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Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Receives $30M SIF Contribution From Government of Canada to Build A.I. Driven General-Purpose Robots
Wednesday, November 30, 2022Company Profile | Careers | Follow Company
Supervised by people, Sanctuary human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots will improve the nature of work and strengthen the economy
Vancouver, BC, November 30, 2022--(T-Net)--Sanctuary Cognitive Systems, a company on a mission to create the world's first human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots, today announced it received a $30 million SIF (Strategic Innovation Fund) Contribution, for labor-related challenges in the economy.
The contribution comes from the Government of Canada, specifically through SIF, which supports large-scale, transformative, and collaborative projects that help position Canada to prosper in the global knowledge-based economy. SIF projects promote the long-term competitiveness of Canadian industries, clean growth, and the advancement of Canada's strategic technological advantage.
T-Net readers will recall this company raised a major $75.5 million Series-A funding round earlier this year in March 22, 2022. Investors included Bell, Evok Innovations, Export Development Canada, Magna, SE Health, Verizon Ventures, and Workday Ventures.
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The company was founded in 2018 by a strong team including Geordie Rose (Co-Founder & CEO), Suzanne Gildert (Co-Founder & CTO), Olivia Norton (Co-Founder & CIO), and Ajay Agrawal (Co-Founder & Director).
Sanctuary Cognitive Systems is a Vancouver, BC-based company and is on a mission to create the world's first human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots that will help us work more safely, efficiently, and sustainably, helping to address the labor challenges facing many organizations today
Members of the Sanctuary team previously founded D-Wave (a pioneer in the quantum computing industry), Kindred (first use of reinforcement learning in a production robot), and the Creative Destruction Lab (pioneered a revolutionary method for the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind).
The team has deep experience launching market-defining innovations rooted in previously unsolved and deep scientific problems.
While most artificial intelligence (AI) on the market is special-purpose in nature (meaning it's designed to perform narrow, singular tasks), Sanctuary is building human-like intelligence to power general-purpose robots that can help people overcome an endless number of challenges.
Leveraging its unique heritage and breakthrough technology in AI, cognition, and robotics, Sanctuary will improve the quality of the work experience, assist humans with difficult or dangerous tasks, create new jobs, bring new opportunities to those who might be less capable of physical work, and reduce the impact of labor shortages both in Canada and around the world.
Geordie Rose, Founder and CEO, Sanctuary AI
"Many labor-related challenges are outside the scope of current specialized AI and robotics technology," said Geordie Rose, Co-Founder and CEO of Sanctuary. "We appreciate the contribution from the Government of Canada and we are working hard to make work safer, more accessible, and ultimately more productive."
Sanctuary general-purpose robots are remotely piloted or supervised by people and will train and work alongside them.
From robot pilots to supervisors operating robots in a wide range of physical environments, to people working with Sanctuary technology in simulation to help teach and train the cognitive platform so it too can also pilot the robots, there are many new jobs for people that will be created that do not exist today.
Sanctuary technology will enable work to be done without putting the people who are supervising and piloting the general-purpose robots in harm's way, making work safer, more efficient, and sustainable.
François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Government of Canada
"As a leading digital nation, Canada is taking ambitious steps to harness the potential of artificial intelligence. By investing in companies like Sanctuary, we are leveraging Canadian expertise in AI to develop and commercialize innovative technologies. This initiative will help maximize the economic potential of AI for Canadians and further cement our AI leadership on the global stage." said the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Government of Canada.
Sanctuary has now received more than $100 million in funding since its founding in Vancouver, Canada in 2018.
About Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation
Founded in 2018, Sanctuary is a Vancouver, Canada-based company. Sanctuary is on a mission to create the world's first human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots that will help us work more safely, efficiently, and sustainably, helping to address the labor challenges facing many organizations today. Sanctuary's growing list of customers and investors represents a wide variety of industries across Canada, the U.S., and other countries around the world.
Members of the Sanctuary team founded D-Wave (a pioneer in the quantum computing industry), Kindred (first use of reinforcement learning in a production robot), and the Creative Destruction Lab (pioneered a revolutionary method for the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind). The team has experience launching market-defining innovations rooted in previously unsolved and deep scientific problems.
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