Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2026) - McRock Capital, a leading venture capital fund manager focused on Industrial AI, announced the 2026 winners of the McRock Industrial AI Awards during its 12th Annual McRock Industrial Software Symposium in Montreal. Established to highlight the critical role of artificial intelligence in transforming the world's largest industrial sectors, the McRock Industrial AI Awards shine a spotlight on the innovators developing cutting-edge technologies that are driving operational efficiency, sustainability, and intelligence across industries such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, and infrastructure. The awards recognize three categories: Industrial AI Corporate Leader of the Year, Industrial AI Company of the Year, and Industrial AI Entrepreneur of the Year. The 2026 winners were selected by a panel of independent judges that included Robert Rosen, Managing Director of Innovation Banking at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC); Mickaël Galvani, Investment Director of Fund Investments at Fonds de solidarité FTQ; and Brenda Hogan, Chief Investment Officer at Venture Ontario.
McRock Industrial AI Corporate Leader of the Year
This award is presented to a corporate leader playing a significant role in advancing AI innovations and accelerating the digital transformation of major industries. IFS has been named the McRock Industrial AI Corporate Leader of the Year 2026.
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Antoine Bisson, CEO & Co-Founder, Poka, An IFS Company accepting the Award
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With a decades-long legacy in enterprise software for asset-intensive industries, IFS has continually evolved to meet the complex demands of modern industrial operators, embedding AI-native capabilities directly into mission-critical workflows across manufacturing, energy, aerospace, and field service. In 2025 and into 2026, IFS made significant strides in advancing autonomous enterprise operations, introducing agentic AI and intelligent automation features across its ERP, EAM, and FSM platforms that enable organizations to move from reactive operations to predictive, self-optimizing systems. Through its bold product vision, ecosystem partnerships, and commitment to delivering measurable outcomes, IFS continues to shape what it means to be an AI-native industrial enterprise.
"We are honoured to receive the McRock Industrial AI Corporate Leader of the Year award. This recognition reflects our commitment to putting AI at the center of industrial operations, not as an add-on, but as a core capability. We look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of what industrial AI can deliver for asset-intensive industries" Cathie Hall, Chief Product & Customer Officer, IFS.
McRock Industrial AI Company of the Year
This award is presented to a privately owned emerging company that has demonstrated tangible achievements in leveraging AI to deliver transformational solutions to the industrial world. Nurau is awarded the McRock Industrial AI Company of the Year 2026.
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Saba Saremi, COO & Co-Founder, Nurau, accepting the Award
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Nurau brings real-time AI intelligence to industrial frontline operations, transforming how shift teams capture, communicate, and act on operational knowledge. The platform combines multimodal data capture with AI-powered shift intelligence, enabling frontline teams in manufacturing and industrial environments to reduce information loss between shifts, accelerate decision-making, and drive continuous improvement directly from the floor. Trusted by leading operators across North America, Nurau is redefining how operational knowledge is captured and shared in the age of AI, turning every shift handover into a strategic asset.
"Industrial AI only counts if it reaches the people doing the work. That's been Nurau's north star from day one - and this award is a powerful reminder that the industry is ready for what we're building," shares Saba Saremi, Nurau COO & Co-Founder.
McRock Industrial AI Entrepreneur of the Year
This award is presented to an entrepreneur whose company has developed innovative AI products while demonstrating leadership in advancing the adoption of industrial AI. Adam Keating, Co-Founder and CEO of CoLab, is awarded the McRock Industrial AI Entrepreneur of the Year 2026.
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Adam Keating, Co-Founder and CEO, CoLab, accepting the Award
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Under Adam's leadership, CoLab has transformed how engineering teams collaborate on product design, bringing AI-native capabilities to the intersection of PLM, design review, and cross-functional collaboration. By enabling engineers, suppliers, and manufacturing partners to review, mark up, and resolve design decisions in real time, CoLab has significantly compressed product development cycles for some of the world's most complex manufacturers. Adam's vision for a more connected and intelligent engineering workflow has positioned CoLab as a trusted partner for leading aerospace, defence, and industrial organizations pursuing faster, smarter product development.
"I'm deeply honored to receive the McRock Industrial AI Entrepreneur of the Year Award. This recognition is more than an individual milestone; it represents the relentless work of the incredible team we've built at CoLab, dedicated to reshaping the industry through AI," says Adam. "I'm grateful to have the support of our customers who share our vision to fundamentally improve how mission-critical hardware products are designed, reviewed, and brought to life."
About McRock Capital
McRock Capital is the first dedicated Digital Industrial venture capital fund manager focused on the intersection of data and software in large industrial markets and smart cities. The McRock team has a unique background of building high-growth venture-backed Digital Industrial companies while also having worked in the power, water, and energy industries. McRock is backed by leading institutional investors as well as Autodesk, Bell, Caterpillar, Mitsubishi, Emerson, Shell and Cisco Systems.
Visit www.mcrockcapital.com, follow on LinkedIn @McRock Capital, and explore the McRock Industrial Software Index for deeper insights into the sector.
Media Contact:
Lindsay Glasspoole
Communications Manager
OnPrpose Inc.
lindsay@onprpose.com
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Source: McRock Capital
