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Canadian Tech in 100 Words

AI Engine Powers Faster Manulife Decisions

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Manulife is introducing a redesigned electronic life insurance application alongside an enhanced version of its AI underwriting engine, MAUDE, enabling automatic approvals in as little as two minutes for eligible applicants. The update uses adaptive questioning to reduce medical inquiries by up to 40 percent while improving consistency through standardized inputs.

Chief Underwriter Karen Cutler said 58 percent of eligible cases were auto-approved by December, up 56 percent from pre-launch. Applications requiring review are escalated to human underwriters. MAUDE evolved from Manulife’s 2018 AIDA system and operates under responsible AI principles, supporting faster, accurate decisions for advisors and clients.

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

HydroGraph Advances Scalable Graphene Production

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Vancouver-based HydroGraph Clean Power has begun construction on two additional Hyperion graphene reactors, expanding production of its FGA-1 ultra-pure fractal graphene. Each reactor, slated for February commissioning, is designed to produce 10 tons annually using the company’s proprietary explosion-synthesis process.

Chief executive Kjirstin Breure said the build strengthens scalable, repeatable capacity and supports adoption in large-scale manufacturing. The units are being assembled in Kansas before relocation to Texas, allowing controlled validation, testing, and optimization prior to permanent installation. Identical systems help confirm process consistency while boosting supply through 2026. Founded in 2017, HydroGraph touts graphene’s exceptional strength, conductivity, and impermeability.

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

Canada’s Tech Job Market Turns Brutal

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Canada’s technology job market has tightened sharply following years of layoffs and a prolonged hiring slowdown. Ottawa-based project manager Rick Dolishny has submitted more than 500 applications over 16 months without securing an offer. Data from Indeed show Canadian tech postings fell in mid-2023 and remain 19 per cent below pre-pandemic levels.

Recruiters cite an imbalance between job seekers and vacancies, compounded by layoffs at firms like Amazon and Shopify. While demand for AI talent and senior roles remains stronger, junior and generalist candidates face steep competition, lengthy interview processes, and frequent rejection. Economists expect stability rather than a rapid rebound.

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

Waabi Lands Largest Canadian Tech Round

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Toronto-based autonomous vehicle startup Waabi raised US$750 million in all-equity Series C financing, the largest funding round in Canadian tech history. Founder and chief executive Raquel Urtasun said the primary capital accelerates Waabi’s physical AI platform, commercial self-driving trucks, and expansion into robotaxis through an exclusive partnership with Uber.

The round was co-led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, with participation from Nvidia, Porsche, Volvo, Radical Ventures, BDC Capital, Export Development Canada, BlackRock-managed funds, and others. The raise surpasses Canadian megadeals and brings Waabi’s funding to US$1.28 billion globally.

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

Calian Puts $100M Into Defence Tech

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Calian is putting real capital behind Canada’s defence-tech ambitions. Its $100 million Calian Ventures platform blends corporate investment, co-development with SMBs, and public funding to accelerate C5ISRT technologies across land, sea, air, space, and cyber.

Launched in late 2025, the program helps companies test, validate, and sell solutions to the Canadian Armed Forces without acting like a traditional accelerator. Defence lead Chris Pogue says sovereign capability needs private capital momentum. With 50 applicants already and plans for national development labs, Calian Ventures arrives as Ottawa and investors intensify focus on domestic defence innovation and procurement reform.

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

Prévoir Secures $750K for AI Merchandising

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Calgary-based fashion technology startup Prévoir raised $750,000 in pre-seed financing to expand its computer vision-driven merchandising platform. The round was led by AltaML, an Alberta-based applied AI firm. Prévoir analyzes product images to extract attributes such as colour, silhouette, and material, linking them to sales and inventory performance. Founder Courtney Kos said the software supports human judgment rather than replacing it.

Offered as a $250-per-month Shopify app, Prévoir targets small and mid-sized retailers. The funding will scale infrastructure, product features, and customer support, positioning the company for a potential seed round in 2026.

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

Canada Ranks Sixth for Startup Environment

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StartupBlink ranked Canada sixth globally for business conditions for technology startups in its newly released Innovators Business Environment Index. The study assessed 125 countries on how easily companies can launch, operate, and scale. Canada trailed only the United States, Singapore, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates.

StartupBlink cited strong institutions, digital infrastructure, global mobility, and regulatory conditions. Canada ranked third for rewards and penalties and fourth for ease of operations, while identifying entrepreneur tax burden as an area for improvement. Canada also placed fifth in StartupBlink’s latest ecosystem rankings.

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

Ottawa Startup Pluvo Joins a16z Program

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Ottawa-founded Pluvo has been selected for Andreessen Horowitz’s a16z speedrun program, a highly competitive 12-week accelerator for category-defining companies. Chosen from more than 19,000 applicants worldwide, Pluvo ranked in the top 0.4 percent and among a small cohort of Canadian startups accepted.

The company develops decision intelligence software designed to capture contextual reasoning behind organizational choices, moving beyond traditional systems of record. Founded in Ottawa, Pluvo is now co-headquartered in San Francisco to support a U.S.-led go-to-market strategy while retaining its Canadian talent base. The selection underscores growing investor interest in next-generation AI-powered enterprise software.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

BDC Makes First Defence Investments

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Business Development Bank of Canada made its first defence-linked investments, co-leading a $6.2-million seed round in Toronto-based Canada Rocket Company and joining a pre-seed round for Sherbrooke, Que.-based semiconductor startup Irréversible. The Crown corporation also partnered with Creative Destruction Lab on a program for dual-use technologies spanning defence, national security, and critical infrastructure.

In December, BDC unveiled a $4-billion platform, including $3.5 billion for financing and $500 million for investments. Executive vice-president Geneviève Bouthillier said the deals used BDC’s $100-million seed fund. The strategy supports sovereignty-focused national projects across Canada.

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

Vention Raises $110M for Automation Push

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Vention has raised US$110 million to scale its AI-powered automation and robotics platform, with backing from Investissement Québec, Desjardins Capital, Fidelity-managed funds in Canada, and NVentures. The financing accelerates Zero-Shot Automation, Vention’s approach promising deployment without integration and first-time-right operation, while funding expansion across Europe.

CEO Etienne Lacroix said manufacturers want intuitive, software-like automation as reshoring accelerates. Vention blends hardware, software, Physical AI, and cloud tools to cut timelines from months to days. Enterprise customers are standardizing on the platform across plants worldwide, at unprecedented global scale.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.