Partnerships with Canadian universities and innovation community will advance research in cloud, networking, and AI technologies to support the development of 6G networks
Montréal, QC — VMware (NYSE: VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, today announced the opening of the VMware Next G-AI Research and Innovation Centre. The Centre will bring together VMware’s multi-cloud infrastructure and network expertise with the latest in emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies to deliver a sustainable path to 5G+ and 6G technologies.
“Montreal has one of the most significant clusters of AI researchers in the world, as well as a thriving community of innovative startups,” said Kit Colbert, Chief Technology Officer, VMware. “Through partnerships with researchers, startups and industry partners, we will be able to bring together cloud, networking and AI to build 6G technologies that are sustainable and centered on human needs.”
The Next G-AI Research and Innovation Centre is part of the TETRA initiative. Located within Centech and ÉTS in Montreal, it supports three connected programs:
- Applied Research: In partnership with Mitacs, VMware is working with researchers across Canada to develop sustainable 5+ and 6G technologies, improve digital equity and rearchitect the Internet to an Open Grid.
- Next G-AI Research & Innovation Lab: The Research & Innovation Lab provides researchers and industry partners with access to cutting-edge software and hardware that allows them to quickly validate and demonstrate key concepts.
- Tanzu Modern Application Development Hub: The Hub provides VMware customers and partners with access to the open source Tanzu software development platform and community.
Through partnerships with Mitacs, Centech and the IEEE, VMware will also provide selected researchers and startups access to both the Next G-AI Research and Innovation Lab and the powerful open source Tanzu software development platform.
“The Next G-AI Research and Innovation Centre will enable local, national and international research collaboration, and contribute significantly to the Montreal innovation ecosystem,” said John Hepburn, CEO of Mitacs. “We are proud to support this critical research to develop 6G technologies, with a focus on ensuring that they are sustainable, equitable and will benefit Canadians across the country.”
Partnership with Centech to support Montreal startups 
Through the Tanzu Modern Applications development Hub, select partners and startups associated with Centech will have free access to the open source Tanzu software development platform, as well as support from the Tanzu community. This set of enterprise-grade, platform-agnostic tools will allow them to build, deliver, and manage cloud native apps designed to run on any on-premise, public cloud or edge environment.
“Having access to the Tanzu software development platform is an incredible advantage for our entrepreneurs,” said Richard Chenier, Director General, Centech. “Access to these powerful tools will allow startups to swiftly deploy modern applications, significantly speeding time to market and ensuring that they can be deployed in any environment.”
Addressing the Digital Divide
VMware, Mitacs and the IEEE Future Networks Initiative also announced the first Canadian-specific challenge in the Connecting the Unconnected Challenge, which seeks novel solutions for universal and affordable internet access.
“The Internet is a critical access point to education, economic opportunity, and health information and services,” said Mary Ward-Callan, Managing Director, Technical Activities, IEEE. “However, nearly half of the world remains unconnected. Through our partnership with VMware and Mitacs, we’re looking to work with Canadian researchers interested in tackling this critical humanitarian issue.”
The 2023 Challenge will kick-off November 1st including the challenge specifically dedicated for Canadian researchers that has been jointly developed by the IEEE, VMware and Mitacs.
The Honorable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada, welcomed the opening of the VMware Next G-AI Research and Innovation Centre, adding, “Canada is a global leader in great talent, especially in emerging areas of technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning. This investment will further strengthen our ability to tackle some of the most important challenges facing our society, including the resilience of our communications networks, and ultimately support Canadians across the country.”
About VMware
VMware is a leading provider of multi-cloud services for all apps, enabling digital innovation with enterprise control. As a trusted foundation to accelerate innovation, VMware software gives businesses the flexibility and choice they need to build the future. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is committed to building a better future through the company’s 2030 Agenda. For more information, please visit www.vmware.com/company.html.
