We are Innovators in Artificial Intelligence

Problem solvers making the world a better place

Through our innovation in PCB defect detection, we enable manufacturers to succeed by tackling their toughest production challenges of today and tomorrow.

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Our Story

It all started in 2017 with our team’s vision of transforming industries by instilling trust in AI. Over the years in working with the world’s leading manufacturers, we have learned that many enterprises want to integrate AI into their production and quality inspection processes but perceive an impediment to achieving a reliable solution that scales better than traditional ones. In order to deliver competitive value to our clients we created the DarwinAI defect detection platform for PCBs which enables manufacturers to get started with a lower data requirement and more rapidly achieve their ROI targets. At the same time, we take pride in helping to reduce the world’s waste footprint of unusable scarce electronic components that ultimately end up in landfill.

Our platform is backed by our excellent customer experience team and powered by our award-winning AI, which is the byproduct of years of research by our world-class academic team. 

Meet Our Leadership Team

  • Sheldon Fernandez

    CEO
  • Arif Virani

    COO
  • Alexander Wong

    Chief Scientist, Co-founder
  • Gary Pacheco

    CTO
  • Javad Shafiee

    VP AI Research, Co-founder
  • Bart Piwowar

    VP Product
  • Travis Taylor

    VP Solutions Delivery
  • Kelly Pritchard

    VP People Operations
  • Jamil Dewsi

    VP Business Development
  • Brendan Chwyl

    Director Machine Learning, Co-founder
  • Francis Li

    Director Applied AI, Co-founder
  • Frank Hanshar

    Director Application Development

Our Values

  • Camaraderie at scale

    We cultivate mutual trust and respect among our team, customers, partners, investors and community, while operating at the intersection of hard work and fun

  • Exploration and evolution

    We believe that comfort zones exist to be disrupted, that mistakes are learning opportunities, and that knowledge sharing is a tide that lifts all ships

  • Fearless innovation

    We are bold but not arrogant, fearless but not reckless, and committed to pioneering new solutions to problems big and small

  • Excellence through skill and tenacity

    We combine expertise and perseverance to overcome challenges, achieving excellence about which we can be rightfully proud

Our Investors

Our Awards

We’re honored to have earned recognition from renowned analysts and industry observers.

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2023: Best Workplace™ for Start-Ups

Recognized by Great Place to Work® for being a top startup in Canada.

2023: The Vector AI20 List

Named as one of 20 Canadian companies on the inaugural The Vector AI20 list for 2023. We’re recognized for using AI to transform manufacturing both in Canada and globally.

2022: Best Workplace™ in Ontario

Recognized for being a Best Workplace™ in Ontario, after an analysis conducted by Great Place to Work®.

2022: Best Workplace™ in Technology

Recognized for the second time by Great Place to Work® Canada. We have exceptionally high scores from our employees on the Trust Index survey.

2022: Best Workplace™ for Today’s Youth

Awarded for building a workplace with more than 30% of employees who are Millennials or younger. In this light, at least 90% of our team members say, ‘I am treated fairly regardless of my age.’

2022: Canadian Workplace Culture Leader

Officially recognized with outstanding scores in the ‘Workplace Experience’ and ‘Connection + Trust’ categories. We have an overall score of 86 against the national average of 62, placing DarwinAI in the 91st percentile!

2022: Great Place to Work® Canada

Recognized as one of the Best Workplaces in the under 100 employees category, our award is based on a survey of over 600 organizations, representing over 500,000 employees

2022:  IRCAI Top 10 Outstanding Project

Aspire and DarwinAI were selected for an Outstanding Project that applies AI to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

2021:  Great Place to Work® Canada

Awarded Best Workplace in Technology recognized by our employee experience and response to our Trust Index Survey

2021:  Tech In Motion – Best Tech Startup

Recognized as Best Tech Startup in North America, for our forward-thinking leadership and agility innovation for our Visual Quality Inspection solution powered by AI

2021 & 2020:  CB Insights’ AI 100

Recognized as one of the top 100 AI startups, for achievements in AI Model Development

2020: CB Insights Game Changers

Included as one of 36 startups that could change the world

2019: Gartner Cool Vendor

Named a “Cool Vendor” in Gartner’s October 2019 Cool Vendors in Enterprise AI Governance and Ethical Response report.