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Ferme d’Hiver completes seed round and secures large-scale industrial deployment

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Ferme d’Hiver announces that it has completed its seed round that allows it to ensure the development of its technological solution and its industrial deployment. Investissement Québec reiterates its confidence in the company and confirms an investment of 2 million dollars coming from its own funds, in addition to the 1.5 million already committed in order to support its growth. Two other Montreal-based investors, Mavrik Canada LLC and Haystack, have also decided to jointly inject 3 million dollars into the business.

Furthermore, the Government of Quebec grants 1.7 million dollars in financial assistance to Ferme d’Hiver in order to support the construction of its first vertical farm on the property of Serres Vaudreuil. This farm, which covers an area of 1,252 m2, is currently being set up and the production of Winter Berry will begin in October 2021. The government’s financial support includes a 1.2 million dollars loan issued through the ESSOR program, administered by Investissement Québec for the Government of Quebec, and a loan guarantee of $500,000 granted by the Financière agricole du Québec (FADQ).

This seed round will allow Ferme d’Hiver to accelerate the deployment of its technological solution among Quebec’s fruit and vegetable growers who are interested in producing during the winter season. We have already been holding discussions with many growers in order to reach partnership agreements“, indicated Alain Brisebois, Ferme d’Hiver’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Financial support from Quebec’s governing bodies
Investissement Québec, the Quebec Government’s principal economic development lever, counts among Ferme d’Hiver’s very first partners and it now renews its commitment to the company.

We are happy to reiterate our support for Ferme d’Hiver and to contribute to the development of their innovative solution, which addresses agricultural and environmental issues“, mentioned Guy LeBlanc, President and Chief Executive Officer of Investissement Québec. “By doing so, Investissement Québec fully assumes its role of supporting promising young businesses, developing our regional economies and promoting local production, particularly in the agricultural sector.”

Our government is proud to support the realization of this sustainable and innovating investment project, which will allow for local and durable agricultural production. Privileging local production and the purchase of Quebec-made products year-round is an excellent way to contribute to our economic recovery. I salute Ferme d’Hiver and its partner-growers for their ambition in participating in the expansion of our food self-sufficiency, while also aiming to increase their exports“, said Lucie Lecours, Minister for the Economy.

With this project, Ferme d’Hiver joins Quebec’s collective will in reinforcing its food self-sufficiency by offering quality local market garden products, grown in an environmentally responsible way. The construction of this vertical farm will also contribute in attaining the objective laid out in the Greenhouse Growth Strategy, which aims to double greenhouse production areas in Quebec by 2025“, stated André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Minister responsible for the Centre-du-Québec region.

New investors
Thanks to its unique technology, Ferme d’Hiver succeeded in attracting the interest of strategic investors who believe in the Quebec company’s agro-technology solution. Thusly, Ferme d’Hiver can count on the support of Haystack and Mavrik, two private investment funds who have jointly injected 3 million dollars into the business, thereby demonstrating the value of the solution proposed by the Quebec-based company.

Haystack is an investor group based in Montreal, who has begun contributing and betting on the growth of several companies active in various sectors in Quebec and Asia. “The Ferme d’Hiver team imagined and continues to develop an incredible solution and we are very excited by the idea of participating in the expansion of the company. It will bring about a major evolution in off-season fruit and vegetable production, in an ecological and profitable way“, explained Alexandre Panneton, group partner.

Mavrik is a Montreal-based family business which leads a wide range of investment and financing activities in several asset categories. Mavrik focuses on innovation, entrepreneurship and responsible investing. “We like leaders who strive to bring paradigm shifts in the areas of environmental sustainability, food production, agriculture and social responsibility. It was therefore very natural for Mavrik to associate itself with Ferme d’Hiver, an innovative company founded in Quebec“, elaborated Mark Pathy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mavrik Canada LLC.

A unique technology which allows for industrial scaling
Ferme d’Hiver is not only about Winter Berry production. Above all, it is the development of a solution that is unique in the world. This solution, developed in Quebec, is a mixture of technological and agronomic know-how.

Beyond the year-round production of summer fruits and vegetables, the product imagined by the company also allows to save energy while eliminating greenhouse gas emissions.

Looking forward, we really want to create a network of growers capable of contributing to our food self-sufficiency and even create an export market of fresh fruits and vegetables“, explains Yves Daoust, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ferme d’Hiver. “A winter farm can produce up to 9 times the square meter volume of a greenhouse and retrieve over 80% of the energy consumed to heat an adjacent greenhouse 5 times its size. This combination is the most efficient and most profitable solution when producing a very wide range of fruits and vegetables year-round.

A multiplied production
Through its vertical density and climate control, Ferme d’Hiver allows for the annual production of over 160 kilos of strawberries by square meter. The profitability is therefore assured as of Year One. Through its partner-growers, the objective is to replace 10% of strawberry imports within three years, and to contribute in improving the profitability of greenhouse production, thereby strengthening our food sovereignty.

Although the installations at Les Serres Vaudreuil will be small-scale, this winter farm, by itself, will practically double the volume of strawberries produced in Quebec during winter.

To learn more about Ferme d’Hiver’s innovative solution, consult our website:  https://fermedhiver.ca/?lang=en. You can consult the media kit here and visuals here.

Artificial Intelligence

HONOR Unveils Four-Layer AI Architecture and Forges Ahead with Google Cloud for More AI Experiences at VivaTech 2024

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Experience AI-powered Studio-level Portrait Photography on the New HONOR 200 Series  
PARIS, May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Global technology brand HONOR has made its debut today at VivaTech, one of Europe’s largest tech and innovation events. During its keynote, HONOR showcased its innovative approach to on-device AI and unveiled its pioneering Four-layered AI Strategy. HONOR also announced upcoming Gen-AI experiences with Google Cloud, which are set to be featured on its anticipated smartphones, opening up exciting possibilities for enhancing user experiences.

“At HONOR, we firmly believe that, by combining the power of on-device AI’s personalization, intuitiveness, and privacy protection, everyone can unlock the full potential of AI safely and securely,” said George Zhao, CEO of HONOR Device Co., Ltd. “We are also delighted to forge ahead with Google Cloud, leveraging our combined expertise to unlock the potential of this hybrid approach and deliver even more seamless AI experiences to our users.”
Introducing HONOR’s Four-Layer AI Architecture
During the keynote, HONOR unveiled its Four-Layer AI Architecture and demonstrated its strategic focus on integrating AI into MagicOS. This Four-Layer Architecture comprises distinct layers. At the base layer, Cross-device and Cross-OS AI form the foundation of an open ecosystem, which allows the sharing of computing power and services among devices and operating systems. Building upon this foundation, the Platform-level AI layer enables a personalized operating system, allowing intent-based human-computer interaction and personalized resource allocation. At the third layer, App-level AI is poised to introduce a wave of innovative, generative AI applications that will revolutionize user experiences. Lastly, at the top, the Interface to Cloud-AI services layer provides users with easy access to massive cloud services while prioritizing privacy protection, creating a truly holistic and future-forward AI experience.
As part of MagicOS 8.0, Magic Portal is the industry’s first intent-based UI, which understands user behavior and streamlines complex tasks into single-step processes. Currently, Magic Portal supports 100 top applications across seven scenarios, including travel, productivity, messaging, search, entertainment, shopping, and social media, with plans to expand usage scenarios to provide even more seamless and intelligent AI experiences in the future.
As part of HONOR’s Four-Layer Architecture, HONOR is set to integrate cutting-edge Gen-AI experiences, powered by Google Cloud, into its upcoming smartphones, promising to deliver a new level of intelligence and innovation to users with enhanced privacy protection.
Revolutionizing Portrait Experience with HONOR 200 Series
Following the successful launch of AI Motion Sensing Capture, a cutting-edge feature that leverages AI to automatically capture fast-moving actions, HONOR also announced that the upcoming HONOR 200 Series will take mobile photography to new heights with an all-new AI-enhanced Portrait experience.
The HONOR 200 Series is poised to revolutionize portrait photography by bringing the mastery of Studio Harcourt, a legendary French photography studio known for its expertise in capturing classic portrait shots with iconic figures, to every step of the process, leveraging AI technology to recreate the iconic studio’s legendary lighting and shadow effects.
By using AI to learn from a vast dataset of Studio Harcourt portraits, the HONOR 200 Series has successfully broken down the entire portrait photography process into nine distinct steps, and perfectly replicates the full Studio Harcourt method, ensuring flawless and studio-quality portraits with every shot.
The HONOR 200 Series is set to launch in Paris on June 12, powered by MagicOS 8.0, further solidifying HONOR’s commitment to democratizing AI technology. In a move to make AI more accessible to a wider audience, HONOR also announced plans to roll out MagicOS 8.0 to its HONOR Magic V2 and HONOR 90 devices, empowering more users to experience the transformative power of AI.
The Human-AI Synergy: Smart Devices for a Better Future
At the event, HONOR also hosted an insightful panel discussion featuring esteemed industry expert Dr. Justine Cassell. The discussion delved into the future of multimodal interaction, highlighting how this integration enhances convenience and privacy protection for device users.
“On-device AI can better empower individuals,” emphasized George. “The on-device offers personalized recommendations while safeguarding user privacy by keeping data on the device. For instance, HONOR’s Magic Portal design ensures users retain control over service selection and decision-making.”
In terms of multimodal interaction, Dr. Justine Cassell noted, “Humans live multimodally. The rise of on-body devices like rings, and pins, alongside powerful smartphones, shows growing comfort with AI integrating verbal language, and nonverbal cues like gestures and facial expressions. This predicts the adoption of multimodally-sensitive AI on phones.”
“Human-centric is HONOR’s design philosophy, with human at the center of all devices,” George envisioned. “Empowered by AI, cross-device integration can combine the unique advantages of different devices in the future. Rather than learning user behaviors in isolation on each device, this approach allows for macro-level, unified user intent recognition, offering tailored recommendations and suggestions.”
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Borderless AI Appoints Former Chime HR Executive Beth Steinberg to Board of Advisors to Build on Global HR Expertise

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Steinberg’s decades of experience driving strategies for corporate talent and people management will strengthen the company’s market position and enhance its impact on the global human resources space
TORONTO, May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Borderless AI, the AI-powered startup revolutionizing the Employer of Record (EOR) industry, has appointed Beth Steinberg, former Chief People Officer at Chime, to its Board of Advisors to leverage her deep understanding of the unique needs of human resources teams to build successful global HR programs.

Following Borderless AI’s $27M seed funding in March 2024, Steinberg’s appointment furthers the company’s focus on harnessing the vast capabilities of generative AI to automate and accelerate the processes of onboarding, managing, and paying international team members.  Borderless AI’s novel AI agent Alberni, is the first of its kind specifically created to perform complex and time-consuming HR tasks, such as automating the process of generating global employment agreements or onboarding new global employees, all within minutes by leveraging conversational AI. Steinberg’s appointment underscores the need for advanced technology to propel innovation in the HR category and the company’s commitment to advancing the work of people management and HR teams.
“Having an acute sense of the HR industry is critical to ensure we are providing products and services to our customers that drive real value and impact,” said Willson Cross, co-founder and CEO of Borderless AI. “Beth brings vast expertise and understanding of the nuances of the human resources category, and her leadership experience and passion for innovation will help Borderless AI equip organizations with the tools and information they need to scale globally and deliver results for their people.”
Steinberg most recently held the position of Chief People Officer of  Chime, where she currently serves in an advisory role. During her time as Chime’s Chief People Officer, Steinberg led the company’s human resources strategy, building purposeful programs to drive HR efforts and people and team growth across the organization.
“I am excited to join the advisory board of Borderless AI, a company whose mission aligns with my belief that talent should be borderless,” said Steinberg, Board of Advisors, Borderless AI. “The company’s all-in-one platform allows businesses to focus on growth while tapping into the world’s talent pool, simplifying global HR processes. By harnessing this innovative technology, Borderless AI is breaking down barriers and empowering companies to build diverse, high-performing teams. I look forward to being part of this transformative journey.”
Steinberg joins Borderless AI as a tenured HR expert, with over 30 years of experience holding leadership and advisory roles in the human resources field.  In addition to her role as Chime’s CPO, she has led human resources teams at various companies including Meta, Nike, Electronic Arts, and Nordstrom, driving change and impact on an individual and company level.
A committed member of the  HR community at large, Steinberg will continue to advise numerous other companies, including freelance and talent management platform Contra, and VC firm Felicis,  in addition to her role on Borderless AI’s Board of Advisors. She also holds an acting role at Mensch Ventures, the People and Talent advisory firm she founded in 2016, and has served for over 10 years as a company sponsor and mentor in the TechWomen program, helping to empower young women around the world to build careers in STEM.
Steinberg is joining the Board of Advisors alongside recent appointee Leonard Shen, a former Visa and PayPal executive, who is advising the company’s growth in the compliance arena. Together, Steinberg and Shen bring expertise in pivotal functions to further Borderless AI’s market position and advancement in the EOR space.
For more information on Borderless AI, visit hireborderless.ai. You can also try out Alberni for free here.
About Borderless AIBorderless AI is a global payroll solution that leverages the power of generative AI to automate and speed up the process of onboarding, managing, and paying international team members. With Borderless AI, businesses can compliantly hire and manage talent worldwide without establishing a foreign entity while alleviating the complexities and risks associated with hiring global employees. With a focus on innovation and customer service, Borderless AI developed Alberni, the world’s first AI agent for global HR. Alberni uses conversational AI to simplify global employment tasks from contract creation to expense management. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, and has raised $27 million in seed funding to date, backed by Susquehanna and Aglaé Ventures.
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Peloton delivers Platform v2 with enhanced security, mobility, and speed, powering business solutions for the world’s energy enterprises

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CALGARY, AB, May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Peloton Computer Enterprises Ltd. — the global standard for energy data management is proud to announce the release of Platform v2. The Peloton Platform delivers a cohesive experience for traditionally siloed operations, hosting solutions encompassing Well Data Lifecycle, Production Data Lifecycle and Land Data Management. The Platform is designed to manage your assets by providing efficiencies for removing disparate processes and data redundancy. Peloton Platform maximizes security, leverages mobility, accelerates data input, and enables real-time, data driven decisions for energy clients. Learn how you can GET IT ALL, and get it today at https://www.peloton.com/get-it-all-lp.

 
Security: Peloton’s best in class security includes our 24/7 security team and SOC1/2 compliance embedded within the Peloton Platform. With superior security measures and dedicated platform monitoring, Peloton ensures data integrity and reliability, backed by global, redundant data centers to minimize the risk, and offer material cost savings compared to on-premises solutions.Mobility: The Platform offers industry leading mobility, allowing customers to access and manage critical operational data anytime, anywhere. With intuitive mobile apps and fast, local data centers, Peloton empowers users with seamless accessibility and enhanced productivity.Integration: The Peloton Platform provides data integration across all three solutions (Well Data Lifecycle, Production Data Lifecycle, and Land Data Management) creating a unified ecosystem for the data management of your assets. Plus, ETL/Web API processes empower organizations to seamlessly manage integrations to third party databases and applications. By centralizing these functions, Platform clients benefit from saving countless hours of manual data entry and significant costs associated with rework from relying on disparate or out of date information. The Platform delivers stakeholder data trust and peak data efficiency, ensuring better decision-making and resource optimization across organizational silos.Faster Data Input: Peloton’s Well Data Lifecycle, Production Data Lifecycle and Land Data Management solutions on the Peloton Platform, revolutionize data input workflows by automating processes and reducing manual entry. With a suite of direct integrations, import tools, automated data synthesis from sensor and contextual data points, our solutions accelerate data entry and enhance accuracy, enabling users to focus on critical tasks without the burden of tedious data input.Real-time: The Peloton Platform offers real-time data ingestion and visualization in cloud storage solutions, providing clients with instant access to critical data during and after operations. With ultra-low latency connections and standardized data delivery, Peloton empowers clients with actionable insights for efficient decision-making using current information.”Organizational data silos and data redundancy breed frustration and erode trust in your operations. Too many organizations are still relying on disparate processes and custom solutions preventing a single source of truth and hampering their abilities to do more with less effort”, said Adil Walji, Peloton CTO.
About Peloton: Peloton is a leading provider of innovative technology solutions for the energy industry, offering solutions to optimize operations and enhance productivity. With a focus on security, mobility, integration, and real-time monitoring, Peloton powers energy clients to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. For more information, visit https://www.peloton.com/get-it-all-lp.
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