Telus opens Canada’s fastest AI supercomputer to startups and small business

Telus says its Sovereign AI Factory in Rimouski, Quebec is now being opened up to startups and small businesses, giving them access to high-performance AI computing that would normally be out of reach.

In an email sent this week, Telus said smaller companies can use the system to train, customize, and deploy advanced AI models without needing large budgets or sending sensitive data outside Canada.

“Now, startups and small businesses can train, customize and deploy cutting-edge AI models without needing massive budgets or sending their data abroad,” said a Telus spokesperson in a statement to iPhone in Canada on Wednesday. “We’re essentially democratizing access to advanced AI compute, leveling the playing field and enabling a new pathway for Canadian companies to scale domestically and compete globally. This exciting collaboration will help retain Canadian innovation and venture capital investment at home, unlocking billions in economic potential for Canada.”

There’s no word on cost but the invite is targeting the likes of AI startups, university labs, research teams and more.

The update builds on Telus’ earlier announcement from November 2025, when the company said its Sovereign AI Factory had been named Canada’s fastest and most powerful supercomputer by the TOP500 list.

The system was built using hardware from HPE and NVIDIA, including NVIDIA H200 GPUs and Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking. Telus previously said the infrastructure would support work in artificial intelligence, healthcare research, climate analysis, and telecom network planning, while keeping data and computing resources located in Canada.