This article has been prepared in collaboration with Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service.
The mission of the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) is to help Canadian companies scale beyond borders. With AI advancing at a historic pace, international opportunities are growing just as quickly, but so are the challenges of market entry. From navigating regulations to forging strategic connections, Canadian AI innovators often need a trusted partner to reach their next stage of growth.
How the TCS Helps Companies Expand
The TCS provides Canadian AI companies with tailored services to support international expansion:
- Market Intelligence: Insights into regulatory frameworks, funding programs, and local ecosystems.
- Introductions to Buyers & Partners: Connections with key decision-makers worldwide.
- On-the-Ground Guidance: A global network of Trade Commissioners in more than 160 cities.
These Trade Commissioners are more than government representatives—they are local market insiders. They speak the language, understand business culture, and help Canadian firms avoid common pitfalls.
This cultural and linguistic fluency is often the bridge between innovative ideas and the trusted relationships needed to bring them to life internationally. For Canadian AI companies, it means not just showing up in a new market, but showing up prepared, respected, and ready to do business.
Partnering with Scale AI to Amplify Impact
No single organization can unlock the full potential of Canada’s AI sector alone. That’s why the TCS works closely with Scale AI, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster, a leader in AI-driven innovation. Together, they make sure Canadian companies have both the technical support and international pathways needed to compete globally.
This collaboration comes to life at ALL IN. For the TCS, this is more than a conference; it’s a platform to connect export-ready Canadian companies with international buyers, investors, and partners.
In the lead-up to the event, Trade Commissioners in Canada prepare firms by identifying priority markets and refining pitches, while colleagues abroad recruit qualified foreign buyers and investors. At the event itself, the TCS curates programming designed to spark meaningful connections.
For example, at last year’s ALL IN, programming included an exclusive networking session between Canadian companies and potential Japanese clients, partners and investors, one-on-one meetings between Canadian innovators and international buyers, and an ecosystem tour of Montreal’s AI hub with organizations such as Mila, IVADO, CEIMIA and Scale AI. While each year’s agenda evolves, the goal remains the same: to create tailored opportunities for Canadian companies to showcase their solutions to the right global audiences.
Your Gateway to Global Growth: TCS at ALL IN!
Take Synode, a Canadian AI scale-up that joined the TCS program at last year’s event. With TCS guidance, Synode was ready to showcase how its solution addressed global supply chain challenges.
During ALL IN, the TCS connected Synode with a Japanese manufacturing company to whom they presented their technology in response to specific business needs. The TCS then facilitated follow-up discussions, and provided strategic advice to better position Synode during negotiations. Beyond the event, Synode worked with the Trade Commissioners in Japan, who provided local market insights, guidance on business culture, and advice on how to adapt their approach for Japanese partners. The Japanese company is soon to become Synode’s local partner, which will open opportunities to connect with major industry leaders from this market.
This combination of preparation, targeted introductions, and in-market follow-up meant that Synode left not just with visibility, but with a stronger understanding of Japan’s market and a pathway to potential partnerships.
Building Canada’s Global AI Future
The story of Synode reflects a broader truth: Canada’s AI companies are ready to lead globally, but they need the right support to get there. By partnering with organizations like Scale AI, the TCS ensures that Canadian innovators have access to world-class resources at home and trusted networks abroad.
The Trade Commissioner Service is proud to play a role in helping Canada’s AI sector grow stronger, more connected, and more global every day.
👉 Interested in learning more about how the Trade Commissioner Service can help your AI company expand internationally? Visit tradecommissioner.gc.ca.
