Thursday, October 22, 2026 – Waterloo, ON – The Accelerator Centre (AC) is welcoming 23 technology companies to Cohort 3 of AC:Studio, a venture studio program supporting southern Ontario founders developing and commercializing technologies aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The SDGs provide a global framework for addressing significant economic, environmental and social priorities, from health and climate action to sustainable communities and responsible production. AC:Studio connects these priorities with entrepreneurship, supporting founders building technologies that have the potential to address real-world needs while creating viable businesses.
Supported by $3.9 million in funding from the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), AC:Studio combines non-dilutive funding with one-to-one mentorship and specialized tactical support.
Each company selected will receive $30,000 in matching non-dilutive funding, alongside workshops and specialized support in areas including product development, marketing, UI/UX and environmental impact measurement. Program partners SnapPea, Conestoga College’s Gig Lab, WEtech Alliance, and CarbonGraph contribute specialized expertise and tactical support.
At the end of nine months of programming, the top seven companies will advance to Phase 2 and receive an additional $70,000 in matching funding, bringing the total funding available to each selected company across both phases to $100,000.
“Ontario’s ability to compete in the innovation economy depends on our ability to turn promising technologies into strong, sustainable companies,” said Ruth Casselman, CEO of the Accelerator Centre. “The results from AC:Studio’s first two cohorts show what can happen when founders have the right resources at the right stage. With Cohort 3, we’re building on that success and helping another generation of southern Ontario companies create jobs, attract investment and bring new technologies to market.”
Building businesses with impact
Across its first two cohorts, AC:Studio companies have created more than 500 jobs, raised more than $68.5 million in investment and generated more than $32.7 million in revenue.
Cohort 3 builds on those results, bringing another 23 companies from across southern Ontario into the program as they develop their technologies, strengthen their businesses and pursue new opportunities for growth.
“Ontario’s innovative entrepreneurs are building businesses with the potential to compete on the global stage. Through FedDev Ontario, our government is helping companies like these turn promising ideas into growing businesses. Initiatives like AC:RevLab give founders the tools and support they need to reach new customers, grow their revenue and create good jobs, strengthening Ontario’s economy,” said the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
Meet AC:Studio Cohort 3
The 23 companies selected for Cohort 3 are:
- Agilmatic Electric Ltd – An autonomous mobile disinfection robot solution for healthcare environments that uses laser-based navigation and autonomous mapping to provide safe, efficient, and cost-effective disinfection.
- AIM Robotics – An AI-powered low-altitude airspace intelligence platform that enables safe, scalable drone operations and airspace security.
- Anutio – An AI-enabled EdTech SaaS platform for workforce intelligence and skills validation, helping employers verify practical capabilities beyond static resumes and credentials.
- Aqualis Bio – Engineering probiotics that produce affordable natural astaxanthin, replacing one of the most costly essential feed ingredients in farmed salmonid production.
- Axon Health – Operational software for addiction treatment centres, transitional housing, drug treatment courts, and foster-care agencies.
- BAO Laboratory – An AI and robotic micro formulation platform that assesses a person’s skin and compounds a customized skincare formulation on demand at retail or clinic locations.
- Belaris Biotech – A medical technology company developing next-generation implantable devices designed to improve how chronic diseases are treated and managed.
- CarGenerator Inc. – A portable backup power system that turns an existing vehicle into a reliable source of emergency and off-grid electricity.
- CELLECT Laboratories Inc. – A nanotechnology-enabled molecular diagnostics platform that transforms vaginal fluids, including menstrual effluent, into viable diagnostic samples for existing laboratory workflows.
- Daylun Inc. – A construction technology company combining modular building systems and sustainable materials to build energy-efficient homes faster and with less environmental impact.
- Deschool Online Inc. – A browser-based WebVR EdTech platform that delivers hardware-free, immersive career simulation labs directly to standard school laptops, without requiring expensive VR headsets.
- ExactBlue Technologies Inc. – A microbial monitoring platform that provides rapid, on-site detection of bacteria and biofilm in recirculating and decentralized water systems.
- Fir Logic Ltd. – An AI-powered forestry intelligence platform that combines 3D vision and edge AI to deliver real-time insights for forestry operations.
- Infinite Harvest Technologies Inc. – Using insect-based bioconversion technology Infinite Harvest Technologies turns food and agricultural waste into animal feed protein and organic soil amendments.
- Mandel Diagnostics – An ophthalmic diagnostics company building technology to detect early changes in retinal function and support earlier screening for age-related macular degeneration.
- Materia Bioworks Inc. – A sustainable materials technology company using AI and materials science to help companies find, formulate, and bring bioplastic products to market faster.
- Micintel Dynamics Inc. – An industrial wastewater technology company using AI and microbial process optimization to reduce sludge and improve wastewater treatment performance.
- MOLwise Biosciences Inc. – An AI-powered molecular design company that rapidly identifies and validates molecules for biosensors, reducing a traditionally months-long discovery process to days.
- NewGen Health – A health technology company developing a smart urine-testing cup and digital platform for at-home screening and ongoing monitoring of chronic health conditions.
- Quotograph – An AI-powered construction platform that automates estimating, reporting, measurements, and safety monitoring to help contractors manage projects more efficiently and reduce waste.
- SCOOTY – A mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) company that develops AI-powered software for public transit agencies and offers a zero-emission, transit-integrated micromobility program for municipalities.
- Take Care – A digital platform that helps families plan for aging, illness, and end-of-life decisions by securely organizing and sharing important wishes, documents, and care information.
- WirelessPnC – An AI-enabled universal wireless charging platform for electric mobility, autonomous systems, and smart energy infrastructure.
About the Accelerator Centre
The Accelerator Centre empowers early-stage tech founders in the Waterloo Region with access to early-stage capital, mentorship, tactical supports, and industry networks essential to building businesses that thrive. This is where the real business of entrepreneurship gets done, every day. Everything we do begins and ends with founders—the problem solvers, builders, and bold thinkers driving Canada’s innovation economy forward. Supporting them isn’t just our mission; it’s our passion, and we are committed to being the most trusted partner as they create new industries, fuel local economies, and inspire the next generation of made-in-Ontario tech companies. Learn more at acceleratorcentre.com.
About FedDev Ontario
Since 2009, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impact the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our impact stories, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.
Media Contacts
Tabatha Laverty
Chief Operating Officer
Accelerator Centre
tlaverty@acceleratorcentre.com
Leela Polushin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
leela.polushin@ised-isde.gc.ca
