Latest news with #venturestudio
National Post
12 hours ago
- Business
- National Post
AXL and Dentons Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance Legal Innovation with AI
Article content TORONTO — Today, AXL, a Canadian venture studio transforming AI research into high-growth companies, and Dentons, Canada's Global Law Firm, have announced a strategic partnership to shape the legal industry's next evolution with AI. Article content Together, Dentons and AXL will co-develop ventures that will accelerate the pace of innovation across the legal field and bring outdated workflows, pricing, access, and indeed, the very definition of legal services, into the future. Dentons also becomes the exclusive legal partner to AXL and the preferred provider to its growing portfolio of ventures, bringing legal insight into the early stages of AI innovation and commercialization. Article content 'This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to staying at the forefront of legal innovation and AI,' said Tim Haney, CEO of Dentons Canada. 'By collaborating closely with AXL, we will unlock new models for how technology can enable us to provide exponential value to our clients through innovation.' Article content AXL is led by one of Canada's top innovators, Dr. Daniel Wigdor, who is fuelling Canada's AI research-to-commercialization pipeline with a mission to launch 50 AI-powered companies over the next five years. Its proprietary model merges cutting-edge AI research from the University of Toronto with real-world industry insight through its AI Catalyst program, a corporate partnership initiative designed to validate and accelerate breakthrough ideas. Article content 'We're proud to partner with Dentons, a firm with global scale, legal sophistication, and a strategic AI roadmap that's moving legal innovation forward,' said Dr. Daniel Wigdor, Co-Founder and CEO of AXL. 'Together, we're launching companies that will define what practical and scalable AI applications will look like in practice.' Article content Dentons joins a growing group of leading Canadian organizations collaborating with AXL in 'think tanks' to explore high-impact applications of AI that will drive efficiency in their industries. Beyond shaping the direction of new ventures, Dentons will be involved in bringing companies to market, ensuring each company is built on genuine market demand, atop deep customer insights, and is positioned for scale. Article content 'With AXL, we are not just offering legal services to startups – we are contributing to the formation of AI ventures from day one,' said Mike Hollinger, Partner and Toronto Leader of Dentons' Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies Group. 'Together, we are reimagining how legal services are delivered. This partnership puts Dentons and AXL at the center of that transformation.' Article content Through collaboration and visionary thinking, Dentons and AXL will co-create and deliver cutting-edge AI tools to drive innovation – from Canada, for the world. Article content 'The last time legal services fundamentally changed, it was because of a research lab,' added Dr. Wigdor. 'Lawyers modelled the modern law firm after Thomas Edison's lab — teams of associates supporting partners to boost output and value. Dentons and AXL are now picking up where that transformation left off, building the next wave of practical, scalable AI applications for law.' Article content To learn more about this strategic partnership, watch this video with Tim Haney and Daniel Wigdor at Dentons' North American AI Legal Summit. Daniel's keynote address can also be viewed here. Article content About Dentons Article content Dentons is Canada's Global Law Firm – capitalizing on expansive geographic reach and national strength to provide a tailored experience for clients, wherever they do business. We collaborate with our clients and incorporate our deep understanding of their priorities to achieve the best outcome, blending the creative with the practical. We are more than legal advisors, we are global problem-solvers. Article content Globally ranked in the Top 10 for venture and M&A deals (Pitchbook), Dentons' Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies Group has acquired a reputation as one of Canada's top legal advisors to growth-oriented technology companies. Access our Startup Resource Hub for legal insights and templates. Article content About AXL Article content AXL is a Canadian venture studio transforming world-class research into high-growth companies that shape the future of applied AI. Led by seasoned tech entrepreneurs and applied AI experts, AXL's mission is to ensure Canada's top breakthroughs are built and scaled at home. By connecting academia with real market demand and full-stack venture creation, AXL helps Canada move from invention to impact, anchoring talent, intellectual property, and long-term economic value within the country. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content For Dentons media inquiries, contact: Article content Article content Magatte Diop Article content Article content Dentons Canada Article content Article content Article content Article content Rachael D'Amore Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
AXL and Dentons Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance Legal Innovation with AI
TORONTO, June 25, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, AXL, a Canadian venture studio transforming AI research into high-growth companies, and Dentons, Canada's Global Law Firm, have announced a strategic partnership to shape the legal industry's next evolution with AI. Together, Dentons and AXL will co-develop ventures that will accelerate the pace of innovation across the legal field and bring outdated workflows, pricing, access, and indeed, the very definition of legal services, into the future. Dentons also becomes the exclusive legal partner to AXL and the preferred provider to its growing portfolio of ventures, bringing legal insight into the early stages of AI innovation and commercialization. "This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to staying at the forefront of legal innovation and AI," said Tim Haney, CEO of Dentons Canada. "By collaborating closely with AXL, we will unlock new models for how technology can enable us to provide exponential value to our clients through innovation." AXL is led by one of Canada's top innovators, Dr. Daniel Wigdor, who is fuelling Canada's AI research-to-commercialization pipeline with a mission to launch 50 AI-powered companies over the next five years. Its proprietary model merges cutting-edge AI research from the University of Toronto with real-world industry insight through its AI Catalyst program, a corporate partnership initiative designed to validate and accelerate breakthrough ideas. "We're proud to partner with Dentons, a firm with global scale, legal sophistication, and a strategic AI roadmap that's moving legal innovation forward," said Dr. Daniel Wigdor, Co-Founder and CEO of AXL. "Together, we're launching companies that will define what practical and scalable AI applications will look like in practice." Dentons joins a growing group of leading Canadian organizations collaborating with AXL in "think tanks" to explore high-impact applications of AI that will drive efficiency in their industries. Beyond shaping the direction of new ventures, Dentons will be involved in bringing companies to market, ensuring each company is built on genuine market demand, atop deep customer insights, and is positioned for scale. "With AXL, we are not just offering legal services to startups – we are contributing to the formation of AI ventures from day one," said Mike Hollinger, Partner and Toronto Leader of Dentons' Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies Group. "Together, we are reimagining how legal services are delivered. This partnership puts Dentons and AXL at the center of that transformation." Through collaboration and visionary thinking, Dentons and AXL will co-create and deliver cutting-edge AI tools to drive innovation – from Canada, for the world. "The last time legal services fundamentally changed, it was because of a research lab," added Dr. Wigdor. "Lawyers modelled the modern law firm after Thomas Edison's lab — teams of associates supporting partners to boost output and value. Dentons and AXL are now picking up where that transformation left off, building the next wave of practical, scalable AI applications for law." To learn more about this strategic partnership, watch this video with Tim Haney and Daniel Wigdor at Dentons' North American AI Legal Summit. Daniel's keynote address can also be viewed here. To learn more about how AXL is fuelling Canada's AI research-to-commercialization pipeline, visit their website at About DentonsDentons is Canada's Global Law Firm – capitalizing on expansive geographic reach and national strength to provide a tailored experience for clients, wherever they do business. We collaborate with our clients and incorporate our deep understanding of their priorities to achieve the best outcome, blending the creative with the practical. We are more than legal advisors, we are global problem-solvers. Globally ranked in the Top 10 for venture and M&A deals (Pitchbook), Dentons' Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies Group has acquired a reputation as one of Canada's top legal advisors to growth-oriented technology companies. Access our Startup Resource Hub for legal insights and templates. Redefining possibilities. Together, everywhere. For more information, visit About AXLAXL is a Canadian venture studio transforming world-class research into high-growth companies that shape the future of applied AI. Led by seasoned tech entrepreneurs and applied AI experts, AXL's mission is to ensure Canada's top breakthroughs are built and scaled at home. By connecting academia with real market demand and full-stack venture creation, AXL helps Canada move from invention to impact, anchoring talent, intellectual property, and long-term economic value within the country. View source version on Contacts For Dentons media inquiries, contact: Magatte DiopDentons For AXL media inquiries, contact: Rachael D'AmoreCategory Communicationsrd@ Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Wamda
2 days ago
- Business
- Wamda
Aria Ventures launches $1 million fund to bolster deeptech investment in Egypt
Aria Ventures, an Egypt-based venture studio focused on building deeptech startups, has announced the launch of a $1 million (EGP 50 million) investment to support promising early-stage companies between 2025 and 2026. The firm plans to grow this commitment to $4 million over the next four years. The fund targets high-impact innovation across deeptech sectors, including industry, agriculture, healthcare, AI and machine learning, biotechnology, IoT, nanotechnology, robotics, and other science-driven fields with complex technical challenges. Aria Ventures' model combines hands-on company building—from idea validation and team assembly to infrastructure support—with strategic capital deployment to bridge the gap between pioneering research and market-ready startups. As part of its innovation strategy, Aria Ventures recently launched the DeepTecher competition, designed to scout and transform cutting-edge research into viable deep-tech startups. Winners will receive funding and tailored support through the studio's programmes. Beyond capital, Aria Ventures provides end-to-end support, including R&D, product development, market research, legal services, and commercialisation advisory—aiming to position Egyptian startups as leaders in the global deep-tech ecosystem. Press release: Aria Ventures, a specialised venture studio focused on building startups, has announced the launch of a 50 million EGP investment to support promising companies in the Deep-Technology sector. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between pioneering research and market applications, enabling deep technological innovations to grow and flourish. Aria Ventures aims to increase this funding to EGP 200 million over the next four years, reinforcing its commitment to supporting deep technological innovation in the region. Aria Ventures operates as a venture studio, concentrating on Deep-Technology innovation across diverse sectors. These sectors include industry, agriculture, healthcare, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, Biotechnology, industrial digitalisation, Internet of Things (IoT), Nanotechnology, robotics, and other fields that rely on profound scientific and technical innovation. Dr Amr Al-Awamry, CEO of Aria Ventures, stated, "We work on building startups from the ground up by validating ideas, assembling teams, providing technical and commercial infrastructure, and supporting projects through early growth stages." He added, "The company's model combines strategic capital deployment with direct involvement to bridge the gap between pioneering research and market-ready startups." Aria Ventures has allocated EGP 50 million in funding to support companies in the Deep-Technology sector between 2025 and 2026. In line with its commitment to fostering innovation, Aria Ventures recently launched the DeepTecher competition. This competition aims to discover and nurture technological research and transform it into promising Deep-Technology projects. The competition provides a platform for innovators to showcase their technologies and receive the necessary support to turn them into successful startups. It includes several evaluation and mentoring stages and offers valuable prizes and funding opportunities for winning projects through Aria Ventures. For more information about the DeepTecher competition and how to apply, please visit the competition's website: Al-Awamry added that this step underscores Aria Ventures' commitment to supporting deep technological innovation in the region, contributing to a knowledge-based economy driven by advanced technologies, and enhancing the position of Egyptian startups in the global Deep-Technology landscape. In addition to financial support, Aria Ventures provides comprehensive assistance to companies by offering a wide range of technical and consulting services crucial for early-stage startups. These services include market research, Research and Development (R&D), product development services, legal services, and many more, all aimed at enabling these companies to achieve their maximum potential and successfully reach the market.
National Post
17-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
AXL Launches Venture Studio with $15M to Build 50 AI Companies, Fuelling Canada's Global Leadership in AI Research-to-Commercialization
Article content TORONTO — Today, AXL, a new Canadian venture studio transforming world-class AI research into high-growth companies, has launched with a plan to build 50 AI-powered companies over the next five years to fuel Canada's research-to-commercialization pipeline. This is enabled by an oversubscribed first closing of its venture fund of $15 million CAD. With this, AXL will form and scale homegrown innovation — and keep it here. Article content Daniel Wigdor, one of Canada's top innovators and AXL's Co-Founder and CEO, is reinvesting back into the Canadian tech ecosystem as the fund's lead investor, following the sale of his previous company, Chatham Labs, to Meta, where he served as the founding director of their Toronto research centre. Article content Article content AXL is also backed by a coalition of successful Canadian entities and strategic industry investors rallying around the future of AI in Canada, including David Martin, Founder of Smart Technologies; Gord Kurtenbach, former Head of Autodesk Research; Joshua Greer, Founder of Real-D; Frank Mersch, Chief Investment Officer and Senior Portfolio Manager of Front Street Capital; Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner of McEwen Mining; and many of Canada's leading professors in applied AI. Article content As the global AI race heats up, Canada faces mounting pressure to retain its intellectual property and top talent to secure its leadership. Over the past decade, American firms have acquired 70 Canadian AI companies and counting, while Silicon Valley firms have opened large local offices, resulting in the loss of valuable intellectual property and potential upside. According to a study by Element AI in 2018, Canada experienced a net talent outflow, underscoring the challenge of retaining its top AI minds. Article content 'Canada has a long history of pioneering breakthroughs, including AI, yet we've repeatedly failed to capture the value of our own innovations as our talent and biggest ideas scale somewhere else,' said Daniel Wigdor, Co-Founder and CEO of AXL. 'We're here to change that by connecting Canada's AI excellence with real market needs and the full-stack support that founders need to win globally.' Article content Where research becomes scalable ventures Article content Founded by a team of seasoned tech entrepreneurs and executives — Daniel Wigdor, Tovi Grossman, David Sharma, and Ray Sharma — AXL combines decades of experience scaling companies worldwide in a mission to bridge cutting-edge research with commercial success. Article content AXL's proprietary venture studio model integrates access to AI research from the University of Toronto with market insights from Canada's top businesses through its AI Catalyst program. In this corporate partnership initiative, leading Canadian companies like Dillon Consulting partner with AXL to investigate how AI could reshape their businesses, often becoming the first customer and strategic investor in resulting ventures. Article content This blend creates an environment where ventures are rooted in validated industry demand, supported by a full-stack team that manages everything from prototype and application development to legal, finance, sales, and growth strategies. Article content 'Our corporate partnerships are the engine that transforms lab breakthroughs into ventures with real-world traction,' said David Sharma, Chief Growth Officer at AXL. 'By collaborating directly with Canada's private sector, we ensure that innovation is guided by genuine industry needs and positioned for rapid adoption. This approach closes a critical gap in Canada's innovation system, turning bright ideas into scalable solutions that deliver long-term value for our partners and the broader economy.' Article content Seeing beyond the horizon Article content NVIDIA's Jensen Huang has called Canada the 'Epicentre of Modern AI,' but what's lesser known is Canada's leadership in applied computing, the field that converts foundational research into practical tools. Applied computing bridges the gap between advanced technology and everyday life, making advanced technology more accessible to all. Article content 'The transformative power of AI will come from impactful, practical applications, not just large models or infrastructure,' said Wigdor. 'Focusing solely on building bigger models risks missing the real opportunities in creating tools that genuinely empower people and open new possibilities in our daily lives.' Article content Canada's 'AI moment' is here. It's a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally shift the balance of power in the tech industry. While the rest of the world rushes to commoditize infrastructure, AXL can see past that horizon by investing in the application layer, well beyond what Silicon Valley is currently betting on. Article content 'If we do this right, we won't be saying things like 'Toronto is the Silicon Valley of Ontario.' Two decades from now, San Francisco will be trying to brand itself the 'Toronto of California,'' added Wigdor. Article content Canada's path to a self-sustaining, world-leading AI ecosystem Article content AXL is committed to nurturing a new generation of founders by providing capital, mentorship, operations, and the infrastructure necessary to turn ideas into impactful ventures, with the broader mission of creating a thriving, self-sustaining AI ecosystem that retains talent, intellectual property, and economic prosperity within Canada. Article content 'We believe that Canadian entrepreneurs deserve the opportunity to build and scale world-class AI-powered companies here at home,' added Wigdor. 'With AXL, we're creating the infrastructure and community needed to transform innovation into lasting impact.' Article content To learn more about how AXL is fuelling Canada's AI research to commercialization pipeline, visit their website at ABOUT AXL AXL is a Canadian venture studio transforming world-class research into high-growth companies that shape the future of applied AI. Led by seasoned tech entrepreneurs and applied AI experts, AXL's mission is to ensure Canada's top breakthroughs are built and scaled at home. By connecting academia with real market demand and full-stack venture creation, AXL helps Canada move from invention to impact, anchoring talent, intellectual property, and long-term economic value within the country. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content Article content
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Cytta Corp. Formally Launches Cytta Labs, Repositions as IP-Holding Platform Backed by TrueWealth(TM) Vision and Strategic Studio Model
Cytta Labs Begins Aggressive Public Spinout Program with Two New Special Purpose Vehicles LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / May 20, 2025 / Cytta Corp. (OTCQB:CYCA), a publicly traded leader in national safety and communications technology, is proud to announce the official launch of Cytta Labs, a next-generation venture studio, and the strategic evolution of Cytta Corp into an innovation holding company focused on IP, equity ownership, and long-term value creation. This reorganization positions Cytta Corp to unlock scalable investor returns through its proprietary technologies while Cytta Labs powers venture development and execution-spinning-out high-growth ventures aligned with safety, infrastructure modernization, AI, and mission-critical innovation. 'We're building more than Companies-we're engineering legacy,' said Natalia Sokolova, President & COO of Cytta Corp. " Cytta Labs gives us the structure to move fast, align capital with purpose, and deliver both impact and investor upside. Meanwhile, Cytta Corp becomes the engine that holds our most valuable asset-IP and equity.' The Studio Model: Where Innovation Becomes Execution Cytta Labs operates as a hybrid venture studio, transforming in-house technologies and market-aligned innovations into investor-ready companies through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs). Each SPV is independently capitalized, allowing Cytta Corp to grow non-dilutive equity stakes while maintaining a clean public cap table. Current and future spinouts include: Strategic Capital Formation Through Verisage Partners Cytta Labs ' capital strategy is powered by Verisage Partners, a boutique advisory firm co-founded by Cytta leadership. Verisage specializes in: This partnership ensures each Cytta Labs spinout is fully prepared to scale with both execution capacity and capital velocity. TrueWealth™ Circle: Community as Capital Underpinning Cytta Labs' mission is the TrueWealth™ philosophy-a belief that real wealth comes from alignment of purpose, innovation, and contribution. As part of this ecosystem, Verisage also operates the TrueWealth™ Circle: a curated private community of founders, investors, and industry leaders who co-create, co-invest, and build with long-term vision. ' TrueWealth™ isn't just a philosophy-it's a framework,' said Sokolova. 'We're bringing together those who want to build ventures that matter-companies that create financial returns and societal value. That's the real future of capital.' Watch the announcement video from our TrueWealth Circle event during the Milken Conference: Restructured for the Next Era of Innovation Cytta Corp now functions as the IP accretion and equity-holding platform behind all future SPV spinouts. By housing development and early-stage risk inside Cytta Labs, the parent company: 'This structure is designed for scale, speed, and stability,' said Gary Campbell, CEO of Cytta Corp. 'We've created a system that serves the national interest, drives meaningful innovation, and delivers real returns to our shareholders.' About Cytta Corp Cytta Corp. (OTCQB:CYCA) is a publicly traded innovation holding company focused on national safety, real-time communications, and IP monetization. Its core technologies power next-generation platforms in emergency response, defense, and secure media infrastructure. Through its venture studio, Cytta Labs, the Company drives scalable growth via licensing, spinouts, and equity ownership. About Cytta Labs Cytta Labs is a purpose-built venture studio developing and scaling technologies across safety, AI, aerospace, and media. Each spinout is structured through a dedicated SPV, enabling independent funding, rapid execution, and premium exits. About Verisage Partners Verisage Partners is a strategic advisory and investor readiness platform, guiding companies from market readiness to public positioning. It operates the TrueWealth™ Circle, a private community of founders and capital partners aligned around building purposeful, high-growth ventures. For Cytta Corp.: Cytta Corp Speak to a Representative: 1-415-301-6644 Website: Email: [email protected] SOURCE: Cytta Corp. press release
