Level Up

Our CTO Coaching Program & Network

Learn how your startup can make better ML decisions faster

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About the Program

Level Up is a one-year, Amii-sponsored membership program and network. It is intended for startups that have ML as a core technological piece of their products and want to scale their ML capabilities.

We’ve worked with over 150 startups and over time through valuable conversations, we've discovered that many ML Leads and CTOs were faced with the same challenges:

  • CTOs and ML Leads need a sounding board for new ideas/challenges as their technology scales
  • CTOs and ML Leads don't have time to stay up-to-date on research and industry trends
  • CTOs and ML Leads want connections to peers in other startups working on similar technology
  • Startups struggle to recruit ML Talent
  • Startups want to showcase a formal partnership with Amii in marketing materials and investment documentation

We built Level Up to specifically address each of these major concerns our community of startups is facing. Understanding how busy startups can be, the program is designed to be as lean as possible, with high-impact offerings set across 20 hours within the membership year.

"Level Up has been an integral part of our R&D strategy. We have deployed two new AI models based on the research and recommendations from the Amii team, resulting in accuracy improvements of 7 to 12% over our existing models."

Tali Remennik, CEO & Co-Founder of Granularity

Membership Benefits

We’re committed to supporting your growth and vision to scale by providing access to one of the most in-demand centres of ML expertise in the world in a format proven to work for the fast-paced startup environment.

Your benefits include:

  • Coaching with Amii ML Scientists

    Coaching with Amii ML Scientists

    Make better decisions faster with:

    • Bi-monthly 1:1 coaching sessions with an Amii ML Scientist, offering advice and a sounding board for new ideas
    • Access to the Amii network of scientists and students for additional coaching support
    • On-demand coaching supports through Amii Slack
    • Drop-in office hours available throughout the month

    Coaching sessions may be attended by anyone on your team working on the ML project/challenge.

  • ML Expert Sessions

    ML Expert Sessions

    Stay up-to-date on research and industry trends with:

    • An ML Expert Roundtable, hosted quarterly
    • Experts may include Amii Fellows and industry professionals or leaders
    • Each session includes:
      • 30-minute presentation or talk from an expert on their work, research or expertise
      • 60-90-minute roundtable discussion and Q&A

    Attendance is open to CTOs or ML Leads.

  • Peer-to-Peer Networking

    Peer-to-Peer Networking

    Learn from those facing similar situations and challenges with:

    • Quarterly scheduled virtual discussion opportunities
    • Private Slack channel for members of the Level Up network
    • Periodic in-person events in Edmonton and Calgary

    Attendance is open to CTOs or ML Leads.

  • Recruitment Supports

    Recruitment Supports

    Get access to top ML talent with:

    • Job postings sent to Amii Students
    • Early access to top ML talent through facilitated opportunities and connections such as mentorship and speaker opportunities
  • Amii Affiliation

    Amii Affiliation

    Leverage Amii for funding and marketing purposes with:

    • An Amii affiliation badge, which can be utilized on your website, social media, funding/investment package and other materials.
  • Inclusion in Amii's Pitchbook

    Inclusion in Amii's Pitchbook

    Being part of the program will give you exposure with our network by:

    • Having your company profiled in Amii's Pitchbook which is shared with our network of investors across Canada
  • Google for Startups Cloud Program

    Google for Startups Cloud Program

    Subject to eligibility criteria. Receive up to:

    • $250,000 (USD) in Google Cloud credits
    • Access to technical training, startup experts, and curated resources

    Visit our Startups page for more info.

Eligibility

Eligible startups must:

  • Be working on a scalable, software-based solution/product
  • Currently using ML as a core piece of technology for their product/service
  • Have a technical team with ML expertise/experience (at least one person)
  • Be looking to continue their ML development

We understand that not every startup has an official CTO or ML Lead. Other positions that may be eligible to participate in this program include but are not limited to:

  • Technical Founder
  • Head of Technology
  • Lead Scientist
  • Head of Machine Learning
  • Head of Engineering

"The Level Up program stands out in the startup landscape, offering exceptional, hands-on support and mentorship that's directly fuelled our growth."

Nick Mastromattei, Co-Founder of Picsume

Apply now

The next Level Up program runs from January 30, 2025 to January 30, 2026.

Applications are open until 11:59 p.m. MT on December 8.

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We've helped more than 40 companies through the Level Up Program, including:

"The bi-monthly coaching sessions serve as invaluable forums for addressing our team's challenges head-on, offering expert, actionable strategies, and follow-up resources tailored to our specific needs. This personalized approach has been instrumental in overcoming obstacles and driving our team's success forward."

Ruchita Orzario, Product Manager of EZ Ops

Contact the Amii Startups team

If you have any questions or would like to discuss how Level Up would work for your company, please contact the Amii Startup team at startups@amii.ca or book a meeting with Amor Provins, Product Owner - Startups.

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