Latest news with #JamesNeufeld
Edmonton Journal
21-07-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
How an Edmonton AI company alerts NATO, U.S. government to chaos hotspots
Imagine if you had the ability to quickly map all world chaos and then tell clients what hot spots to avoid or attend to. Article content An Edmonton company has used AI to do just that — and NATO, the U.K. Ministry of Defence and the U.S. government (and another 100 or so organizations) — are listening, says samdesk CEO and founder James Neufeld. Article content Article content 'One of the challenges that we saw universally across the private and public sector is they always felt they were one step behind. They found out maybe hours or days later,' Neufeld said at media conference last month with emergency management and community resilience minister Eleanor Olszewski. Article content Article content 'And from an emergency management standpoint, every second or every minute that goes by, it really erodes your ability to effectively respond. The wildfire grows, the crisis grows.' Article content Article content Billions of daily social media posts document real-time experiences. That wealth of intelligence can be powerful for emergency response — eyes and ears on the ground to know where to deploy resources. Article content Natural disaster? Vandalism? Wildfire? Volatile unrest in the streets? Article content Tipping in satellite imagery and other data sources from government, AI pattern-recognition technology correlates it all, spotting the chaos nuclei. Earlier signal, earlier mitigation. Article content Pointing to a large screen dashboard in action, Neufeld fascinated onlookers with a global view, quickly zooming in on northern Alberta. Article content Samdesk's mission is to warn clients: 'Hey, you have a piece of infrastructure that might be under this emergency,' or 'Power outage in Saskatchewan,' or 'Firm up your supply chains,' or even 'Evacuate!' Article content Article content Origins in news Article content Article content The development of the company was newsroom-inspired, from a decade of journalists watching social media for eyewitness information outside of government sources, Neufeld said. Article content 'It wasn't a single source anymore. It was becoming democratized,' he said, citing the coverage of the 2011 Arab Spring revolt and regional wildfires, where people on the ground documented the latest developments. Article content 'What we learned really was, while a lot of newsrooms called it breaking news, the rest of us probably called it something else. It was a crisis. It wasn't a story. It was a real, live situation. It was something that needed to be responded to, something that needed being managed,' he said.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Minister Olszewski announces support to help Alberta businesses diversify, scale up and thrive
These targeted investments will help seven Alberta businesses and organizations in various sectors navigate a rapidly evolving economic landscape EDMONTON, AB, June 24, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), announced federal investments of over $10.9 million for seven Alberta-based businesses and organizations leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), digital adoption and advanced manufacturing. These investments will help them grow, diversify and adapt to a rapidly evolving economic landscape. Building on the Prairies' established strengths in areas such as artificial intelligence and technology, today's announcement reinforces the province's reputation as an innovation hub. They include: Over $1.9 million for RAM Elevators + Lifts to expand the manufacturing capacity of its elevators and lifts for home and commercial spaces. $1.8 million for samdesk to commercialize and accelerate marketplace adoption of its AI-powered platform for crisis and travel risk management. $2.5 million for Promise Robotics to establish a robotics-driven homebuilding factory that will support the production of sustainable and affordable homes. This strategic investment advances the Government of Canada's commitment to building a stronger, more resilient Canadian economy. Quotes "The world is changing fast, and Alberta businesses are rising to meet that challenge with innovation and ambition. Our new government is investing in high-growth companies so they can harness AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing—not just to stay competitive, but to lead. These are the kinds of forward-looking investments that create good jobs and position Canada for long-term success in a shifting global economy."–The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) "As a proud Canadian company, samdesk is thrilled to be recognized among Alberta's most innovative businesses. This support helps us accelerate the global adoption of our AI-powered crisis and risk intelligence platform – technology that's already proving critical in helping governments, enterprises, and humanitarian organizations respond faster to wildfires, natural disasters, geopolitical disruptions, and more. From defence to disaster response, our AI is enabling smarter, real-time decisions when they matter most."–James Neufeld, CEO and Founder, samdesk "At RAM Elevators + Lifts, we have a vision of making 10,000 more buildings accessible by 2028. With the support of PrairiesCan's Business Scale-Up funding, we will be able to move into a larger plant to increase our manufacturing capacity, invest in modern equipment that will enhance our productivity, and add key people to our team, all of which will help make this goal a reality."–Corey Smith, President & Chief Executive Officer, RAM Elevators + Lifts "This kind of investment is exactly what Alberta needs to compete and thrive in a changing economy. By supporting businesses that are scaling up, adopting advanced technologies, and creating high-quality jobs, PrairiesCan is helping to grow a more productive, resilient, and globally competitive Alberta economy. The Edmonton Chamber applauds this commitment to innovation and economic growth—and the confidence it shows in Alberta's potential."–Doug Griffiths, CEO, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Quick facts Today's announcement of over $10.9 million is through PrairiesCan's Business Scale-up and Productivity program, the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative, and the Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative. The investments announced today are expected to support approximately 200 jobs. Backgrounder PrairiesCan is investing $10,901,711 in repayable and non-repayable funding for seven projects in Alberta through the Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program, the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), and the Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII). These targeted investments will help businesses and organizations access diverse funding opportunities to enhance their productivity, scale up, boost production efficiencies, and tackle challenges with new and innovative technologies. They are expected to support approximately 200 jobs and enable Alberta businesses to capitalize on new opportunities. Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program – $5,189,535 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 investments for three projects under BSP: 48Hour Discovery ($1,149,504)Enhance the organization's drug discovery platform through AI to gain access to new markets. Crust Craft ($2,040,270)Expand commercial baking capacity in Edmonton by relocating and installing advanced automated production lines. RAM Elevators + Lifts ($1,999,761)Expand the manufacturing capacity of its elevators and lifts for home and commercial spaces in North America, including the introduction of the Flex Lift to market. Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) – $3,212,176 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 three projects under the RAII: Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network ($494,000)Establish and launch a technology demonstration program to support the commercial adoption of AI-based agriculture technology. Phoenix Farms Ltd. ($918,176)Adopt an optical sorter with AI detection to grade and sort potatoes to expand on-farm efficiency and quality market offerings. samdesk ($1,800,000)Commercialize and accelerate the marketplace adoption of an AI-powered platform for crisis and travel risk management. Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII) – $2,500,000 Through the RHII, the Government of Canada is investing $50 million over two years to support innovative housing solutions across the country. The RHII provides repayable interest-free funding to pursue new approaches for building houses, including designing and upscaling modular homes, using 3D printing, leveraging panelized construction, as well as implementing net-zero and climate resilient homebuilding practices. PrairiesCan announced investment for one project under the RHII: Promise Robotics Inc. ($2,500,000)Establish a robotics-driven homebuilding factory in Calgary that will support the production of sustainable and affordable homes. Associated links Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII) Stay connected Follow PrairiesCan on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378 TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388 SOURCE Prairies Economic Development Canada View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Cision Canada
24-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Minister Olszewski announces support to help Alberta businesses diversify, scale up and thrive
These targeted investments will help seven Alberta businesses and organizations in various sectors navigate a rapidly evolving economic landscape EDMONTON, AB, June 24, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), announced federal investments of over $10.9 million for seven Alberta-based businesses and organizations leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), digital adoption and advanced manufacturing. These investments will help them grow, diversify and adapt to a rapidly evolving economic landscape. Building on the Prairies' established strengths in areas such as artificial intelligence and technology, today's announcement reinforces the province's reputation as an innovation hub. They include: Over $1.9 million for RAM Elevators + Lifts to expand the manufacturing capacity of its elevators and lifts for home and commercial spaces. $1.8 million for samdesk to commercialize and accelerate marketplace adoption of its AI-powered platform for crisis and travel risk management. $2.5 million for Promise Robotics to establish a robotics-driven homebuilding factory that will support the production of sustainable and affordable homes. This strategic investment advances the Government of Canada's commitment to building a stronger, more resilient Canadian economy. Quotes "The world is changing fast, and Alberta businesses are rising to meet that challenge with innovation and ambition. Our new government is investing in high-growth companies so they can harness AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing—not just to stay competitive, but to lead. These are the kinds of forward-looking investments that create good jobs and position Canada for long-term success in a shifting global economy." –The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) " As a proud Canadian company, samdesk is thrilled to be recognized among Alberta's most innovative businesses. This support helps us accelerate the global adoption of our AI-powered crisis and risk intelligence platform – technology that's already proving critical in helping governments, enterprises, and humanitarian organizations respond faster to wildfires, natural disasters, geopolitical disruptions, and more. From defence to disaster response, our AI is enabling smarter, real-time decisions when they matter most." – James Neufeld, CEO and Founder, samdesk "At RAM Elevators + Lifts, we have a vision of making 10,000 more buildings accessible by 2028. With the support of PrairiesCan's Business Scale-Up funding, we will be able to move into a larger plant to increase our manufacturing capacity, invest in modern equipment that will enhance our productivity, and add key people to our team, all of which will help make this goal a reality." – Corey Smith, President & Chief Executive Officer, RAM Elevators + Lifts "This kind of investment is exactly what Alberta needs to compete and thrive in a changing economy. By supporting businesses that are scaling up, adopting advanced technologies, and creating high-quality jobs, PrairiesCan is helping to grow a more productive, resilient, and globally competitive Alberta economy. The Edmonton Chamber applauds this commitment to innovation and economic growth—and the confidence it shows in Alberta's potential." – Doug Griffiths, CEO, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Quick facts Today's announcement of over $10.9 million is through PrairiesCan's Business Scale-up and Productivity program, the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative, and the Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative. The investments announced today are expected to support approximately 200 jobs. Backgrounder PrairiesCan is investing $10,901,711 in repayable and non-repayable funding for seven projects in Alberta through the Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program, the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), and the Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII). These targeted investments will help businesses and organizations access diverse funding opportunities to enhance their productivity, scale up, boost production efficiencies, and tackle challenges with new and innovative technologies. They are expected to support approximately 200 jobs and enable Alberta businesses to capitalize on new opportunities. Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program – $5,189,535 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 investments for three projects under BSP: 48Hour Discovery ($1,149,504) Enhance the organization's drug discovery platform through AI to gain access to new markets. Crust Craft ($2,040,270) Expand commercial baking capacity in Edmonton by relocating and installing advanced automated production lines. RAM Elevators + Lifts ($1,999,761) Expand the manufacturing capacity of its elevators and lifts for home and commercial spaces in North America, including the introduction of the Flex Lift to market. Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) – $3,212,176 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 three projects under the RAII: Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network ($494,000) Establish and launch a technology demonstration program to support the commercial adoption of AI-based agriculture technology. Phoenix Farms Ltd. ($918,176) Adopt an optical sorter with AI detection to grade and sort potatoes to expand on-farm efficiency and quality market offerings. samdesk ($1,800,000) Commercialize and accelerate the marketplace adoption of an AI-powered platform for crisis and travel risk management. Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII) – $2,500,000 Through the RHII, the Government of Canada is investing $50 million over two years to support innovative housing solutions across the country. The RHII provides repayable interest-free funding to pursue new approaches for building houses, including designing and upscaling modular homes, using 3D printing, leveraging panelized construction, as well as implementing net-zero and climate resilient homebuilding practices. PrairiesCan announced investment for one project under the RHII: Associated links Stay connected Follow PrairiesCan on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378 TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388 SOURCE Prairies Economic Development Canada
Business Wire
20-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Genasys Partners With samdesk to Deliver Real-Time Crisis Intelligence for Faster, More Informed Emergency Response
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Genasys Inc. (NASDAQ: GNSS), the global leader in Protective Communications, today announced a new strategic partnership with samdesk, a pioneer in real-time crisis detection and disruption monitoring. This collaboration brings together two trusted technologies that empower emergency managers, public safety leaders, and enterprise security teams to respond more effectively and with greater speed, clarity, and coordination to rapidly evolving critical events. The combined strength of Genasys' proven suite of protective communication solutions —used by emergency managers, public safety officials, and organizations around the world — and samdesk's AI-powered detection platform provides early situational awareness, driving smarter, safer decisions when it matters most. 'At Genasys, our mission is to help organizations communicate clearly and respond confidently during critical events,' said Steve Sickler, Vice President of Field Operations for Genasys. 'Partnering with samdesk enhances our ability to deliver on our commitment of giving customers earlier insights, situational awareness from trusted sources, and more time to deliver protective communications through multiple channels.' Built for Today Faster Insights, Smarter Decisions: samdesk delivers real-time intelligence on critical events—from natural disasters to enterprise threats—often before they hit mainstream sources. Organizations now have a faster, clearer view of what's happening and what actions to take. Actionable Intelligence and Protective Communications: When every second counts, pairing samdesk's enhanced real-time situational awareness with Genasys' suite of multi-channel protective communication solutions enables organizations to quickly inform teams, alert communities, and coordinate responses. Serving a Broad Range of Missions: This partnership supports a wide range of use cases across public and private sectors, including federal, state, and local governments and agencies, public safety, education, enterprise, energy, utilities, manufacturing, automotive, healthcare, and more. Evolving for Tomorrow 'When you're dealing with public safety alerts, there can be no compromise between speed and accuracy,' said James Neufeld, CEO and Founder of samdesk. 'By embedding samdesk's real-time risk detection and situational awareness directly into Genasys' ALERT and CONNECT systems, teams can quickly and accurately detect emerging threats—like severe weather, wildfire risk, or critical infrastructure disruptions—and immediately mobilize protective communications to keep people safe.' 'This partnership reflects Genasys' continued commitment to innovation and meeting the growing demand for integrated crisis response solutions,' John Abbruzzese, Director of Government Sales for Genasys. 'As our collaboration with samdesk evolves, we're working toward deeper platform alignment that will make it even easier for organizations to move from intelligence to action—all within one ecosystem.' About samdesk samdesk is a real-time risk detection and situational awareness platform that delivers alerts 30-90 minutes faster than traditional systems. By combining AI-powered detection with analyst-verified validation in under 60 seconds, it removes noise and offers zero-blind-spot coverage via exclusive data streams. Fully compliant and seamlessly integrable, samdesk empowers teams to act decisively. About Genasys Inc. Genasys Inc. (NASDAQ: GNSS) is the global leader in Protective Communications. Incorporating the most comprehensive portfolio of preparedness, response, and analytics software and systems, as well as the Company's Long Range Acoustic Devices® (LRAD®) the Genasys Protect platform is designed around one premise: ensuring organizations and public safety agencies are 'Ready when it matters™.' Protecting people and saving lives for over 40 years, Genasys covers more than 155 million people in all 50 states and in over 100 countries worldwide. For more information, visit Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical information contained herein, the matters discussed are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. We base these statements on particular assumptions that we have made in light of our industry experience, the stage of product and market development as well as our perception of historical trends, current market conditions, current economic data, expected future developments and other factors that we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested in any forward-looking statement. The risks and uncertainties in these forward-looking statements include without limitation the business impact of geopolitical conflicts and other causes that may affect our supply chain, and other risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company's control. Risks and uncertainties are identified and discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on information and management's expectations as of the date hereof. Future results may differ materially from our current expectations. For more information regarding other potential risks and uncertainties, see the 'Risk Factors' section of the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024. Genasys Inc. disclaims any intent or obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, except as otherwise specifically stated.
