March 17, 2025 — Today marks a pivotal moment for the gaming industry as Discord unveils its groundbreaking Social SDK, a free toolkit designed to seamlessly integrate its robust social features into video games. Announced at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2025, this innovative software development kit promises to redefine how players connect, communicate, and…
In the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence, Google has once again raised the bar with its latest update to the Gemini app. Announced on March 13, 2025, this update introduces groundbreaking personalization features that promise to make Gemini not just a tool, but a tailored extension of its users. With the ability to connect to…
California-based Quilt, co-founded by Canadian CEO Paul Lambert, is coming full circle by launching its heat pumps in Canada. The startup says there is “enthusiastic demand” for heat pumps from Canadian homeowners and contractors. Quilt’s pumps are now available in Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, and British Columbia, marking its first international expansion. While…
While the climate around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has seen a sharp reversal this year, community leaders say they envision a more sustainable, robust model to support Black Canadian founders. The chilling effect on DEI initiatives spilled over into Canada following the re-election of United States President Donald Trump, as multinational corporations rolled back…
Plooto co-founder Serguei Kloubkov has launched a lawsuit against the Toronto payments scaleup and its board, including CEO John McLane, for allegedly breaching a shareholder agreement. The lawsuit alleges that a unanimous shareholder agreement (USA) struck as part of Plooto’s 2022 Series B round should have allowed Kloubkov to re-integrate his fellow co-founder, Hamed Abbasi,…
As the Canadian government has earmarked nearly $1 billion toward building a sovereign cloud, a CEO and an academic both think that the opportunity goes beyond giving Canada control over its digital future. “[Canada has] the research know-how. Now’s the question of starting the economic and commercial engine.” Though the feds are still working on…
The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is preparing to roll out more new direct investment vehicles as it continues to reshape its leadership team. A BDC spokesperson has confirmed to BetaKit that BDC’s investment arm, BDC Capital, is hiring a managing partner to lead a new Life Sciences Fund, six years after spinning out…
Drawn west by the Rockies, Dion Kelly stayed in Calgary for its thriving tech scene, part of a wave of founders transforming the city into North America’s fastest-growing innovation hub. After completing a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Calgary, Kelly co-founded Possibility Neurotechnologies, which uses a non-invasive, brain-computer interface to help children with…
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Scotland took its next step toward reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, releasing a sweeping draft climate action plan that outlines how the country intends to reduce emissions across transportation, energy, agriculture, and land use over the next two decades. While supporters see the plan as a reaffirmation…
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most of us know the feeling of standing in front of a painting that makes us pause. Maybe it’s a burst of color that lifts our mood or a quiet scene that steadies the mind. Either way, a new study from King’s College London suggests that these moments are…
