American semiconductor giant Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) announced today that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Toronto-based Taalas, which aims to hardwire AI models directly onto the chips that power them. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction remains subject to closing conditions and regulatory approval. “Joining AMD will…
Canadian conference SAAS NORTH AI is partnering with Dominion Dynamics and AI company Anvil to launch a new summit for founders and investors interested in defence and dual-use technologies. The news: Taking place on Nov. 5 in Ottawa, DEPLOY is a single-day summit targeting founders and investors interested in entering, or expanding into, the Canadian…
The day after Kerri Parnell gave herself her first tattoo, her grandmother died. Parnell, a lifelong artist based in Winnipeg, had recently learned that some of the earliest known tattoos were created using wood ash. In the days following her grandmother’s death, that connection gave her an idea. “In my grief, I used her ashes…
The federal government is investing more than $20 million over two years to develop Canada’s first secure, quantum-focused defence innovation hub in Calgary. The news: Speaking at the University of Calgary (U of C) today, Canada’s national defence minister, David McGuinty, said the investment would support a U of C-led consortium to establish a quantum…
Canadian online auto retailer CarDoor has launched a new platform that it says allows free-market competition to price its sales offers. The news: Dubbed MarketCheck, CarDoor’s latest offering acts as an online portal, circulating a seller’s vehicle to a series of verified auto dealers who then compete to buy it. The new system is a…
Canadian impact venture fund Cross-Border Impact Ventures (CBIV) has secured $58 million USD ($81 million CAD) so far for its second fund, which will invest in companies that improve health outcomes for women and children. The Toronto-based firm announced on Thursday that it closed the first tranche of funding for its Women’s and Children’s Health…
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Picture yourself running late to a dreaded appointment. Your shoulders climb toward your ears, your jaw tightens, and every red light feels like a targeted attack. Now picture driving that same route because you’re about to share wonderful news with close friends and family. It’s the same road with…
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The U.S. Indian boarding school system spent decades trying to remove Native American languages from Native children. Kids were separated from their families and punished, sometimes violently, for speaking their mother tongues. Many never passed those languages on. Generations later, some languages have only a few dozen fluent speakers…
Last week, an automated bakery in Montréal was vandalized for the second time in recent months. The news: The words “action anti tech” were spray-painted on the business, which is run on a self-serve system and also uses AI in its advertising. On the store’s social media post about the incident, many commenters spoke to…
Embattled meal-delivery company Goodfood is seeking creditor protection amid mounting debt, liquidity concerns, and the resignation of its CEO. The news: The Montreal-based company announced on Wednesday it would seek creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, a law that allows insolvent companies that owe more than $5 million to restructure their debts and…
