Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - PrairiesCan
Over the past year, Canadian businesses have navigated a rapidly changing, and increasingly fragmented world.
In response, Canada's new government is focused on what we can control-building a stronger, more independent, more resilient economy. We are moving with speed and ambition to diversify our trade partners abroad and build our strength at home while delivering responsible fiscal management. Saskatchewan's growing innovation ecosystem and artificial intelligence sector have the potential to drive productivity, unlock new markets, and create jobs. Harnessing this potential is essential to building a more resilient, competitive economy for the province and the country.
Today, Taleeb Noormohamed, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, on behalf of Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), announced over $3.7 million in funding to support Co.Labs as they grow Saskatchewan's technology and agtech scale-up ecosystems, and over $4.1 million in funding to support organizations developing and using artificial intelligence (AI) in the province. This represents a combined federal investment of over $7.9 million.
Co.Labs will strengthen collaboration with ecosystem partners, expand its Expert and X-in-Residence programs, enhance agtech programming, and deliver three Uniting the Prairies (UP) conferences, starting this week in Saskatoon. Through new and expanded partnerships - including with Regina-based Cultivator - these initiatives will connect startups to venture capital and angel investors, accelerate commercialization, attract private capital, and create more pathways for Saskatchewan founders to grow and scale their businesses.
The Government of Canada also announced its support for five other businesses and organizations working to develop and use AI to help transform Saskatchewan's tech ecosystem, including Coconut Software Corporation, Vendasta Technologies Inc., HomeTeam Live Technologies Inc., the University of Regina and Artificial Intelligence Saskatchewan Corp. (AiSK). Details are available in the Backgrounder.
