TELUS and L-SPARK launch TELUS Sovereign AI Accelerator

TELUS and L-SPARK said they launched the TELUS Sovereign AI Accelerator, a program that gives select Canadian startups access to TELUS Sovereign AI Factory compute capacity and hands-on business advisory support. The initiative focuses on moving AI solution development from early stages toward training and deployment while maintaining control over data and intellectual property.

The companies tied the accelerator to access for an inaugural cohort that includes Airy3D, Codalio, Edge Signal, PataBid, and TopoLift. TELUS said the goal was to reduce barriers that founders face when scaling from early ideas to businesses, and to pair that infrastructure with advisory guidance from L-SPARK.

Program access centered on TELUS Sovereign AI Factory, described as a high-performance computing environment paired with compute credits. The support model included one-on-one guidance from L-SPARK executive advisors for a six-month engagement, with the accelerator also described as powered by 99% renewable energy and an NVIDIA platform.

In the inaugural cohort, Airy3D’s DepthIQ IP was described as producing simultaneous 2D images and 3D depth maps from a single passive image sensor for robotics, automotive, industrial automation, and consumer devices. Codalio was described as an AI-driven product and application development platform for launching MVPs and building scalable, enterprise-grade applications. Edge Signal was described as enabling physical AI in retail and telco retail contexts for daily operations across locations, while PataBid provided AI enterprise-grade construction bidding software for specialty trades, and TopoLift described its approach as converting generic AI into a bespoke intelligence layer that learns a customer’s business structure.

“Canada has no shortage of talented AI visionaries and founders, but too often they lack the coordinated support needed to scale from promising ideas to globally-competitive businesses,” said Hesham Fahmy, Chief Information Officer, TELUS. “The TELUS Sovereign AI Accelerator demolishes those barriers. By arming founders with the same high-performance AI infrastructure available to tech giants – combined with hands-on advisory support – we're enabling them to accelerate development, strengthen their market position and build AI companies that dominate the world stage, right here in Canada.” “Great AI companies aren't built on technology alone – they're built on execution, focus and access to the right expertise at the right time,” said Leo Lax, Executive Managing Director, L-SPARK. “Through the TELUS Sovereign AI Accelerator, we're working hand-in-hand with each company to refine their product and position them for sustainable growth. This cohort represents the future of Canadian innovation, and our mission is to ensure they have everything they need to translate that potential into accelerated traction.”