Tech Roundup
Feb. 10, 2026
We notice the Black Business Ventures Association is holding its annual Innovation Expo at Edmonton Unlimited on Feb. 12. The BBVA is a non-profit organization built on uplifting Black founders in the tech sphere. "We have experienced firsthand and seen many Black tech entrepreneurs struggle," its website reads. "Our goal is to inspire and empower Black entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and achieve their dreams." The showcase will be highlighting Black-owned tech startups and entrepreneurs, while offering "delectable cuisine, dynamic music, and a joyful celebration of Black History," says the event posting.
Another non-profit focused on creating and uplifting Black leaders received a grant from the Black History Month Initiative Fund on Feb. 2. Futures Leadership Institute offers courses on STEM, financial literacy, and leadership to youth from underrepresented groups. Its STEM courses teach cyber education, coding, and AI. "These initiatives extend far beyond the conventional approaches to digital literacy," its website reads. "They serve as immersive experiences ... fostering a sense of empowerment and confidence among the youth."
Another community hub for Black tech founders is Timbuktu Innovation Hub, which launched an Afrocentric co-working space last year in collaboration with the African Canadian Civic Engagement Council. It hosts the Timbuktu Trailblazers program, which helps young, Black job-eekers jump-start their careers through paid eight-week internships, in-class coaching, and volunteer work. Meanwhile, Black Business Edmonton is partnering with the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce on Coffee with the Chamber on Feb. 27, bringing the business community together at the Alberta Aviation Museum to "celebrate Black excellence, entrepreneurship, and community impact."
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Headlines
- Luke Butterworth, co-founder of the closed EPIC Market, is developing Better Venu, a software platform to streamline event venue bookings with instant quotes, while EPIC explores a potential return to downtown Edmonton with an unnamed partner.
- As part of its Super Bowl coverage, CBS News highlighted the work samdesk and Esri did to help a northern California agency track suspicious activity around the big game.
- The European Space Agency has confirmed that Wyvern's hyperspectral data quality meets its Best Practice Guidelines and EO Mission Data Quality Assessment Framework, providing third-party validation of the reliability of Wyvern's data for decision-making, CEO Christopher Robson posted.
- Matt Alexander of Future Fields, Connie Stacey of Grengine, and Sam Jenkins of Punchcard Systems discussed global growth while remaining in Edmonton on an episode of What the Job?, a podcast from the University of Alberta's alumni association. The show was taped live at Edmonton Global during Edmonton Startup Week.
- CIFAR shone a spotlight on Angelica Lim, a fellow at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute who is exploring how robots can understand human emotions while navigating the delicate balance between empathy and attachment.
- The Business Development Podcast featured Adam Danyleyko from the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute discussing how the organization helps businesses move from AI curiosity to real adoption through training, roadmap building, and proof-of-concept work.
- Terri Davis of ProFound Talent and oolu spoke to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast about matching businesses with fractional leaders.
- Cory Janssen of AltaML was honoured as the year's top Industry Innovator at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce's 2026 Chamber Awards.
- The Edmonton Export Awards honoured six companies, including Sarcomere Dynamics for export innovation and X-Innovation for best Trade Accelerator Program export plan.
- Builder took a look at how Rohit Group transformed its internal process management system into BuildBase, a commercial platform for home builders intended to increase efficiency and decrease waste.
- ReYu held an open house to showcase the technology it uses to help rehabilitate people with back pain and postpartum recovery issues.
- Zylotex co-founder Lelia Lawson published a piece on rethinking hemp fibre in the International Fiber Journal. Regenerated cellulose is a more viable path than trying to make hemp behave like cotton, she wrote.
- About 300 Edmonton-area youths will attend STEMapalooza at the TELUS World of Science - Edmonton on Feb. 11, a celebration of women in science and engineering featuring St. Albert rocketeer Supreena Eyestone and entrepreneur Jana Rieger.
- Dow has revived plans for its $10-billion Path2Zero petrochemical project in Fort Saskatchewan after pausing construction in April. Operations are expected to begin in 2029, a two-year delay from the initial target, CEO Jim Fitterling said on an earnings call. The net-zero project aims to triple Dow's ethylene and polyethylene capacity. It is expected to create up to 5,500 jobs during peak construction and 400 to 500 full-time jobs once fully operating.
- The provincial government's public engagement sessions on nuclear energy will make their way to Edmonton on Feb. 17.
- Facebook has filed a new lobbying registration in Alberta to discuss the province's policy framework for AI infrastructure development, signalling interest in expanding its AI data centre portfolio in the region. Parent company Meta is rumoured to be involved in a new data centre in the region.
- Everyday Payments, an Edmonton-based fintech company that manages tips and staff wages, faces allegations that it has withheld or removed money from clients' digital wallets.
Jobs and opportunities
- Scale Up Canada is accepting applications for the Edmonton50 program. Those who apply by Feb. 28 will get feedback on their applications; the application deadline is March 31.
- Alberta Innovates is hiring a senior advisor for operations to support strategy execution, business planning, and process improvements.
- samdesk is hiring a customer success manager.
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Happenings
Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:
- Feb. 11: Quantum Materials as a Platform for Next-Gen Biomedical Applications starting at 5pm at MKT Fresh Food | Beer Market
- Feb. 11: Lean In Network Edmonton: Connection Over Competition starting at 5:30pm at Sorrentino's (Century Park)
- Feb. 11: STEMapalooza for International Day of Women and Girls in Science starting at 6pm at TELUS World of Science - Edmonton
- Feb. 12: Aerogel Insulation Product Demonstration and Presentation starting at 11:30pm at NAIT (Instructor Campus)
- Feb. 12: Solving the Canadian ScaleUP Gap starting at Fu's Repair Shop
- Feb. 12: BBVA Innovation EXPO starting at Edmonton Unlimited
- Feb. 12: Pitch Night starting at 5pm at Alberta School of Business
- Feb. 12: Passive Solar Greenhouse Workshop starting at 6:30pm at Millhurst Community Hall
And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:
- Feb 18: ASTech Awards Information/Office Hours Sessions online
- Feb. 19: Mind Your Business: Making Sense of Big Data at Royal Mayfair Golf Club
- Feb. 24: Lean Derisking: Taking Your Proof of Concept to the Clinic online
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.
Beyond Edmonton
- Mac DeMarco is among the Canadian musicians backing a SOCAN petition asking the Government of Canada to limit how music can be used by generative AI companies without consent from copyright holders.
This roundup was sponsored by Edmonton Unlimited.
Now is the time for us, Edmonton's innovators, and our city. Headquartered in Alberta's capital city, Edmonton Unlimited harnesses the power of possibility and brings the very best of Edmonton to the world.