After stepping into the ring at last week鈥檚 SXSW Pitch Competition during the annual festival in Austin, Tex., emerged triumphant.
The Toronto-based startup was up against more than 70 other contenders from around the world and came first in the Innovative World Technology category on the strength of its novel approach to water purification, which leverages AI and quantum chemistry to discover novel photocatalysts, compounds that use the power of the sun to efficiently break down toxic substances (such as pesticides and harmful bacteria).
While Xatoms is not unfamiliar with publicity, having received props from actor and co-founder , the win helps amplify the company’s profile on the global stage, and this exposure is crucial to its mission, says COO and co-founder Shirley Zhong.
鈥淲e want to share this innovation with more people and impact more lives through clean water,鈥 she explains. 鈥淲ith all the political uncertainty right now, funding for basic water infrastructures has been cut.鈥
It鈥檚 important to direct the attention of governments and other organizations toward this issue, she adds, and the SXSW platform helps Xatoms drive that momentum.
As for what鈥檚 next, Zhong says that the venture is developing several industrial water treatment pilots with the aim of working alongside mining companies and other generators of pollution to clean waste water at its source.
Worker engagement proposal
Over the past few years, we鈥檝e seen a number of headlines about labour-related trends that suggest a growing sense of discontentment among Gen Z and millennial workers.
More than just catchy phrases, and the suggest a growing awareness among younger members of the workforce that traditional career milestones (like promotions, a linear career path and retirement) and financial milestones (owning a home and starting a family) are no longer viable in this economic climate.
And while have sent the message that employees are expendable, employers can also no longer count on staff loyalty: according to one recent report, a staggering
聽a nod to the apathy and dissatisfaction many people are experiencing in the workplace.
A recent r found that only 18 per cent of Canadian employees report full engagement on the job. That鈥檚 not great for staff 鈥 and it鈥檚 not great for business, either.
Research has consistently shown that engaged workers are notably more productive 鈥 from 2020 found that the most engaged teams saw a 23 per cent boost in profitability.
Mandatory 鈥減ositivity鈥澛 is no solution: when Starbucks forced baristas to add cheery messages to customers鈥 cups, staff by writing .
One strategic solution is to find efficient ways to tackle the barriers that get in the way of allowing employees to appreciate the satisfying parts of their work.
While that can sometimes involve reevaluating priorities 鈥 do you really need team members to do a full accounting of every subtask they accomplish in a week, or can you rely on the honour system? 鈥 it may also require investing in tools that streamline annoying but necessary duties.
Toronto-based , for instance, has developed software to systematize payroll, time tracking, benefits administration and other administrative details.
鈥淓verything we do is about making employment easier and more valuable for people,鈥 says CEO Kevin Kliman. 鈥淓ven just confusion around understanding your pay slip 鈥斅 all these little things compound frustrations for employees.鈥
As Kliman notes, a simple fix that doesn鈥檛 involve roping in other parties can have a big benefit.
He also recommends putting time and energy (and concrete resources) into employee appreciation.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e in tune with the people you work with, it makes them feel cared for.鈥
Phoenix raising
Toronto-based , which provides digital health support for men, has just 聽a successful Series A fundraising round, closing on $50 million in investments from a group led by Valspring capital.
With 聽unable to find family doctors, Phoenix aims to address this gap by connecting patients with practitioners who specialize in concerns that can cause particular stigma and shame for men, such as erectile dysfunction, hair loss and weight loss.
The company also offers free and discreet delivery for any treatments that users are prescribed through these consultations.
Turing honours Alberta AI pioneer
Richard Sutton, a professor at the University of Alberta and researcher at the Edmonton-based , was named as a co-recipient of the , which is given out annually by the Association for Computing Machinery in New York.
Sutton and co-winner Andrew Barto were recognized for helping establish the foundation for reinforcement learning, commonly found in robotic systems and autonomous vehicles, wherein algorithms acquire information from their environments.
Concerns for Quebec鈥檚 early-stage startups: Report
A new found that seed-stage venture investments in Quebec were down by more than 50 per cent year-over-year, with only 39 such deals totalling $112 million in 2024.
This issue isn鈥檛 exclusive to the province: seed funding is down across the country as a whole.
As tariffs and evolving trade tensions with the U.S. illuminate the importance of supporting domestic enterprises, there is even more emphasis on early-stage investments as a key driver of a thriving innovation ecosystem in Canada.
Cleantech funding flows
After some delays in support for cleantech startups through the federal government鈥檚 Sustainable Development Technology Canada (STDC) program, . As well, a National Research Council Canada鈥揳ffiliated replacement program plans to open a call for applications early in FY25/26.聽
By the numbers
US$115 million: How much Alphabet 鈥 Google’s parent company 鈥 to acquire , a Canadian firm that makes eye-tracking technology for smart glasses.
US$25.5 million: The amount raised by in its round of funding. The Calgary-based company plans to use new capital to help commercialize its sustainable lithium-extraction tech.
$353,000: of the contracts the City of 海角社区官网says it will exclusively award to Canadian firms, as a response to the ongoing trade war with the U.S.
Rebecca Gao writes about technology for . Torstar, the parent company of the 海角社区官网Star, has partnered with MaRS to highlight innovation in Canadian companies.
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