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Canadian Tech in 100 Words

Google Rolls Out AI Mode in Canada Search

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Google has begun rolling out AI Mode in Search for Canadian users, introducing its most advanced AI-powered experience to date. Accessible through a new tab on Search results and the Google app, AI Mode supports text, voice, and image queries. Using the Gemini 2.5 model, it enables nuanced, multi-part questions such as comparing products or planning trips.

Early users submit queries two to three times longer than traditional searches. Google says AI Mode diversifies web content discovery while maintaining links to publishers. The tool prioritizes factuality and will default to standard results when confidence in AI responses is low.

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

Calgary Startup Wins $4M Defence Contract

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Calgary startup North Vector Dynamics has secured a $4 million contract from Canada’s Department of National Defence to advance hypersonic aeropropulsion technologies and explore small satellite launcher concepts. Research will be conducted in Quebec, co-founders Craig Johansen and Paul Ziadé confirmed.

NVD, which emerged from stealth in May, develops defence solutions against aerial threats, including the SPEAR missile, SPIKE, and SHIELD systems. The firm’s scalable, AI-powered technologies target hostile drones and high-speed weapons. Backed by Canadian venture fund ONE9, NVD emphasizes the importance of strengthening domestic defence capabilities while contributing to allied security partnerships worldwide.

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

General Fusion Raises $22M for LM26 Demonstration

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Burnaby’s General Fusion has raised US$22 million to advance its LM26 fusion demonstration program, supporting efforts to produce zero-carbon energy. Investors include Segra Capital, PenderFund, Chrysalix, MILFAM, JIMCO, Gaingels, Thistledown Capital, Presight Capital, and Hatch. The Lawson Machine 26, unveiled in 2023, builds on two decades of research.

Earlier this year, the company successfully formed a magnetized plasma inside the LM26, with plans to compress it using a lithium liner to generate fusion. The funding round also strengthens the board with Segra’s Adam Rodman and PenderFund’s Kelly Edmison. Total LM26 investment now exceeds US$100 million.

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

Summit Nanotech to Build Lithium Demo Plant in Chile

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Calgary’s Summit Nanotech is constructing a demonstration plant at its Santiago, Chile site to accelerate lithium project development. Expected to process customer brines beginning January 2026, the plant will accept up to 30m³ deliveries and generate commercial design packages within two to three months.

These include recovery projections, water and energy use, equipment lists, and fixed-price, performance-guaranteed proposals for full-scale denaLi direct lithium extraction facilities. Summit says the model cuts demo timelines by 75% and costs by 90%, de-risking investment decisions. The project follows a $36.5 million financing round and recent executive hires to support commercialization.

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

Deep Sky Launches Canada’s Landmark Carbon Removal Project

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Deep Sky Alpha, located in Innisfail, Alberta, has officially begun operations, marking North America’s first sequestration of CO₂ captured directly from the atmosphere. Developed by Deep Sky, Canada’s leading carbon removal project developer, the five-acre facility achieved operational status in only 12 months.

Powered entirely by solar, Alpha integrates multiple direct air capture technologies to remove 3,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, storing emissions permanently in saline aquifers. The project created over 110 construction jobs and will employ 15 full-time operators. Alberta officials hailed the milestone as proof of the province’s capacity to attract world-class climate innovation.

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

Ranovus Invests $100M to Expand Ottawa Operations

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Ranovus will invest more than $100 million to expand its Ottawa manufacturing facility, creating 125 new jobs and strengthening Ontario’s semiconductor sector. The company develops miniaturized optical interconnects, semiconductors that use light to accelerate data transfer, reduce latency, and cut power use in AI-focused data centres.

This expansion will bring previously outsourced manufacturing back to Ontario while enhancing domestic production of critical hardware. Supported by a grant of up to $2 million from the Invest Ontario Fund, the project doubles Ranovus’ workforce and reinforces Canada’s role in advancing AI and quantum-era technologies.

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

BDC Unveils $200M Fund for Industrial Innovation

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The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has launched its second Industrial Innovation Venture Fund, capitalized at $200 million, to invest in early-stage Canadian companies modernizing legacy industries.

Building on the first $250 million fund established in 2019, which supported more than 20 firms such as Acerta Analytics and MineSense Technologies, the new fund expands its mandate to include critical minerals. These resources, essential for semiconductors, batteries, and other strategic technologies, are increasingly seen as vital to Canada’s sovereignty and economic ambitions amid China’s sector dominance. The initiative reaffirms BDC’s role as Canada’s largest venture capital investor.

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

Greenlines Turns Commuter Choices Into Climate Action

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Vancouver-based Greenlines Technology has reached a milestone in sustainable transportation with its patented Mobility Carbon Engine (MCE™), enabling mobility apps to generate carbon credits from verified low-emission trips. Partnering with Moovit, a commuter platform with 1.5 billion users globally, Greenlines recorded its first credits through the CSA CleanProjects Registry® during a 2024 pilot.

Each qualifying trip averaged 1.23 kg of CO₂e saved. By tracking and auditing reductions, cities and companies can measure commuter impacts, offset emissions, and enhance sustainability. If 10% of U.S. commuters adopted MCE-powered apps, emissions could fall 24 million tons annually.

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

Canada’s Fintech Market Resets, Not Retreats

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Canada’s fintech sector cooled in early 2025 but stayed resilient. KPMG reports US$1.62B across 60 deals—well below last year’s record $7.5B, yet strong given global trade tensions. Two mega buyouts dominated: H.I.G. Capital’s US$916.5M purchase of Converge Technology Solutions and Fiserv’s US$201.5M acquisition of Payfare.

Experts stress this is not decline, but a reset: investors want profitability, not hype. Dubie Cunningham of KPMG says there’s “dry powder” waiting, with dealmakers now selective. Canada punched above its weight globally, capturing 2.7% of deals and 3.7% of value, reinforcing its meaningful role in fintech’s shifting landscape.

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

AI at Core of Damon’s New Mobility Vision

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Vancouver-based Damon Motors, once celebrated for its electric HyperSport motorcycle, has shifted its focus following a troubled Nasdaq debut that saw shares plummet 90% amid production delays. First announced in 2019, the HyperSport promised a 200-mile range, 200-mph top speed, and AI-driven safety systems.

Now, the company is expanding into intelligent data solutions, unveiling the Damon I/O platform. Designed in-house, the system adapts dynamically to rider behaviour and conditions, providing track riders with lap-by-lap analysis. Chief executive Dominique Kwong says the initiative blends hardware and software to support both Damon riders and the broader mobility sector.

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