Tech Roundup
Oct. 20, 2026
Edmonton's deep tech sector is getting even more focus as the University of Alberta partners with global deep-tech venture capital firm Celesta Capital with an aim to help commercialize research. Celesta, headquartered in Silicon Valley, will deliver entrepreneurship training, advise researchers on patents and commercialization, and host industry and venture summits at the university. "Our goal with this partnership is to help researchers and founders turn their work into globally competitive companies, built and grown in Canada, with the world as their market," said Charles Lespérance at Celesta Capital. "We're excited to build side-by-side with the University of Alberta community to make this a reality."
The partnership kicks off with Scientific Entrepreneurship Day on Oct. 28, hosted with Edmonton Unlimited and the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, designed to help researchers, grad students, post-docs, or faculty members navigate the transition from lab to company. The event will cover fundraising, intellectual property strategy, market validation, and team-building, and it will include one-on-one office hours with Celesta investors. Speakers include Lespérance and David Goldman of Celesta, plus Jean-Nicolas Delage and Jacob Young of the business law firm Osler. The organizers posit that successful deep-tech startups start with the end in mind, map their critical milestones, and build their networks early. Attendees will learn when they should spin out and launch, and how to build for success while avoiding critical mistakes.
The U of A's announcement comes just after Edmonton Unlimited launched the Deep Tech Foundry at Edmonton Startup Week. The program will accept eight to 12 highly vetted science and engineering companies that have early momentum but are still working through important commercialization questions. The program is still being finalized, and Edmonton Unlimited invites founder input.
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Space news
- The Canadian Space Agency awarded TransEON $350,000 to develop and test radio-frequency amplifiers for satellite communications. The grant was part of a federal funding round supporting 16 space projects at 15 Canadian organizations.
- Wyvern co-founder Kurtis Broda discussed the need for Canadian satellites to monitor the Arctic on the Tech Thursday Live podcast.
- In Phase 2 of NASA's LunaRecycle Challenge, Junaid Tahir of Waste Parrot won US$25,000 for having the best visualization. The company's digital twin shows how its compact, low-power recycling line turns multilayer plastic film — normally considered unrecyclable — into usable products and manufacturing feedstock.
Startups
- Promise Robotics has signed a multi-year agreement with DR Horton, its first U.S. customer. The company will support production of more than 1,250 homes in the Phoenix area. It expects its planned Phoenix factory to begin manufacturing in early 2027.
- Aqtiva showcased its crop-yield technology at the THRIVE Global Impact Summit in Silicon Valley. The update follows its selection as a company to watch at Edmonton Startup Week and a raft of other accolades.
- SenseHuman AI has completed several pilots of a hardhat that uses cameras and AI to warn wearers about worksite hazards. The company has 12 helmets in use and is seeking investors to expand manufacturing, CEO Adil Muhammad told BetaKit. "If you've ever played Call of Duty, there's this minimap on the bottom of the screen. If something comes at you from the back, you see it on the minimap," Muhammad said. "I thought, why not use the same thing with a worker?"
- Aeternum, a private family memory app, is inviting 100 users to beta test its app for mobile. "I decided to take the risk (to found Aeternum) because I think my family needed it, I needed it, and the world possibly needed it," founder Aaron Tong told Taproot in 2025.
- Games writer Stephen Lenz highlighted vrCAVE's growth to an international entertainment company with more than 200 locations. "Looking back through my own headset sessions, three central pillars explain how vrCAVE pulled off this coup: resource optimization, operational convenience, and an effortless capacity for expansion," Lenz wrote.
- Version 3.0 of SketchDeck.ai's steel-estimating software combines material estimates, markups, and bid management, founder Daniel Kamau said. Its 3D modelling and page stitching features remain in beta.
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More headlines
- More than a dozen University of Alberta academics are among about 500 members of the scientific community to sign an open letter on AI and cybersecurity, urging frontier AI developers to institute stronger mechanisms to contain internet-connected AI models and demonstrate more transparency about errors. "We believe that both improved AI alignment, leading to more predictable model behavior, and stronger sandbox technology are required," the letter says in response to high-profile breaches such as OpenAI's hacking of Hugging Face. "Further, without immediate changes in AI development and deployment practices, such incidents will continue to occur, and future incidents will be far more damaging to our exposed critical infrastructure."
- The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute worked with Croptimistic Technology to build AI models for plant counting and assessing field conditions. Amii said the models could help farmers reduce costs, increase yields, and improve planning.
- Innovation strategist and speaker Shawn Kanungo was a guest on Unapologetic with Erin Davis to discuss how AI can help make work more human.
- Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish told RBC's Disruptors podcast about the province's push to attract $100 billion in data centre investment. He said the next power allocation will be interruptible and temporary.
- AI-assisted drafting of the Alberta Whisky Act showed why human oversight remains essential, columnist Rita Trichur argued in The Globe and Mail. "Still, Alberta's experimentation is promising because it points to more practical AI applications for governments, which are known for their plodding productivity," Trichur wrote.
- Alberta is offering rebates of up to $1,000 for satellite internet hardware and installation to eligible rural and remote households. Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish said about 10,000 households qualify. Rebates remain available until March 31.
- The Edmonton Police Service is using a digital surveillance tool called Zencity that uses artificial intelligence to monitor social-media sentiment about public safety.
- Terry Rock said he will leave his role as senior vice-president of operations and chief operating officer at Alberta Innovates on Nov. 3.
- Jodi Abbott, board vice-chair at Alberta Innovates, is among the recipients of the Alberta Order of Excellence, the province's highest honour. "Jodi's dedication to advancing innovation, strengthening communities, and creating opportunities for future generations is truly inspiring," Alberta Innovates posted. "We are proud to see her contributions recognized alongside other remarkable Albertans."
- The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute welcomed two Canada CIFAR AI Chairs: Martin Ester of Simon Fraser University and Peter West of the University of British Columbia.
Jobs and opportunities
- The Alberta Enterprise Corporation is seeking input from Alberta tech startup and scaleup leaders for its 2026 Deal Flow Study. Submissions close Oct. 30, and responses will inform which venture capital funds it seeks to attract and its co-investment strategy.
- The Edmonton Regional Innovation Network is seeking responses to compile the 2026 Rainforest Scorecard. Entrepreneurs, non-profits, post-secondary institutions, investors, and government are invited to weigh in on the health of the innovation ecosystem by Oct. 31.
- ENMAX is offering up to $15,000 through its Community Spark Grant for one-time capacity-building projects, including technology upgrades. Eligible Alberta charities and registered non-profits with at least two years of operation can apply by Oct. 31.
- The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute is hiring an executive assistant to its chief delivery officer, a software engineer, a site reliability engineer, and a quality assurance engineer.
- North Mist Studios is hiring a game designer.
Happenings
Here are some events coming up soon:
- Oct. 20: Build, Test & Learn: Product Vision starting at 6pm online
- Oct. 20-21: Government Innovation Week at Edmonton Convention Centre
- Oct. 21: Alberta Family Business Institute Signature Event starting at 5pm at Edmonton Convention Centre
- Oct. 21: Tech Wednesdays starting at 5:30pm at The Pint Public House
- Oct. 21: Student Speed Mentoring Night starting at 6pm at Double Dragon
- Oct. 22: Fundraising 101: A Founder's Guide to Raising Capital starting at 11am online
- Oct. 22: NAIT Entrepreneurship & Innovation Summer Co-op Program - Employers starting at 11:30am online
- Oct. 22: Startup TNT Happy Hour starting at 4:30pm at Fawkes Café & Bakery
- Oct. 22: AI on the Mind: Uses and Effects of AI in Psychology starting at 4:30pm at Fu's Repair Shop
And here are more to keep in mind:
- Oct. 28: ENBIX Luncheon & Panel at Westin Edmonton
- Oct. 30-31: UX Camp Edmonton 2026 at MacEwan University
- Nov. 6: 37th Annual ASTech Awards Gala and Innovation Showcase at Westin Edmonton
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.
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.