On September 16 and 17, more than 10,000 participants gathered in Montréal for ALL IN 2026 to explore the latest advances, applications, and future of artificial intelligence.
From the main stages to its dedicated pavilion and networking spaces, the Mila community played an active role throughout the event. Its strong presence showcased not only the scientific excellence of Québec and Canada's AI ecosystem, but also its ability to translate research into meaningful collaborations, real-world applications, and economic, scientific, and societal impact.
Through conferences, live demonstrations, industry-focused meetings, strategic announcements, and startup recognition, ALL IN 2026 provided Mila with a unique platform to share its expertise and strengthen connections between research, industry, and the entrepreneurial community.
Seven Voices from Mila Bridging the Gap Between Research and Real-World Challenges
Throughout the two-day event, seven leading voices from Mila took part in the ALL IN program, sharing their perspectives on scientific research, technological advances, and practical applications.
Their contributions helped connect cutting-edge research with the challenges facing organizations developing, adopting, and deploying AI solutions today.
This presence on the main stages further reinforced Mila's role as a hub where fundamental research, applied innovation, and industry needs converge. It also brought Québec and Canadian expertise to an international audience of researchers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and global partners.
A Pavilion Bringing AI Research to Life
The Mila pavilion gave attendees a firsthand look at several innovative projects emerging from its research ecosystem.
A total of four interactive live demonstrations were featured, including Mila Ventures' startup matchmaking tool, an AI safety demonstration focused on building trustworthy AI, and two interactive showcases of open technologies, including an agentic architecture and Milo, an AI-powered robotic guide dog that was also presented to Montréal's mayor.
Designed to help people who are blind or have low vision navigate indoor and outdoor environments, Milo demonstrated the potential of artificial intelligence and robotics to address real-world societal needs.
The pavilion also featured an exhibition highlighting nine impact-driven projects from the Mila community. These initiatives reflected the diversity of research conducted across its ecosystem and the potential economic, scientific, and societal benefits of its work.
Beyond the demonstrations, the pavilion served as a meeting point for researchers and organizations. Nearly 100 targeted meetings took place across strategic sectors, including healthcare, mining, and agriculture.
These conversations helped identify concrete industry needs, connect research teams with sector-specific challenges, and explore new opportunities for AI collaboration and implementation.
Strategic Announcements Extending Impact Beyond the Event
ALL IN 2026 also provided the stage for several major announcements, highlighting Mila's ability to build bridges between scientific research, open innovation, and international cooperation.
Mila and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) formalized a strategic partnership aimed at advancing joint research initiatives. The collaboration will focus on areas including energy and the development of trustworthy, safe, and agentic AI systems.
This agreement strengthens ties between two leading research ecosystems and opens new opportunities for scientific and technological collaboration between Canada and Germany.
Mila and Mozilla also announced a new initiative to develop an open AI foundation layer. The project aims to enable organizations to own and operate advanced AI systems locally while maintaining greater control over their technology and data.
Mila will lead the technical delivery and coordination of the initiative, supported by an initial $5 million investment from Mozilla, along with an additional $1 million commitment from Hypertec for the first year.
ALL IN 2026 also marked LawZero's notable debut at the event. During the conference, Canada and Germany announced a joint commitment of up to CAD $300 million to support the development of a new approach to advanced AI designed to be safe and trustworthy.
Together, these announcements demonstrate Mila's capacity to contribute to large-scale initiatives and turn scientific and institutional relationships into strategic collaborations with long-term impact potential.
Eight Mila Ventures Startups Recognized Among Canada's Best
Mila's entrepreneurial ecosystem also stood out at ALL IN 2026.
Eight startups from Mila Ventures were selected for the Top 100 Canadian AI Startups, gaining valuable exposure to investors, decision-makers, major organizations, and potential partners gathered in Montréal.
Two of these startups claimed the top spots: BrainScores secured first place, while Polaire ranked second.
These achievements highlight Mila's ability to support the transition from scientific research and technological innovation to entrepreneurship, commercialization, and value creation.
They also demonstrate how a world-class research ecosystem can foster the growth of innovative companies capable of standing out on the national stage.
A Lasting Impact Beyond ALL IN 2026
Mila's participation in ALL IN 2026 extended far beyond two days of activities.
Through seven speaker appearances, four interactive demonstrations, nine impact-driven projects, nearly 100 industry-focused meetings, several strategic announcements, and eight nationally recognized startups, Mila demonstrated the strength of an ecosystem that connects scientific research, entrepreneurship, and the real-world needs of society and the economy.
The collaborations initiated, partnerships announced, and projects showcased during the event will continue to evolve well beyond ALL IN 2026.
Together, they contribute to a stronger Québec and Canadian AI ecosystem, where scientific excellence translates into innovation, new businesses, international partnerships, and tangible impact.
