Volta has opened applications for its next Volta Cohort program, a pitching competition in which Atlantic Canadian tech startups vie for prizes of $25,000 each.

The Halifax-based innovation hub holds the competition every six months, usually dividing $125,000 in prize money among five early-stage startups. The program – which is open to startups from across the region -- was designed to address

Wagepoint, a payroll software company that traces its roots to Nova Scotia, is now majority-owned by funds affiliated with Providence Equity Partners following a recapitalization of more than $10 million.

Wagepoint issued a statement late Wednesday that funds advised by Boston-based Providence Strategic Growth, or PSG, the growth equity affiliate of Providence Equity Partners, have invested more

St. John’s-based Genesis said this week that it has invested about half of the $775,000 microfund it established last year for members of its Enterprise program.

The Newfoundland and Labrador innovation hub launched the microfund in January, 2019, to provide a boost to startups entering the Enterprise program, which is for companies that are beginning to scale.

The microfund has now provided

A new national program that will provide loans, mentorship and other services to Black entrepreneurs has been launched by the federal government.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced funding of nearly $221 million. The federal government will provide almost $93 million over the next four years, and the rest of the funds will come fom eight Canadian financial institutions. 

“The

Halifax-based Nexus Robotics has received $550,000 in funding from the federal government to help it bring its weed-picking robot to the market next year.

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency announced the funding on Wednesday, saying it has helped the company hire an experienced CEO and carry out ongoing field tests.

“The Nexus Robotics team is very appreciative to receive funding from

Five months after COVID-19 sparked a medical manufacturing collaboration between companies, government and academia, Enginuity’s Alastair Trower sees an opportunity for Canada to permanently strengthen its medical supply chains.

In March, as governments began struggling to source face masks, medical gowns and other supplies, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency organized a phone call with

As part of our 2020 Ecosystem Roadmap, we’re drawing up a list of new programs in the Atlantic Canadian Ecosystem, and would love to learn about any we've missed.

These could be accelerators, funding programs or other initiatives to support startups or scaleups in the region. They must be designed for innovation-driven enterprises that are targeting a global market.

This is an odd year because

Entrevestor will launch its 2019 Atlantic Canada Startup Data report on Sept. 24 with a lunch-and-learn session at Volta, which will also be available through Zoom.

Entrevestor’s data has become the benchmark for the Atlantic Canadian startup community in recent years. Each year, we tally up the total number of startups, and assess their employees, funding and revenue, providing a vivid picture

Truro-based Ocean Sonics, a maker of equipment that listens to and monitors the oceans, has launched a west coast operation called Ocean Sonics Pacific.

In a statement, the company said the new venture will facilitate real-time listening on Canada’s West Coast. The work will be headed by Ken Brough, a veteran of Vancouver’s tech sector.

The company makes the icListen Smart Hydrophone. which it

Milk Moovement, which helps the dairy industry track milk shipments, is one of 11 companies (and the only Canadian startup) in the 2020 cohort of Techstars' main food tech accelerator.

The international accelerator group announced Tuesday that Milk Moovement has been accepted into the Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator, which will run until its Demo Day in December.

“Looks like the cow is out