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Canadian Tech in 100 Words

Merchkit Secures $2M to Expand AI-Powered Merchandising Tech

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Merchkit, a Canadian AI-powered merchandising platform, has secured $2 million in pre-seed funding to enhance automation for retailers, marketplaces, and brands. The round, led by San Francisco’s Afore Capital, included Antler Canada and angel investors.

Founded in 2022, Merchkit’s AI scans the web to extract product data and automates catalog standardization, boosting efficiency by up to 90%. The platform integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud. CEO Bijan Vaez, a serial entrepreneur, said the funding will support product development and hiring, with engineering roles now open.

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

NHL Debuts Apple Watch for Referees at Stadium Series

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The NHL will debut a new Apple Watch-based officiating tool at the 2025 Stadium Series this weekend, enhancing game management and safety. Developed with Presidio, the NHL Watch Comms App provides haptic notifications for key moments, such as penalty expirations and period countdowns, ensuring officials stay aware without disrupting play.

The system, which has been field-tested since last season, aims to reduce on-ice collisions and improve decision-making efficiency. With 92.5% of NHL officials voluntarily adopting the tech, the league sees this innovation as a major step forward in officiating accuracy.

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

AI-Powered Mining? VRIFY’s DORA Platform Gets $12.5M Boost

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Vancouver-based VRIFY has raised $12.5 million in Series B funding to accelerate the growth of DORA, its AI-assisted mineral discovery platform. The round, led by New York’s LGVP, with backing from RCF Innovation and Beedie Capital, brings total funding to over $30 million.

DORA, set to debut at PDAC 2025 in Toronto, uses deep-learning models to improve mineral exploration efficiency. Since beta testing, 26 companies have partnered with VRIFY, including Southern Cross Gold, where DORA helped identify a high-grade gold deposit. The funding will expand DORA’s AI capabilities and market reach.

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

Microsoft to Retire Skype on May 5 After 23 Years

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Microsoft will retire Skype on May 5, ending the 23-year-old platform’s run in favor of Teams. The move follows Skype’s declining user base, from a peak of 300 million users to just 36 million daily users in 2023. Microsoft will allow chat and contact migration to Teams or data exports until year-end, after which accounts will be deleted.

Skype’s telephony services will be discontinued, though Microsoft will support remaining credit use indefinitely. Teams Free, Microsoft’s alternative, offers new integrations but lacks Skype’s phone-call functionality. This marks the end of an era in digital communication.

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

Shopify’s SEC Filings Suggest Possible U.S. Move

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Shopify’s latest SEC filings suggest Canada’s largest tech firm may be moving toward U.S. domiciliation, TD Securities analyst Peter Haynes warns. Shopify listed its New York office alongside Ottawa headquarters in a 10-K filing, a form used by U.S. domestic issuers.

The company also added a U.S. Employer Identification Number and reclassified assets, shifting its balance from 86% Canadian to 78% U.S.-based. The move positions Shopify for inclusion in the Russell 1000 Index, potentially boosting U.S. share demand. The company remains silent on redomiciling but has faced recent DEI rollbacks and controversy over content policies.

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

Report Warns Canada Needs More Tech and Talent Investment

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A new BDO Canada report warns that Canada is falling behind the U.S. in productivity, despite its skilled workforce and strong institutions. The study finds that it takes a Canadian worker 1.4 times more effort to generate the same economic value as an American counterpart.

Limited tech investment—only 25% of GDP versus 37% in the U.S.—and a tech talent shortage are key barriers. The report urges businesses to adopt AI and cloud computing while upskilling workers to close the gap. Without bold action, experts warn Canada risks losing talent and global competitiveness.

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

Crypto Voters Could Shape Canada’s Next Election

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A new report from Shakepay reveals that over 90% of crypto asset holders voted in Canada’s last federal election, making them a highly engaged voting bloc. With five million crypto holders nationwide, the sector’s $3-trillion global footprint is influencing political preferences.

The report finds that 90% of crypto voters support parties that advance bitcoin-friendly policies, including allowing bitcoin in TFSAs and RRSPs. Describing crypto holders as young, tech-savvy, and financially literate, Shakepay warns that Canada’s cautious stance on bitcoin could leave it behind other jurisdictions embracing digital assets as strategic reserve assets.

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

AWS Unveils First Quantum Computing Chip, Ocelot

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) has unveiled Ocelot, its first quantum computing chip, designed to significantly improve quantum error correction. Developed at the AWS Center for Quantum Computing at Caltech, Ocelot reduces error correction costs by up to 90% using innovative cat qubits, named after Schrödinger’s cat.

The chip integrates superconducting materials and high-quality oscillators to enhance stability. AWS scientists believe Ocelot marks a crucial step toward scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing, pushing the field beyond laboratory experiments. While still a prototype, AWS plans further engineering refinements to drive quantum computing into practical applications.

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

Canada’s Carbon Removal Industry Gets $3M Boost from CICE

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The B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) has launched a $3 million funding initiative to support early-stage carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies in Canada. Announced at Carbon Removal Canada’s Carbon Removal Day 2025 in Ottawa, the initiative prioritizes hard-tech solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost economic growth.

CICE, which has invested $39 million in 59 projects, aims to strengthen Canada’s role in the global carbon removal industry. Applications close on April 30, 2025, with a Q&A webinar on March 11 for interested innovators.

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

Nexera Robotics Secures $4.5M to Advance AI-Powered Automation

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Vancouver-based Nexera Robotics has secured $4.5 million in funding to advance NeuraGrasp, its AI-powered robotic grasping technology. The round, backed by BDC Capital’s Industrial Innovation Venture Fund, supports Nexera’s mission to revolutionize automation in dynamic environments.

CEO Roy Belak emphasized the demand for flexible automation solutions, while BDC Capital’s Aditya Aggarwal called Nexera’s innovation a major leap in pick-and-place robotics. The funding will accelerate R&D efforts, expand partnerships with system integrators, and position Nexera as a global leader in robotic handling solutions.

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