A Vancouver-based artificial intelligence company has walked away from a high-profile Silicon Valley accelerator program, saying the worsening political relationship between Canada and the United States made the opportunity too difficult to accept.
Caseway, a 15-person firm that builds custom, closed-box AI data systems for the legal and defence sectors, was one of just eight Canadian companies selected for the Agentic and Enterprise AI Canadian Technology Accelerator. The program is run through the Trade Commissioner Service and Global Affairs Canada, and is designed to connect Canadian companies with U.S. investors, business partners and major industry players.
Caseway CEO Al Vigier told CityNews the decision came down to the deteriorating tone coming from Washington, pointing to U.S. tariffs, threats, and repeated rhetoric about Canada becoming the “51st State.”
“Things keep getting worse to the point where the Trump administration is actively threatening Canada,” Vigier said.
A Costly Decision
Vigier acknowledged that stepping back from the accelerator meant giving up a chance to raise significant capital. “We could have raised millions of dollars down there. That’s reality,” he said.
Despite the financial opportunity, Vigier — a Canadian Army veteran — said he felt compelled to take a stand given the current climate.
“This was a chance where we can actually stand up and be like ‘hey, this isn’t right,'” he said. “If the U.S. isn’t going to treat us well, then we’re going to go elsewhere. We have other options and we need to lead by example.”
Vigier said the nature of Caseway’s work adds another layer to the decision, noting that partners in Canada’s defence sector have questioned why the company would be expanding into the U.S. at this point in time.
Looking Beyond Silicon Valley
Vigier was careful to note that Caseway is not turning its back on the U.S. market altogether, and said the withdrawal should not be read as a criticism of the accelerator program itself. Instead, he said the company is rethinking where it looks for growth opportunities going forward.
“Historical thinking is that you have to go to Silicon Valley or you’re going to die. That’s the only way to go as a tech company. I don’t think that’s true anymore,” Vigier said, adding that Caseway now sees potential in the European Union, Taiwan, and within Canada itself.
According to Vigier, Global Affairs Canada accepted the company’s withdrawal without pushback. He said the federal government appears to be grappling with similar questions about the wisdom of helping Canadian companies expand into the U.S. under current conditions.
“It seems like they understand … because they are under the same kinds of pressures where there’s questions about why Canada is investing in growing Canadian companies in the U.S. right now,” Vigier said.
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