Sept 24th, 2024
The sixth edition of NEXT AI’s Démo Day, an unmissable event for entrepreneurs from across Canada, took place on September 10 in HEC Montréal’s Hélène Desmarais Building. Attended by over 300 people, the gathering shone a light on the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in transforming all types of industries. The 2024 cohort, made up of 32 innovative startups, is at the forefront of this revolution, driving the vitality of both local and national economies.
Celebrating ambitious entrepreneurs
Démo Day marked the culmination of the efforts of 63 visionary entrepreneurs who developed their ideas, overcame complex challenges, and demonstrated resilience and creativity, while also inspiring both awe and optimism for the future of AI in Canada.
Startups from a variety of sectors, including agriculture, legal technology and life sciences, demonstrated the immense potential of AI to transform industries and solve global problems. The event also celebrated innovation by women, as 13 of this year’s startups were founded by female entrepreneurs. The geographic diversity of the participants, ranging from local to national to international, highlighted the broad reach of the program.
Strategic support to energize the digital economy
Members of the 2024 cohort reported that NEXT AI had had a major impact on their growth, thanks primarily to the guidance they received throughout the program. According to Extra Junior Laguerre and Alexandra Saliba of Jaqln, “NEXT AI was an incredible way for us to connect with business founders, mentors and specialists, while also acquiring knowledge essential to our success.”
Tatiana Maximova, CEO of IngrediLens, underscored the importance of the NEXT AI network: “Having access to an incredible pool of mentors gave our startup a boost, allowing us to collaborate and take effective action.” Auky Gonzales, CEO of ÁCARA CLIMATE, said that personalized support and access to a network of specialists were key to helping him overcome technological development challenges.
NEXT AI: An engine for growth in Quebec and throughout Canada
NEXT AI has been a significant player in Montreal’s AI entrepreneur circles since 2019. With two different programs and eight cohorts to date, NEXT AI has empowered more than 230 startups and 450 entrepreneurs, leading to almost $300 million in created value and generating close to 1000 jobs.
By powering this tech startup accelerator, Executive Education HEC Montréal plays a pivotal role in the digital transformation of our economies. Our support for the entrepreneurs daring to shape the future facilitates the marketing and implementation of AI solutions all over the world.
Productivity-boosting innovations
CoeurWay, one of the members of the 2024 cohort, illustrates perfectly the tangible impact of AI on productivity. The CoeurWay AI tool automates notetaking and form filling for health professionals. Used in several clinics, CoeurWay saves doctors valuable time, thereby allowing them to see more patients every day. This Quebec-made innovation not only increases productivity in the medical field, but also enhances quality of care.
A bright future ahead
The sixth edition of NEXT AI’s Démo Day showed, once again, the crucial role of AI in transforming the economies of both Quebec and Canada. As the 2024 cohort reaches the end of its programs, NEXT AI is preparing itself to support the next generation of innovators looking to change the world through AI.
To learn more about the 2024 cohort and its projects, see the 2024 brochure and watch the Meet the Cohort video.
➲ See all our programs.