potential to reshape business models, refine decision-making processes, and empower workforces to unlock the full potential of organizations. Our vision is clear: to create a future where AI becomes an essential pillar of every Canadian business strategy. Canada is well placed to play a leading role in this massive technological revolution, thanks first and foremost to the excellence of our research and talent. SCALE AI works at the intersection of business and academia, building the connective tissue of Canada's AI ecosystem. By co-investing in high-impact projects and nurturing a dynamic network of startups, service providers, researchers and adopters, SCALE AI is accelerating the commercialization of AI." — Hélène Desmarais, Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, SCALE AI 23 New Projects Representing Investments of $98 .6 Million To learn more about the projects, click here. → Precision Immunology (Phase 1 & Phase 2) Partners: CellCarta, Epitopea, Aramis Biotechnologies, GENAIZ, York University SCALE AI investment: $3.7 million Total investment: $11.5 million → Optimizing the Steel Supply Chain With AI Partners: Groupe ADF Inc., DPHV – D'Aronco, Pineau, Hébert, Varin, Nova steel, Vooban SCALE AI investment: $3.2 million Total investment: $12 million → Strategic Aftermarket Modelling (SAM) – (Phase 1 & Phase 2) Partners: Pratt & Whitney Canada Inc., McKinsey & Company, Vooban, Moov AI, Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII) SCALE AI investment: $3 million Total investment: $13.9 million → NIC™: Mining Operations Management Platform Partners: ArcelorMittal Exploitation minière Canada s.e.n.c., HalfSerious, AÇAÏ, Université Laval - Institut Intelligence et Données SCALE AI investment: $2.7 million Total investment: $7.8 million → Development of Automated Material Characterization Systems in Material Recovery Facilities Partners: Industries Machinex Inc., Seika Logiciel Inc., Centre en imagerie numérique et médias interactifs (CIMMI), Updata, Tricentris SCALE AI investment: $2 million Total investment: $5.6 million → Rio Tinto – RailVu – Optimization of the Rail Network With AI Partners: Rio Tinto Iron Ore Company of Canada, QNS&L – Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway, SimWell, Tata Steel Minerals Canada, Tacora, Port de Sept-Îles, MFQ - Minerai de fer Québec, Claude-Guy Quimper from Institute Intelligence and data - Université Laval SCALE AI investment: $1.7 million Total investment: $4.4 million → AI-Driven Demand Forecasting Partners: Rio Tinto Alcan Inc., Multitech Valorisation Inc., IVADO Labs SCALE AI investment: $1.6 million Total investment: $4 million → Flyer Production Automation Partners: Transcontinental Inc., Canadian Tire Corporation,IVADO Labs, KPDI Digital SCALE AI investment: $1 million Total investment: $2.5 million → Avianor: Planning and Scheduling of Aircraft Repair Partners: Avianor Inc., PAMC, Air Canada, Vooban. SCALE AI investment: $1.2 million Total investment: $2.9 million → AI-Enhanced ERP for Driving Manufacturing Productivity Partners: Genius Solutions, Machitech, LG Cloutier Group, Osedea, Catalytik Innovation SCALE AI investment: $1million Total investment: $2.6 million → Nordfab—SaCad Project Partners: Groupe NordFab, Prestolam Inc., Christian Marcoux cuisine et mobilier design, Vooban, SIMR SCALE AI investment: $0.9 million Total investment: $2.1 million → Preventing Demand for Direct-to-Store Delivery Partners: CIS Group, Boulangerie St-Méthode, Dion Herbes & Épices, Moov AI SCALE AI investment: $0.9 million Total investment: $2.9 million → Generative AI Assistance for In-Store Operations Optimization Partners: Canac-Marquis Grenier Ltee, Frontleap, SCALE AI investment: $0.9 million Total investment: $1.7 million → CollectorOPT Partners: RPM Environnement Ltée d.b.a. RPM ECO (MC), Oscal, Vooban, Inovestor, Sanza Inc. SCALE AI investment: $0.7 million Total investment: $1.8 million → AI-Powered Knowledge Leadership Partners: Cossette Communication Inc., Hivelighter SCALE AI investment: $0.7 million Total investment: $1.7 million → Intelligent Management of Construction Plans and Resources Partners: Groupe Humaco, Manugypse Inc., Lefebvre & Benoit, Vooban, Génisys Groupe Conseil SCALE AI investment: $0.5 million Total investment: $1.3 million → Demand Forecasting and Fulfillment Optimization Partners: Avantis Coopérative, BMR, Quincaillerie Richelieu Ltée, Société Les Peintures Pittsburgh, Vooban SCALE AI investment: $0.4 million Total investment: $1.1 million → Enhancing E-Commerce Search (Phase 1 & Phase 2) Partners: Coveo Solutions Inc., IVADO Labs, Lee Valley Tools, Canac-Marquis Grenier Ltee SCALE AI investment: $4.5 million Total investment: $16.1 million → Accelerating ZetaForge GenAI-Powered Digital Transformations Platform Partners: Zetane Systems, IVACO Rolling Mills, Trinary, Maison Social SCALE AI investment: $0.6 million Total investment: $1.6 million → Qualification and Intelligent Writing of a Call for Proposals Partners: Umaneo, Groupe GEYSER, Groupe Baillargeon-MSA, Tessier Récréo-Parc Inc. SCALE AI investment: $0.5 million Total investment: $1.1 million About SCALE AI ( SCALE AI is Canada's global innovation cluster in artificial intelligence (AI). Based in Toronto and Montreal , SCALE AI plays a central role as the main unifying force of the Canadian AI ecosystem. As an investment and innovation hub, it accelerates the rapid adoption and integration of AI into the Canadian economy while contributing to the development of a world-class AI ecosystem. Funded by the Government of Canada , SCALE AI brings together over 500 industry partners, research institutes, and other key players in AI. It provides strategic and financial support to companies implementing real-world AI applications, aiming to encourage the emergence of future industry leaders and facilitate the development of a highly skilled workforce. Additionally, SCALE AI is behind ALL IN, Canada's largest AI event that allows Canadian actors to showcase their expertise in front of an international audience from around the globe. For more information about SCALE AI, visit or LinkedIn. SOURCE Scale AI Eric Aach, [email protected], 514-569-3594
Express Tribune
08-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Meta in talks over potential $10b investment in AI firm Scale AI, says Bloomberg
Scale AI also provides a platform for researchers to exchange AI-related information, with contributors in more than 9,000 cities and towns. PHOTO: SCALE AI WEBSITE Meta Platforms is in talks to make an investment that could exceed $10 billion in artificial intelligence startup Scale AI, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday. The terms of the deal were not yet finalized and could still change, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Scale AI declined to comment and Meta did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours. Founded in 2016, Scale AI is a data labeling startup backed by tech giants Nvidia , Amazon and Meta. Last valued at nearly $14 billion, Scale AI also provides a platform for researchers to exchange AI-related information, with contributors in more than 9,000 cities and towns. According to the Wall Street Journal, which cited anonymous sources, Meta wants to provide a tool that 'enables brands to fully create and target ads using artificial intelligence by the end of next year.'. Businesses only need to submit a budget and a picture of their product, with Meta's AI advertising handling the rest. Meta's chief, Mark Zuckerberg, has previously hinted at this plan. Zuckerberg, in a conference call last August, stated, 'Over the long-term, advertisers will just be able to tell us a business objective and a budget and we're going to do the rest for them.'
