Author: Maplestime Staff

The biggest fusion startups by funding: Commonwealth Fusion’s $3B, Pacific Fusion’s $900M round, Helion’s Microsoft deal, and Canada’s own General Fusion.

Queer tech founders are eyeing Canada as the US abandons DEI. Mary Richardson says investors “laugh in my face” — and Vancouver may be the answer.

Martin Kon, president of Toronto-based Cohere, is stepping down to assume a new advisory role, the company said. Kon, who was also Cohere’s chief operating officer, will retain his spot on the enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) company’s board of directors. “Martin continues to be a key member of the Cohere team,” the company said in a statement to BetaKit. Cohere did not say whether a replacement had been appointed for Kon. In a LinkedIn post , Kon said he was making the move to spend more time with his family, noting that “working almost non-stop” throughout his career had affected personal…

Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.-based artificial intelligence (AI) software startup Astrus says it has closed $8 million USD ($11 million CAD) in seed funding to help semiconductor companies automate the design of analog circuits for advanced microchips. “Every breakthrough in human progress, from curing diseases to exploring space, depends on faster, more efficient computation.” Brad Moon, Astrus Astrus co-founder and CEO Brad Moon claimed to BetaKit in an email that physical layout is “the hardest, most time-consuming, and most costly part of chip design, especially for custom analog and mixed-signal circuits.” With its AI-powered software, Astrus hopes to automate this process.…

Frontier, a major buyer of carbon removal services patronized by tech giants including Shopify, Google, and Meta, has signed a $31.3-million USD ($43.3 million CAD) deal with Dartmouth, N.S.-based Planetary Technologies to help remove atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through the ocean. The deal sees Frontier buying carbon removal credits that it claims will eliminate 115,211 metric tonnes of atmospheric CO2 between 2026 and 2030. Planetary’s approach helps the ocean absorb CO2 by adding alkaline minerals like calcium oxide and magnesium oxide to coastal water, breaking down dissolved CO2 and storing it for an estimated 10,000-plus years. “This…

Montréal-based online fashion retailer Ssense said it would file for protection from creditors to “safeguard” the company from a potential sale by its lenders. “We are deeply disappointed in this decision, which we believe does not serve the long-term interests of our 1,000+ employees, vendors, and partners.” This comes after the e-retailer’s primary lender filed to place Ssense under protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) without its consent, the company said in a statement to BetaKit. The CCAA Act allows large companies owing more than $5 million to restructure under court supervision. Ssense spokesperson Olive Leatherwood said the…

Three EF0 tornadoes confirmed in southern Manitoba after August storms — Grande-Clairière, Birds Hill and Dugald hit. No injuries. Full details and EF scale exp

The Winnipeg Police Service is searching for missing a 9-year-old girl. (File image/PNN) The Winnipeg Police Service has located a missing 9-year-old girl. She was last seen Aug. 3 at around 6 p.m. near Sinclair Street and Dufferin Avenue. She was safely located Monday afternoon. Related: Man, 49, Dead After SUV Collides With Parked Water Truck on Cavalier Drive, Winnipeg Related: Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston’s Car Surrounded and Windshield Smashed — Police Escort Him From the Scene Related: Missing Newborn In Halifax — Search Expands Across Clayton Park As 4 People Are Questioned

Under this, immigrants applying for tourist or business B1, B2 visas from countries with a high visa overstay rates, may be subject to a pilot program.(File Photo / REUTERS) As the Donald Trump-led administration continues its crackdown on visa and immigration, a new pilot program from the US State Department could bring in bonds up to $15,000 for certain tourist and business visas. As per the notice issued by the Department of State, a 12-month long visa bond pilot program is set to begin across the United States. Under this, immigrants applying for tourist or business B1, B2 visas from…

Jessie J was hospitalized six weeks after breast cancer surgery with blood clot symptoms. Tests showed an infection instead. The singer’s full health update.