BetaKit - Canadian Startup News & Tech Innovation

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Funding

Koho becomes Canada’s latest unicorn following $130-million Series E round

Josh Scott Jun 11

FinTech firm passes 2.5 million users as it navigates “final stages” of acquiring banking licence.

Nesto CEO Malik Yacoubi sits on stage with two other unidentified man.

Funding

Nesto secures nearly $1.5-billion valuation in new Series E round

Alex Riehl Jun 10

Montréal-based digital mortgage lender wants to speed up approvals using AI.

Intriciate technology connected to the Trillium Supercomputer

Inside the GTA facility housing one of Canada’s most powerful supercomputers

Josh Scott Jun 8

Trillium helps Canadian researchers with massive jobs like simulating oceans and modelling stars.

Evan Solomon speaking into a microphone.

Canada’s AI strategy contains $2.3 billion in spending but few details on new privacy regulations

Alex Riehl Jun 4

Delayed strategy promises plan to encourage Canadians to reinvest tech investment gains in AI startups.

BDC extends Isabelle Hudon’s mandate as CEO through 2030

Alex Riehl Jun 1

Crown corporation’s board chair says Hudon will help shape its next five-year strategy.

Defence Tech

Q&A: Erin O’Toole says Canada needs to play catch-up on defence innovation

Douglas Soltys May 28

Erin O’Toole wants Canadian innovators to seize the moment before it’s gone.

Latest

Acquisitions

Coinsquare moves to terminate CoinSmart acquisition deal

Josh Scott Jan 10, 2023

CoinSmart CEO says notice took company “by surprise.”

Funding

Nanoprecise closes $13.4 million CAD Series B round for its manufacturing monitoring software

Charlize Alcaraz Jan 10, 2023

Edmonton startup combines wireless sensors with AI to detect small changes in machine performance.

SaaS

BC holds consultations on employment standards for gig workers as Uber, Lyft offer own visions

Charles Mandel Jan 10, 2023

…

FinTech

F|T: The FinTech Times – TikTok plots push into payments

Michael Edgar Jan 10, 2023

Plus: Vancouver NFT startup acquired by Tokens.com

Acquisitions

Descartes Systems Group acquires shipment management SaaS provider Supply Vision for $16 million CAD

Charlize Alcaraz Jan 9, 2023

With the purchase, Descartes wants to increase its shipment management capabilities.

Funding

Radical Ventures raising new $550 million USD fund as AI sector heats up

Josh Scott Jan 9, 2023

Radical managing partner believes “AI will eat all software over the next decade.”

Acquisitions

Nuvei enters $1.7 billion CAD deal to acquire US payments tech firm Paya

Charlize Alcaraz Jan 9, 2023

Paya’s share price climbed by 24 percent following the news of its potential acquisition.

BDC Capital report finds Canadian VCs are hiring more diverse candidates but facing difficulties with talent retention

Josh Scott Jan 9, 2023

DEI survey also indicates VC firms, portfolio companies lack diversity at decision-making level.

Canadian startup news of the week (1/8/23)

Michael Edgar Jan 9, 2023

Plus: BetaKit is hiring.

Thinkific team group photo on a mountain

Tech companies still looking for remote workers across Canada

Michael Edgar Jan 8, 2023

Info-Tech, Thinkific, Autodesk are all currently hiring.

AI regulation is coming. What’s Canada’s approach?

Douglas Soltys Jan 7, 2023

Unpacking the legislative turducken that is Bill C-27.

Funding

NorthStar raises $47 million CAD Series C round for expected satellite launch in mid-2023

Charlize Alcaraz Jan 6, 2023

The Montréal startup provides monitoring solutions for all near-Earth orbits from space.

SaaS

ApplyBoard announces leadership switch-up, with founding CEO replaced by brother

Meagan Simpson Jan 6, 2023

ApplyBoard quietly replaced CEO with its CMO last summer.

Events

Ontario-wide collaboration on Canadian-made electric vehicle unveiled at CES

Charlize Alcaraz Jan 6, 2023

Project Arrow started as a design competition, won by Carleton University.

Acquisitions

Bird Canada takes international counterpart Bird Global under its wing in merger

Charlize Alcaraz Jan 6, 2023

A Canadian management team will be established at Bird Global.

From Partners

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BetaKit Podcast

Jim Balsillie speaking at BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall

Physical AI and economic nationalism at BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall

by Douglas Soltys June 8, 2026

Waabi’s Raquel Urtasun and CCI’s Jim Balsillie came to Toronto Tech Week armed with data and predictions.

Listen Now

Evan Solomon at BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall

Events

AI sovereignty & defence tech at BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall

by Douglas Soltys June 1, 2026

Evan Solomon, leaders from Xanadu, Dominion Dynamics, Sentinel R&D got candid at Town Hall.

Listen Now

Events

How Toronto Tech Week became Canada’s largest grassroots tech event

by Douglas Soltys May 22, 2026

Co-directors Julia Konefal and Mell Truong explain how TTW went from experiment to 600 events in just two years.

Listen Now

British Columbia

Harjit Sajjan reports for duty

by Douglas Soltys May 15, 2026

After decades in public service, former defence minister Harjit Sajjan is now a defence-tech entrepreneur.

Listen Now

Defence Tech

Evaluating Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy

by Douglas Soltys April 27, 2026

The DIS adds clarity to Canada’s defence spending commitments, but not their outcomes.

Listen Now