Inside Desjardins’ Multibillion-Dollar Bet to Haul Itself into the Future

Desjardins, a key player in Canada’s financial scene, is making a bold move by investing $2 billion every year to upgrade its technology. This substantial investment is aimed at revamping its services and infrastructure. CEO Guy Cormier highlights the necessity of this investment to not only keep up with changes but to also enhance the overall customer service. He stresses the importance of digital solutions in today’s evolving world, ensuring members have seamless, accessible banking experiences.

These funds target areas like software development, cybersecurity, and digital banking, aiming to streamline operations effectively. Desjardins plans to lead by focusing on sustainability and innovation, setting a model for other financial entities. This transformation showcases how investing in technology doesn’t only solve immediate challenges but also acts as a catalyst for growth and customer satisfaction, setting new industry standards.

Source: Original article on The Logic

Seven B.C. Startups to Watch at Web Summit

Vancouver is poised to become a hub of global innovation as the Web Summit arrives in Canada for the first time. This event, held from May 27–30 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, will bring together numerous founders, investors, and tech leaders for talks, sessions, and networking. Notably, the Web Summit is a platform for startups, with hundreds of fledgling companies from across the globe ready to demonstrate their groundbreaking ideas. Among them, British Columbia’s own startups are gearing up to make their mark.

Highlighted companies include 4AG Robotics, known for its groundbreaking mushroom-harvesting robots, and Favoland, an online beauty database promoting sustainability and transparency. Other notable names are Fuse, which is redefining electric fleet solutions, and FutureTwin, an AI-powered career exploration app. Additionally, Hubjoy offers streamlined revenue operations for SaaS companies, PharmaServ enhances the life sciences industry with data insights, and Sigen AI provides secure, shareable video datasets. These B.C. startups are ready to shine at the summit.

For more details, visit the original source at Techcouver.com.

Coquitlam’s Autochart.ai Selected for Canada’s National AI Scribe Program

Coquitlam-based healthtech startup Autochart.ai has been chosen as a pre-qualified vendor for the new AI Scribe Program by Canada Health Infoway. This national initiative plans to provide up to 10,000 primary-care clinicians with AI-powered documentation tools at no cost, starting June 2025. The program’s objective is to lighten the administrative workload on healthcare providers by utilizing artificial intelligence to transcribe and organize clinical conversations in real time. Autochart.ai secured its spot following thorough assessments of privacy practices, cybersecurity measures, and usability standards.

Autochart.ai’s platform employs Canadian-hosted AI to produce detailed clinical notes and automate subsequent tasks like patient emails and specialist referrals. Supporting over 100 languages, the tool aligns with Canadian healthcare privacy regulations. “Our mission has always been to contribute to more equitable, efficient, and intelligent healthcare,” stated Dr. Ali Okhowat, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer at Autochart.ai. Clinicians interested in this initiative can find more information at aiscribe.infoway-inforoute.ca. For additional details, visit the original article on Techcouver.com.

Jane Software Hits $1.8B Valuation with Landmark Secondary Deal

North Vancouver-based Jane Software has become one of Canada’s most valued private tech companies due to a significant secondary financing round. This valuation, soaring to $1.8 billion, was driven by U.S. investment powerhouse TCV and partners, resulting in a $500-million deal. Rather than raising new capital, this transaction provides a liquidity option for early stakeholders, including investors and employees. Jane Software, founded in 2012, has expanded through its innovative practice management software, catering to over 200,000 healthcare practitioners worldwide.

Remarkably, Jane Software has maintained profitability without sacrificing growth, relying on word of mouth to drive expansion. Despite turbulent market conditions in 2022, Jane not only avoided layoffs but also rewarded its team with raises. Looking forward, the company is exploring the integration of artificial intelligence, with its AI-powered clinical notes feature marking the start of this journey. Jane’s success story serves as an inspiring example, emphasizing that profitability, patience, and product excellence can drive substantial growth.

For more details, visit the original article here.

The Next Frontier of Canadian Innovation

In an increasingly competitive global market, it’s crucial for Canada to showcase its innovative ideas. Experts agree that a strong innovation ecosystem is necessary to achieve this. By collaborating between technology and business sectors, Canada can transform new ideas into tangible products and services, effectively enhancing its innovation output.

Network creation plays a vital role in this process, as does investing in homegrown talent. By encouraging collaboration between startups, corporations, and educational institutions, Canada can nurture and grow innovative ideas. Government support is also critical, with initiatives that incentivize research and development providing essential resources for both startups and established businesses. More insights on this topic are available at The Logic.

KPMG Acquires Victoria’s LlamaZOO to Boost Digital Twin Capabilities

Victoria-based 3D visualization firm LlamaZOO Interactive has been acquired by KPMG Canada, enhancing the consulting giant’s capabilities in digital twin and spatial business intelligence. The acquisition, finalized on May 20, 2025, comes after LlamaZOO faced financial challenges, leading to creditor protection in December 2024. LlamaZOO, founded over ten years ago, excels in creating 2D and 3D digital twins—virtual models of physical environments that aid in quick and effective decision-making using AI and machine learning.

KPMG’s Matt Grant shared how integrating LlamaZOO’s technology can offer companies intelligent tools for scenario planning and analysis. He will lead the new Digital Twin Centre of Excellence, based in Victoria, to assist sectors like energy and infrastructure. LlamaZOO’s co-founders, who will join KPMG along with their team, believe this union will provide valuable insights and tools globally. The LlamaZOO team will now work from KPMG’s Ignition innovation hub in Victoria.

Read the original article at Techcouver.com.

Okanagan Launches Real-Time Water App to Protect Aquatic Ecosystems

In a bid to bolster the protection of freshwater ecosystems, the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) has unveiled an innovative app that provides real-time data on water levels. Created in collaboration with the Okanagan Nation Alliance, Foresight Canada, and local partners, the Environmental Flow Shiny App is a groundbreaking tool aimed at safeguarding aquatic species like the sockeye salmon. Updated every 15 minutes, this app gives fishery professionals and water managers the crucial data they need to make well-informed decisions, ensuring balanced ecosystems amid rising temperatures and increasing water demand.

Unveiled at the Canadian Water Resources Association’s national conference, this app is lauded as a significant advancement in a region famous for its innovative approach to water management. While the app aligns with the Canada Water Agency’s Freshwater Action Plan for 2024, OBWB expressed disappointment over Okanagan’s exclusion from the agency’s list of nationally significant freshwater bodies. OBWB Chair Blair Ireland emphasized that the Okanagan, one of Canada’s most water-stressed regions, could face challenges in securing essential funding due to this omission. As a beacon of regional collaboration and Indigenous leadership, the app highlights a new era in watershed management driven by community engagement and technological innovation.

For more details, visit the original article at Techcouver.com.