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Telus and B.C-based L-Spark, a B2B SaaS accelerator, are coming together to provide Canadian startups and innovators with access to the Telus Sovereign AI Factory.
The Telus Sovereign AI Factor, based in Rimouski, Que., uses cutting-edge AI compute power to rapidly drive the building of new AI models, fine-tune existing ones for specific corporate needs, and then deploy them into a wide-range of business operations.
This collaboration is to overcome a critical barrier both firms say is facing Canadian AI startups, accessing high-performance infrastructure without having to relocate or build their startup systems on foreign-owned platforms. By making the Telus Sovereign AI Factory technology available to all sizes of Canadian businesses, both companies hope to support the building of cutting-edge AI solutions that can be scaled domestically and then globally.
On LinkedIn, L-Spark outlined the advantages for Canadian companies:
- Build, train, scale and deploy AI within Canadian borders, fostering safe and secure AI innovation.
- Unlock scalable AI computing power leveraging NVIDIA accelerated computing to streamline development and stay competitive in the evolving AI-driven economy.
- Experience sustainable AI computing — powered by 99 per cent renewable energy, operating more efficiently than industry average and minimizing power consumption for AI workloads.
Supporting Canada's AI talent
“Canada has world-class AI talent, founders and research institutions; however, a structural shortage of sovereign domestic compute has limited startups from innovating without sending their sensitive data abroad,” said Hesham Fahmy, chief information officer, Telus in the press announcement. “By teaming up with L-SPARK, we are leveling the playing field and opening the doors of our Sovereign AI Factory to the country’s founders and innovators who can now build breakthrough AI companies on infrastructure they control — keeping their innovations, intellectual property and competitive advantages in Canada.
"That's how we build our country’s next generation of AI leaders — kickstarting a new wave of innovation that will fuel economic growth and unlock billions in potential for Canada.”
The collaboration will prioritize organizations in regulated and mission-critical sectors where data residency, auditability and Canadian legal jurisdiction are essential, including public sector services, healthcare, finance, critical infrastructure and utilities.
“Founders and researchers across Canada are hitting the same wall: they have ambitious AI roadmaps, but limited access to the compute they need to execute,” said Leo Lax, executive managing director, L-Spark, in the release. “This partnership connects them directly to Canada’s most powerful sovereign AI platform at the exact moment when access to scalable, compliant GPU infrastructure will decide who leads in the next wave of AI innovation.”
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