Riverview, N.B.-based FloraTrack AI, which develops software for greenhouse growers, has been named AI Startup of the Year at the inaugural AI Catalyst Awards hosted by TechPlace.

The award was announced Oct. 8 during TechPlace’s 2026 Annual Open House & Innovation Showcase at the Robert Bateman Community Centre in Burlington, Ont. The awards were organized with Innovation Factory, the

Halifax-based Tibe Network, a group for Black, Indigenous, and racialized entrepreneurs, is offering an Energy Opportunity Forum on November 5.

The evening will explore where Nova Scotia’s energy economy is heading, what opportunities are emerging, and how more Black, Indigenous and racialized founders, professionals and innovators can participate.

This is an opportunity to understand what is

Dartmouth-based oceantech company MetOcean Telematics will expand its production warehouse and renovate its facility with the help of a $900,000 federal loan, consolidating its local operations and allowing future growth.

The company expects the project to create 10 jobs and reduce annual costs by about $600,000. The upgrades to its Thornhill Drive facility will bring about 80 local employees

Windsor-based Trek iQ, an accessibility audit and documentation startup, has created Haunt IQ, a consumer app that helps families find accessible trick-or-treat events and locations across Nova Scotia. 

The app allows parents to plan a route around what their kid needs, like step-free doors or treats at the curb. Homeowners add their own houses, and the team checks every listing before it goes

The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health has awarded Halifax-based Kyle Moore the 2026 Champion of Workplace Mental Health Award for his work supporting the mental health and well-being of young entrepreneurs.

Moore is Head of Mental Health Programming at the League of Innovators, a  free Canadian community and founder accelerator supporting entrepreneurs under 30.

Since

Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) Manitoba has invested in Aurea Technologies Inc., a Dartmouth company that makes portable wind turbines for charging electronic devices.

The parties are not revealing the size of the investment.

Founded in 2017 by CEO Cat Adalay and Chief Revenue Officer Rachel Carr, Aurea produces the Shine turbine, a three-pound device that folds to approximately the size of a water

Petite Rivière Farms of Conquerall Mills, N.S., has won first place at the International Network of Michelin Cities (INMC) Startup Award in Cuneo, Italy, earning a €5,000 (about C$8,000) prize.

The company was one of three rural Nova Scotia startups selected to compete internationally, alongside Bioteem40 of Kings County and Micro Garden, a brand of Bramble Hill Farm in Pictou County.

The

Applications are open for Cohort 2 of Tribe Innovation Hub: AI Stream, run by the Halifax hub for BIPOC founders.

The 16-week venture validation program is for racialized founders in Nova Scotia building AI-enabled startups and projects.

The program is for founders who are ready to spend the next few months refining an MVP, testing assumptions with customers, validating the market and business

Regional businesses now have access to fresh support to develop their use of AI.

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency has put out a call for proposals for Atlantic Canadian businesses interested in introducing AI into operations or bringing their own AI technologies to market.

“AI is changing how businesses compete, and we can’t afford to see Atlantic Canada fall behind….,” said Sean

Mara Renewables, a Dartmouth-based producer of microalgae-derived omega-3 oil, said Tuesday it has become the first company in its sector to receive origin verification from independent testing company ORIVO.

The verification uses laboratory testing and data analysis to assess the origin and authenticity of omega-3 ingredients. According to Mara, the process can identify its microalgal DHA with