ATS Labs - July 2024 Edition

Welcome to our very first LinkedIn Newsletter! As Canada’s leading accelerator for accessibility startups, we are on a mission to #EnableEveryone. Join us on our journey via this monthly roundup!

In each edition, you’ll find a blend of updates from the ATS Labs community, news, funding opportunities, and other practical resources. We will strive to provide you with valuable content that not only informs, but also helps you achieve your goals.

And if you make your way all the way to the end, you’ll be rewarded with wise words from our CFO. Spoiler alert: his advice is always golden.

Thank you for your continued support and for being part of our community. We look forward to growing and learning together. Stay tuned, stay inspired!

Last call: Applications for ATS Labs close July 31st

Applications for ATS Labs 2024 are about to close! If you haven’t gotten your application in yet, now is the time. On stake is $10,000 in unrestricted cash grants, revamped programming and a chance to make your mark at our Demo Day this December.

Friends of ATS - help us get the last minute word out by sharing on social media.

ATS Labs Alumni selected for Remarkable Global Accelerator Program

Congratulations to Capella Design (ATS Labs 2023) for their selection in the Remarkable Global Accelerator Program! We are thrilled to see the continued growth of our startups, plus seeing ATS Labs swag halfway across the world in Sydney, Australia is the cherry on the cake! Learn more about Remarkable's latest cohort >?

Mix & Mingle with Disability Tech Entrepreneurs

Earlier this month, we hosted our first-ever Mix & Mingle with Disability Tech Entrepreneurs at the Old Flame Brewery in Downtown Toronto. It was a pleasure seeing so many new and familiar faces during this fun-filled evening to relax and meet other builders. Thanks to everyone who made it out – we're always looking for ways to support our growing community and look forward to hosting more events in the future!

a11yTO & Alexa & Accessibility Event

In late June, Varun was a panelist at the #a11yTO - Accessibility Toronto event Empowering Innovation: Accessibility & Diversity in Entrepreneurship. The event brought together distinguished leaders to share their insights, strategies, and success stories on integrating accessibility into business models and fostering inclusive innovation.?

ATS team members also attended the Alexa & Accessibility event hosted by Amazon in Toronto, for a thoughtful discussion around accessibility and inclusion. Disability advocates shared how they use voice assistants and other assistive technologies to improve their day-to-day lives.?

Funding Opportunities

Special thanks to Mehdi (Mohammad Mehdi) Masoumi of Deaf AI for sharing these with us!

• The Artificial Intelligence to Accelerate Inclusion Challenge - a call for innovative AI solutions seeking to accelerate inclusion and economic empowerment. Apply by July 25.
• Boost-up w/ Samsung Research Program - ?a unique opportunity for startups to transform innovative ideas into reality through collaboration with Samsung Research. Open to startups in the US, Canada, Europe, Israel, and Japan. Apply by July 31.?
• ventureLAB ACCELERATE AI - for startups tackling contemporary challenges through the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into their product landscape. Open to startups based in Canada. Apply by August 6.?
• Telus Business #StandWithOwners Program - $200,000 in prizes, open to revenue-generating Canadian businesses with 0-100 employees, or for-profit, not-for-profit and social enterprises. Apply by September 4.
• The Chrysalis Innovation Challenge - Up to $30k in prizes, open to startups and community-based organizations with products, services or programs tailored for older adults. Apply by September 27.?
• Xero Beautiful Business Fund - $750,000 (NZ) for eligible Xero small business customers across Australia, Canada (excl. Quebec), New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the UK and the US.?

Up next

Varun will be joining Regina "Gina" Kline (Enable Ventures) and Molly Lazarus (Levitt) (Remarkable) for a panel discussion at Disability X Investing, hosted by 2GI and AWS Startups, on July 30th from 2-3 PM EST.

The ATS Team will also be attending #a11yTO’s Breaking Barriers with Technology: Inclusive Innovations in Fitness, Communication, and Educationevent on July 31st from 6-8 PM EST at the Microsoft office at CIBC Square. This event will feature leaders from Sekond Skin Society , excelOS , and Deaf AI (ATS Labs 2022) who will share their innovative solutions for accessibility and inclusion.

Wise words from our Chief Fetch Officer (CFO) - Dash

"Live life like there's no end to your leash."

Thank you for being part of the ATS community. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to sharing more exciting updates with you in the coming weeks!?

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