Backgrounder: Minister Olszewski announces funding to help Saskatchewan businesses lead in AI innovation

PrairiesCan is investing $1,311,900 for three projects in Saskatchewan to catalyze innovation using artificial intelligence (AI).

The projects announced today will leverage AI advantages to help commercialize a new grain grading system, enhance energy monitoring for buildings, and expand markets for a guest parking platform.

Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) – $1,011,900

The RAII provides $200 million to help businesses bring new AI technologies to market and speed up adoption in critical sectors such as agriculture, clean technology, healthcare, and manufacturing. This repayable and non-repayable interest-free funding is part of the government’s 2024 budget commitment to ensure Canada is a world leader in AI.

PrairiesCan announced investments for two repayable projects under the RAII:

• Ground Truth Agriculture Inc. - $586,900
  Ground Truth Agriculture will complete and commercialize an artificial intelligence driven benchtop and on-combine grain grading system for grain quality assessment and predictive grading. Ground Truth’s developed technology allows farmers, commercial grain buyers, and food processors to unite with fully transparent data to maximize efficiency and actionable decisions. Their technology analyzes grains for disease, damage and more so that reliable, real-time data about grain quality is available at commercial facilities and on the farm too.

• Greenwave Innovations Inc. - $425,000
  Greenwave will use artificial intelligence to enhance their energy monitoring platform for commercial and industrial buildings. Greenwave’s platform helps users conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, enhance building life and safety systems, eliminate waste, and streamline maintenance. With this project, Greenwave will implement AI-driven features that will optimize routine maintenance and proactively identify equipment issues prior to failure. AI will also be used to identify gas and water leaks triggering alerts and automated shut-off valves in buildings.

Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program – $300,000

The BSP program supports high-growth businesses that are seeking to improve productivity, scale-up, and commercialize technology. It offers interest-free, repayable funding to incorporated businesses that have been in operation for a minimum of two years.

PrairiesCan announced one investment under BSP:

• Offstreet Technology Inc. - $300,000
  Offstreet helps universities and private parking operators streamline their guest parking management, resolving issues and saving time for both visitors and hosts. PrairiesCan’s support enables Offstreet to enhance their cloud-based guest registration parking technology and grow their market in North America.

Related products

• News Release: Minister Olszewski announces funding to help Saskatchewan businesses lead in AI innovation

Associated links

• Ground Truth Agriculture Inc.
• Greenwave Innovations Inc.
• Offstreet Technology Inc.
• Business Scale-up and Productivity
• Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative