TrojAI, the Saint John maker of cybersecurity software for artificial intelligence systems, is the latest in a small-but-growing list of Atlantic companies to join the Canadian iteration of Google for Startups, the tech giant’s accelerator.

This year, TrojAI is the only Atlantic company among the 12 startups in the cohort. Halifax-based Talkatoo, which makes specialized transcription software for veterinarians, and edtech specialist Shoelace Learning have also both participated in previous years.

Google for Startups lasts three months and does not require participants to give up equity in their companies. The program is focused specifically on artificial intelligence and machine learning companies.

“We couldn't be more pleased to be selected to work with the incredible advisors backed by the world's top tech platform!” said TrojAI on LinkedIn.

TrojAI’s software is designed to prevent cyberattacks hidden in the data used to train artificial intelligence programs. AI systems learn by being fed reams of information, such as photos, and searching for patterns, but sophisticated hackers can conceal malware in the same data. The company’s technology is meant to prevent both deliberate attacks and accidental damage caused by unforeseen incidents -- a service intended primarily for large corporations already using AI for real-world business applications.

In May, the company was recognized as one of the 100 most promising AI startups in the world by New York startup intelligence group CB Insights, beating out a field of 7,000 competitors globally.

And a year ago, TrojAI closed a $3 million seed round led by Halifax’s Build Ventures and Seattle’s Flying Fish Ventures, which was co-founded by former Microsoft, Amazon and Getty Images execs. 

More recently, in December, TrojAI became the only Atlantic Canadian company to make the Toronto-based Vector Institute’s inaugural AI20 for 2023 — a list of startups to watch this year.