Google has announced the 14 startups joining its 2024 Canadian accelerator program, with artificial intelligence (AI) taking the spotlight in this year’s lineup. Now in its fifth year, the Google for Startups Accelerator program in Canada continues to foster innovation by providing a unique blend of remote and in-person learning experiences over a span of 10 weeks.
During this intensive program, the selected startups will receive mentorship and guidance from industry experts, covering a wide range of topics including product design, customer acquisition, and leadership development. This support aims to equip founders with the tools and insights they need to scale their businesses effectively.
A Diverse Representation Across Canada
The 2024 cohort features startups from four Canadian provinces: Ontario, Québec, British Columbia, and Alberta. Notably, half of the participating companies are based in Ontario, reflecting the province’s growing prominence as a tech hub. This year’s cohort spans several sectors, including digital health, legaltech, developer tools, and FinTech, with a strong emphasis on AI. In fact, 10 out of the 14 startups are leveraging AI or machine learning as a core component of their offerings.
Spotlight on AI Innovators
Among the AI-driven startups in this year’s program is Toronto-based Aya Care. Specializing in payment solutions and program administration for employee benefits packages, Aya Care launched out of stealth in 2020 with $3.7 million CAD in seed funding after being founded in 2018. The company aims to streamline the management of employee benefits, simplifying processes for employers and employees alike.
From Montréal, Deeplite is making waves with its software engine designed to optimize AI models by refining their design constraints. This innovation enables users to enhance deep neural networks, making them faster, lighter, and more energy-efficient. Deeplite’s technology has caught the attention of investors, securing $7.5 million in seed funding in 2021.
Another standout participant is PulseMedica from Edmonton, which is developing a non-invasive platform for diagnosing and treating vitreoretinal diseases such as eye floaters, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. The startup gained significant traction after participating in Startup TNT’s Investment Summit IV and closed $12 million CAD in funding in May 2024.
Empowering Developers and Innovators
Vancouver-based Defang is also part of this year’s cohort, offering a platform that enables programmers to develop, deploy, and debug cloud applications rapidly. Defang claims its solution can help developers deploy cloud applications in under five minutes, significantly reducing development time and boosting productivity.
A Bright Future for Canadian Startups
The 2024 Google for Startups Accelerator cohort showcases the innovative spirit and diverse capabilities of Canadian startups. By providing these companies with resources, mentorship, and a platform for growth, Google continues to support the burgeoning tech ecosystem in Canada. With AI and machine learning at the core of many of these startups, the future looks promising for these trailblazers as they push the boundaries of what’s possible in technology and business.
Stay tuned for updates on the progress of these startups as they navigate the accelerator journey, leveraging Google’s resources to drive their ventures to new heights.
Startups Joining Google for Startups Accelerator
Aya Care – Chanddeep Madaan
BioTwin – LP (Louis-Philippe) Noel
Deeplite – Nick Romano
Defang Software Labs – Prakash Sundaresan
envision.ai – Thomas Jelonek, René Saint-Pierre
EZee Assist – Raphael Rohit Rajan, Shray Mehra, Gabriel Cadamuro
Handy.ai – Iryna Andriushchenko, Volodymyr Demianenko
OkRx. – John Leombruno
OPTT Health – Mohsen Omrani, Ali Omrani, Nazanin Alavi
PulseMedica – Nir Katchinskiy
runQL – Rob Darling, Kris Braun, Emily Chalmers
GMDH Streamline – Alex Koshulko, Ph. D., Irene Koshulko
Transitional Forms – Zina Rahman, Pietro Gagliano, John Cumming
Vaultie – Meyer Mechanic