Tech Roundup #56 - AI Innovation, Agri-Tech Advancements, and Strategic Moves in the Startup Ecosystem

Join DMZ Ventures for the Women Innovation Summit on March 6, 2025, celebrating women in tech and business. The event will feature inspiring discussions, a pitch competition with 10 women-led startups, and the unveiling of DMZ's 2025 Women of the Year honorees. Register now at dmz.to/wiscommunity! #WIS2025

Here’s more that caught our eye in this week’s #techroundup.

• SaaS is evolving into a more mature, AI-enhanced, and value-focused industry. AI represents a rebirth and opportunity, not a threat. CIOs and buyers must evaluate whether vertical SaaS or composable solutions (or both) best meet their organization's needs. Success will depend on embracing AI and emerging technologies while focusing on solutions that deliver measurable business value.
• Empowering Women. Accelerating Innovation. Viva Technology 's Female Founder Challenge, taking place in Paris June 11-14th, celebrates the women leading innovative startups that are driving the disruptive technologies shaping the future. Apply by February 23rd. ?
• DeepSeek AI , a Chinese AI lab, has surged in popularity, surpassing ChatGPT in the App Store with its efficient and cost-effective R1 "reasoning" model. This has sparked concerns in the U.S. over China’s AI advancements, as discussed in TechCrunch's Equity podcast, which also covers Tesla earnings, Nucleus Genomics’ funding, and Helion's fusion reactor efforts.
• University of Guelph has received a $16.3 million Lab to Market grant to lead the Sustainable Food Systems for Canada (SF4C) platform, which will focus on agri-food innovation and entrepreneurial training. This initiative aims to position Canada as a global leader in agri-food innovation by connecting researchers, industry, and communities to commercialize new technologies and address global food production challenges.
• Startup Startup TNT (founded by Tim Lynn and Zack Storms ) has closed its first $5 million venture fund, raising $2 million and deploying 14 investments. The fund aims to support early-stage startups with investments between $100,000 and $300,000, focusing on the Prairies and offering continued support through venture partners.??
• Step away from the boardroom and into a leadership experience like no other. The Women’s Leadership (Un)Conference brings together executive women leaders for transformative conversations, deep connections, and powerful breakthroughs. May 2nd in Monterey - Read more.
• Canadian startups, facing potential US tariffs, are advised to prepare multiple contingency plans due to the uncertainty surrounding their impact, says Katherine Homuth of SRTX . This includes exploring pricing adjustments, prioritizing European markets, and establishing US operations. Despite the challenges, she emphasizes focusing on long-term business growth.