When you think of major markets for Canadian tech innovation, Atlantic Canada does not often top the list. But Fredericton saw an increase of venture capital deals and dollars last year, culminating in the city nailing a spot as one of Canada’s top five tech markets in PwC’s MoneyTree report for Q3 2018. It was the first time New Brunswick’s capital city had made it onto the list since CB Insights began collecting MoneyTree data in 2012.

The Norwegian city of Tromsø annually hosts the Arctic Frontiers conference, with the 2019 edition having focused on a Smart Arctic. This focus is timely, given present interest in Smart Innovation. But what does ‘smart’ mean in Arctic contexts? And how can Northern peoples and organizations benefit from it?

A new virtual tool could help planners choose the best places to install bikes lanes in cities.

The data-based tool builds on previous research at the University of Waterloo that validated the safety benefits of bike lanes for cyclists and motorists.

Collected using sensors and a handlebar camera as researchers cycled hundreds of kilometres in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, the data showed bike lanes virtually eliminate vehicles getting too close to cyclists when they pass them.

Construction work has kicked off on the Sunshine Coast’s connection to the JGA-South undersea fibre optic cable system.

State Development Minister Cameron Dick announced the milestone for the build of Maroochydore's new landing station over the weekend.

Self-driving shuttles are headed into a residential neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, as the city sets out on its second autonomous bus project.

The Linden neighborhood in northeastern Columbus will be the site of a 2.7-mile route for a small, electric autonomous shuttle, capable of carrying about a dozen passengers. The new route, set to be operational in November, will be in addition to an existing AV shuttle route operating in downtown, known as the Smart Circuit. More than 3,300 riders have boarded the three downtown shuttles since they began operating, say city officials.

Different initiatives around the Eindhoven University of Technology bring students and SMEs closer together. They offer support to the Brainport region through time, money and knowledge to develop innovative ideas and develop them into startups. Innovation Origins looks at a number of these projects and shows what they can do for this region.

“The Vragenbank gives SMEs the opportunity to get in touch with the university. They can quickly and easily submit their question about an innovative idea in their company to a student.” Monique Greve leads this project from the TU/e and sees that it brings SMEs and students closer together.

Montreal-based software company Lightspeed’s plan to go public on the Toronto Stock Exchange is being hailed a success story for Montreal’s tech industry.

On Wednesday, the company, which makes cloud-based payments software aimed at small and medium-sized businesses, filed a prospectus with securities regulators — a major step in the initial public offering process.

It would be the first notable IPO by a Montreal technology company since Stingray Digital, now Stingray Group, went public in 2015.

For a small country, Estonia has made a big impression on the global stage.

The Baltic nation of just 1.3 million people has attracted the attention of world leaders, academics and venture capitalists thanks to its high-tech digital society.

The numbers speak for themselves: Taxes are completed online in under 5 minutes, 99 percent of the Estonia's public services are available on the web 24 hours a day and nearly one-third of citizens vote via the internet.

Melbourne, Australia, has been named the happiest city in the world this year.

In June 2018, Time Out paired up with Tapestry Research to survey 15,000 people in 32 cities worldwide. They asked residents about food, drink, culture, lifestyle, dating, sex, community, travel, neighborhoods, affordability, nightlife, happiness, public transportation, and civic pride. The findings collectively helped both companies come up with an ultimate ranking for each city in every category.

Cameron Ritchie’s business started with the goal of getting more youth into the job market.

He launched Homewurk in Grade 11, an online service that connects students with odd jobs in Fredericton. Now a first year engineering student at the University of New Brunswick, Ritchie’s business is booming, leasing office space, hiring administrative staff, and securing top clients.

In October, he was named Startup Canada’s young entrepreneur of the year.