Volta has teamed up with Scale AI, the Montreal-based artificial intelligence supercluster, to offer a new program called Volta AI, which supports companies bringing AI to supply chains.

Volta, the Halifax-based innovation hub, said five Canadian companies will be accepted into the one-year program and each will receive $14,000 to buy services or materials.

Applications will be accepted until Nov. 23, and Zoom-based sessions will begin in early January. You can apply here.

“We are very excited to launch this new program in collaboration with Scale AI, to continue to expand our ecosystem, diversify our programming and provide connections and networking opportunities for our regional startup community,” said Volta CEO Martha Casey in a statement. “Volta AI will do this by providing participants with access to experts and investors in the AI space, and providing companies funding to help them grow their venture.”

Combining new programming with existing resources, Volta AI aims to attract AI startups that solve supply chain problems in the Atlantic Canadian ecosystem and help them grow. The Volta team will oversee the program and ensure companies remain accountable.

To qualify for this program, companies must be based in Canada and be focused on applied AI and intelligent supply chains. They must also show that customers are interested in or paying for their product or service.

One of five Canadian superclusters, Scale AI is dedicated to making Montreal an international centre of excellence for artificial intelligence. and supporting AI across Canada. It has received $230 million from the federal government and $53 million from the Quebec government.

“Fostering the emergence of an industrial sector and building a new ecosystem require interventions at every stage of the value-creation chain,” said Scale AI Chief Executive Julien Billot. “We are committed to help the entire network of incubators and accelerators, creating and developing links between AI startups and the business community in order to fully realize our mission of economic leverage.”