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EDMONTON, Alberta, Sept. 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A primary-of-its-kind international enterprise accelerator shall be based mostly in Edmonton to assist develop tech corporations and supply synthetic intelligence options that handle group and social challenges.
Alberta Innovates selected the Neighborhood Security & Wellness (CSW) Accelerator powered by Alchemist as one of four proposals that may obtain provincial, federal and municipal funding underneath an unprecedented accelerator initiative meant to assist revolutionary tech corporations scale up in Alberta and appeal to international corporations and applied sciences to the province.
An Edmonton-based public-private group – comprising the Edmonton Police Basis, the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), the College of Alberta, Telus, ATB Monetary and Motorola – partnered to submit this distinctive proposal. The CSW Accelerator powered by Alchemist will help tech corporations (together with social enterprises) utilizing synthetic intelligence and machine studying to develop apps or digital platforms that particularly present a social, group or wellness profit.
The group partnered with a top-ranking agency from Silicon Valley known as Alchemist Accelerator to develop a first-of-its-kind program to ship enterprise improvement, mentorship and alternatives to chose candidates in the neighborhood security and wellness sector. These corporations shall be validating their enterprise and know-how in Edmonton by accessing local people service organizations. A gaggle of traders led by Ashif Mawji, chair of the Edmonton Police Basis, will kind a fund to assist spend money on the businesses coming by/out of the accelerator.
This accelerator is a part of the Alberta Innovates Scaleup and Growth Accelerator Program (Scaleup GAP). The 4 accelerators are offering providers in Alberta with the help of a funding consortium led by Alberta Innovates.
All three orders of presidency are investing about $35 million for the general accelerator program. This contains funding from the Alberta Ministry of Jobs, Financial system and Innovation to Alberta Innovates to steer and handle the general Scaleup and Progress Accelerator Program. The Authorities of Canada, by Prairies Financial Improvement Canada (PrairiesCan), has invested within the Alberta Innovates program to increase funds out there to not-for-profit enterprise accelerators. Funding is coming from Innovate Edmonton on the municipal stage.
QUOTES
“That is the primary accelerator of its type in Canada focused to fixing social challenges, and a singular alternative for corporations and traders. Individuals within the CSW Accelerator will achieve entry to a world community of mentors, traders and entrepreneurs, plus entry to Alberta’s world-class expertise in synthetic intelligence and machine studying. Along with serving to Alberta-based tech corporations scale and develop, we additionally need to spotlight Alberta’s functionality to the world, appeal to international companies and create a world mindset in our native ecosystem.”
Laura Kilcrease, CEO, Alberta Innovates
“The world wants what Edmonton affords – a passionate and vibrant group of entrepreneurs dedicated to fixing a few of the world’s greatest challenges. The CSW Accelerator fueled by Alchemist will help native innovators and digital IP designed for optimistic social affect, enhancing lives for Edmontonians and other people around the globe.”
Catherine Warren, CEO, Innovate Edmonton
“The CSW Accelerator powered by Alchemist will leverage sturdy and wealthy group knowledge, and group service organizations as area specialists, pilot websites and first paying clients. The Edmonton Police Basis, with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), the College of Alberta, Telus, ATB Monetary, Motorola and others, are excited to associate to make important change on this area. Finally, the digital options generated by this program will create optimistic social affect, enhance lives, and create and nurture a extra livable and investable metropolis and share our options, globally.”
Ashif Mawji, Board Chair, Edmonton Police Basis, on behalf of the CSW Accelerator partnership
“Alchemist’s mission is to convey Silicon Valley know-how and networks to probably the most fascinating entrepreneurs everywhere in the world. We will’t wait to get began with our companions in Alberta.”
Rachel Chalmers, head of company and authorities packages, Alchemist Accelerator
Media Contact:
Ashif Mawji
Chair, Edmonton Police Basis
executivedirector@edmontonpolicefoundation.com
780.391.6371
BACKGROUND & FAQs:
- Initiated by the Edmonton Police Basis in partnership with the Edmonton Police Service, College of Alberta, Amii, ATB Monetary, TELUS and Motorola.
- Programming shall be delivered in Edmonton.
- Coaching, mentors and networking shall be supplied by Alchemist Accelerator by its AlchemistX program.
- This accelerator will leverage know-how, knowledge, synthetic intelligence/machine studying to plot and deploy workable group security and wellness options.
- Individuals can have entry to personal funding. A gaggle of Alberta traders will kind a fund to spend money on ventures coming by the accelerator.
- Native organizations and social companies shall be first paying clients.
Q: What do you imply by group security and wellness?
A: It is a broad umbrella time period encompassing well being, prison justice and social points from a preventative lens. It addresses wellness, addictions, home violence, homelessness and different social challenges.
Q: The CSW Accelerator powered by Alchemist shall be attracting international companies. Why ought to we fund non-Alberta corporations?
A: One of many targets of this system is to spotlight Alberta functionality to the world and make Alberta a most popular know-how vacation spot for entrepreneurs and funding. The Alberta Scaleup and Progress Accelerator Program (Scaleup GAP) administered by Alberta Innovates is unprecedented for Alberta by way of its international scope and high quality of programming. It’s meant to draw each Alberta and eligible international corporations to come back to Alberta to strengthen the Alberta ecosystem, and supply entry to international collaborations and capital. Collaborating corporations shall be chosen accordingly to the factors set by the Neighborhood Security and Wellness Accelerator with their service supply associate, Alchemist Accelerator.
Q: Is there a charge to use?
A: There shall be no charges to use or take part.
Q: Is that this meant to solely handle social issues in Edmonton? What’s in it for Alberta and international corporations?
A: The group security and wellness challenges we face are frequent elsewhere. The options we commercialize/launch right here will be scaled to assist the provincial and international group. Collaborating corporations can scale globally, after they show their answer works right here they usually get their first paying buyer. Additionally, ventures from around the globe can come right here to assist additional their enterprise by an accelerator providing a singular alternative within the social area.
Q: What sorts of digital merchandise or platforms might be developed by the CSW Accelerator to assist handle societal challenges?
A: Some examples of what’s attainable: Predicting home violence earlier, for early intervention; empowering homeless individuals with instruments that predict wants and match options; technology-based habit administration/discount options; fixing chilly instances on lacking individuals; gamified platform to supply racial bias consciousness and corrective options; proactive psychological well being and wellness platforms for people and companies/entities; predictive software to allow regulation enforcement to assist offenders of sure crimes undergo rehab as an alternative of placing them by the prison justice system.
About Alberta Innovates
Alberta Innovates is the province’s largest and Canada’s first provincial analysis and innovation company. For a century we’ve labored intently with researchers, corporations and entrepreneurs – trailblazers who constructed industries and strengthened communities. Right this moment we’re pivoting to the subsequent frontier of alternative in Alberta and worldwide by driving rising applied sciences throughout sectors. We’re a provincial company delivering seed funding, enterprise recommendation, utilized analysis and technical providers, and avenues for partnership and collaboration. Learn how Alberta Innovates.
About Innovate Edmonton
Headquartered in Alberta’s capital metropolis, Innovate Edmonton leverages, unites, and promotes home-grown innovation as a gateway to fixing the world’s most urgent issues. We harness the ability of the private and non-private sectors, ground-breaking tutorial analysis, and purpose-driven funding to construct a shared prosperity and open worldwide markets. From sustainable local weather options to public well being and digital schooling, Edmonton is a number one international centre for inspiration, ingenuity, and inclusion. Be taught extra about Innovate Edmonton and Startup Edmonton, a division of Innovate Edmonton.
In regards to the Neighborhood Security and Wellness Accelerator
The Neighborhood Security and Wellness Accelerator (CSW) is sponsored by the Edmonton Police Basis at the side of numerous companions, together with ATB Monetary, TELUS, Motorola, U of A, AMII, Edmonton Police Service and others. Utilizing a mix of information, synthetic intelligence and machine studying, entrepreneurship, mentorship, area experience, funding, structured accelerator programming and different key elements to assist create profitable social affect ventures, its mission is to assist resolve our group’s challenges and create a sustainable mannequin to assist convey these options to the world. Being one of many first on this planet with this distinctive mixture will permit the CSW to display the social affect energy of Albertans. For extra info, go to the CSW Accelerator.
About Alchemist Accelerator
Alchemist is a venture-backed accelerator targeted on accelerating the event of seed-stage ventures that monetize from enterprises (not customers). CB Insights rated Alchemist the highest accelerator based mostly on median funding charges of its grads (YC was #2). The accelerator’s main screening standards is on groups, with primacy positioned on having distinctive technical co-founders. The group supplies seed funding into corporations it admits and supplies founders a structured path to traction, fundraising, mentorship, and group over the course of a 6-month program. Our backers embrace lots of the prime company and VC funds within the Valley — together with Khosla Ventures, DFJ, Cisco, GE, next47(Siemens), and Salesforce, amongst others. The accelerator seeds round 75 enterprise-monetizing ventures / yr. Notable alumni embrace LaunchDarkly, Rigetti Quantum Computing, mPharma, Matternet, and Mightyhive.
A photograph accompanying this announcement is accessible at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2c6a91a6-9356-4e37-a403-a64408d8ddbf
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