Author: Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Maplestime is Canada's digital newsroom — covering the stories, people, and issues that shape Canadian life every day. From breaking national news and immigration updates to entertainment, wellness, business, and local events, Maplestime delivers accurate, timely, and community-first journalism to Canadians across the country. Based in Canada and committed to Canadian voices, Maplestime is built for the reader who wants to stay informed without the noise.
As Canadian news publishers allege that OpenAI violated Canadian copyright law in training ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence (AI) company is arguing that the case should be heard in the United States (US). A group of Canadian news outlets filed a suit against OpenAI last November in Ontario court, claiming that the AI giant used news content without authorization to train the GPT large language models (LLMs) powering its popular chatbot. The publishers include the Toronto Star’s parent company Torstar, Postmedia, The Globe and Mail, CBC/Radio-Canada, and The Canadian Press. “OpenAI using other companies’ journalism for their own commercial gain is…
Montréal-based gaming tech startup LocusX has raised $3 million to fund its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered debugging software for game developers. LocusX is the brainchild of two gaming enthusiasts and the two Montréal venture firms that co-led the round: venture builder Diagram Ventures and entertainment tech-focused Triptyq Capital. The funding closed at the end of July. CEO Francois Pelland told BetaKit in an interview that LocusX’s “issue resolution engine” can identify and propose fixes for programming bugs. “The night before the ship, I’ve seen game developers more anxious about leaving bugs than the quality of the game.” With the engine, LocusX…
Ten months ago, Mishel Wong thought her sustainable packaging startup was going to fold. Fundraising efforts for Bo (sometimes referred to as Bopaq) appeared to be stagnating as Investissement Québec paused the Impulsion PME (IPME) program meant to back young startups. “I didn’t know that stress could feel so physical,” Wong told BetaKit at the time. “This is such a validation of our business model as something not only viable, but [one that others] see a future in replicating.” This week, that stress turned to elation as Wong told BetaKit that Bo has been acquired by Québec’s largest recycling…
Aerospace startup NordSpace has been granted a new window to attempt Canada’s first commercial rocket launch following a thwarted effort at the end of August. The new launch window is set to open Sept. 20 and last until Sept. 27, NordSpace CEO Rahul Goel told BetaKit. The company will have two time blocks per day: one from 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT), and another from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. ADT. Twelve members of the NordSpace team, which is based in Markham, Ont., will fly out to the Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) launch site near St.…
Aancouver-based startup has taken the first step towards its goal of making electric home heating ubiquitous. Jetson launched its smart heat pump, Jetson Air, this week. Jetson Air integrates with a home’s existing ductwork, and the company claims it can operate quietly and reliably in temperatures as low as -30° C. The software-enabled unit also features remote monitoring, real-time performance alerts, over-the-air updates, and indoor air quality sensing. Jetson was founded by Stephen Lake, Matthew Bailey, Aaron Grant, and other leaders behind the smart glasses startup North. North, which was formerly Thalmic Labs, was acquired by Google in 2020. Its…
Toronto-based artificial intelligence (AI) scaleup Cohere has officially opened an office in Paris, France that will serve as the company’s “central hub” for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). In a blog post, the large language model (LLM) developer said its presence in EMEA is growing. It called the region “a key market” for the business and “a cornerstone” of its global strategy. Cohere plans to double its headcount in Paris over the next year. Paris is the home of European AI champion and Cohere competitor Mistral AI. France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, has sought to create a European AI…
BetaKit, TechTO, and Sage have teamed up to host one of the many decentralized tech events taking place in Montréal between Oct. 18 and 24. As part of Open House Montréal (OHMTL), the three organizations will bring together two of the city’s iconic entrepreneurs: Shopify president Harley Finkelstein and DavidsTea founder David Segal. “If you have an established startup, then you fit into some of the moulds, but there are so many people who don’t fit into some of the moulds that are still figuring it out.” Simran Kanda, Elantech The duo will share the lessons, challenges, and pivotal moments…
Sherbrooke, Que.-based medtech startup Tatum Bioscience has demonstrated promising results for its immunotherapy that it claims can scale more reliably than other cancer vaccines. “Replicating these results in patients is our goal as we move toward clinical development.” Kevin Neil, Tatum Bioscience In a paper published in the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer this week, results in cancer-afflicted mice showed that Tatum’s immunotherapy, delivered through a vaccine-like agent, “uncloaked” cancer cells that were previously hidden from the immune system. This allowed the body to mount a defensive response that targeted and eliminated tumours. “The immune system can be compared to…
Finding product-market fit isn’t a milestone — it’s a messy, make-or-break journey. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 — taking place October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco — Rajat Bhageria (Chef Robotics), Ann Bordetsky (NEA), and Murali Joshi (ICONIQ) break down how to navigate this critical phase. Register now. No more guessing — just growth Rajat Bhageria: Founder and CEO of Chef Robotics, scaling AI-powered automation that’s transforming food production. Ann Bordetsky: Partner at NEA, previously at Uber and Twitter, spotting scrappy ingenuity that drives breakout success. Murali Joshi: Partner at ICONIQ, Forbes Midas Brink List honoree, with over $2.5…
Struggling electric vehicle (EV) technology firm Exro Technologies is shutting down its business in the United States (US) as it anticipates a delisting review on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). The decision was made after Exro’s directors consulted with advisors and stakeholders, the Calgary-based company said in a statement. As a result, Exro’s US business, operated through various subsidiaries, is laying off non-essential staff. Exro has not responded to any of BetaKit’s requests for comment in recent weeks. Exro’s stock price has been sitting at two cents per share, and hasn’t traded much higher than ten cents per share in…