BC’s Victory Square boosts its AI quotient

In a move that will help its portfolio companies build next-generation artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions, Vancouver-based Victory Square Technologies Inc., a publicly-traded accelerator focused on blockchain, machine learning, artificial intelligence, VR/AR and other immersive technologies, has named prominent AI pioneer Dr. Fakhri Karray to its advisory board.  

Dr. Karray is the University of Waterloo’s research chair professor in electrical and computer engineering and the co-director of the Institute of Artificial Intelligence. He holds the Loblaw’s Research Chair in artificial intelligence, has co-authored two dozen US patents and chaired/co-chaired 14 international conferences in his area of artificial portfolio expertise.

“We’re delighted because we believe the addition of Dr. Fakhri Karray to our advisory board will help give our portfolio companies a competitive advantage in the global artificial intelligence race fueled by the convergence of emerging technology innovation,” says Shafin Diamond Tejani, CEO of Victory Square Technologies. “Our current roster of 23 portfolio companies are working on innovative and disruptive projects in every sector of the global economy and they’ll only benefit from Dr. Karray’s expertise in the fields of AI and Machine Learning (ML).”

A Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, Dr. Karray has served as the University of Waterloo’s Academic Advisor for Amazon’s Alexa Fund Fellowship Program. He also serves as the president of the Association for Image and Machine Intelligence and is on the Advisory Board of a number of journals and high tech companies in North America.

“With emerging talent, vast amounts of diverse data and a tradition of collaboration between industry and academia, Canada has all of the key elements to lead a truly inclusive AI revolution,” adds Dr. Karray. “I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to assist with Victory Square portfolio companies that are developing disruptive technologies and aiming to capitalize on the future AI-driven economy. This not only aligns with my recent research work in the field of operational artificial intelligence, but it will also reflect the Victory Square tradition of technology acceleration.”