It’s not every day that an AI startup gets to shine on a global stage. But on May 19, 2025, Fairly AI did exactly that—earning a coveted spot among three trailblazers at the very first UpperBound AI Startup Pitch Competition in Edmonton, Alberta.
Backed by VentureLAB and the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), this event isn’t just another demo day. It’s a proving ground for the brightest minds in machine intelligence—where investors, industry leaders, and fellow innovators gather to discover the next wave of transformative AI.
What Is Fairly AI?
Fairly AI provides a unified platform for AI governance, risk and compliance management, enabling organizations to track, test and control their AI systems against industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Fairly AI Founders
Fairly AI was co-founded by David Van Bruwaene and Fion Lee-Madan.
- David Van Bruwaene serves as the Co-Founder and CEO of Fairly AI. He is a purpose-driven serial entrepreneur, philosopher, and educator with academic roots in Cognitive Science and Ethics at Cornell University. David has academic relationships at UC Berkeley, the University of Ottawa, the University of Guelph, and the University of Waterloo.
- Fion Lee-Madan is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Fairly AI. She is a lifelong learner and catalyst of change, with a background that includes education from the Questrom School of Business.
New Frontier for Trustworthy AI
Fairly AI has always put “trust” front and center. While many companies chase raw speed or dazzling demos, Fairly AI’s mission is to build AI systems people can rely on—every single time.
That’s no small feat. From bias mitigation to transparent decision-making, the road to trustworthy AI is paved with tough technical challenges. Yet Fairly AI has carved out a unique niche, delivering tools that help developers and enterprises audit, explain, and govern their AI models.
By joining UpperBound’s inaugural cohort, Fairly AI isn’t just pitching code—it’s showcasing a vision for a safer, more accountable AI-driven future.
Fairly AI, Power of Partnership: ventureLAB + Amii
ventureLAB isn’t new to Canada’s startup ecosystem. As one of Ontario’s premier innovation hubs, it has shepherded hundreds of tech companies from promising concepts to market-ready solutions.
Meanwhile, Amii is Canada’s leading machine-intelligence institute—fueling research that bridges academic breakthroughs and commercial impact. Together, ventureLAB and Amii handpicked three startups to spotlight at UpperBound 2025: Fairly AI, RideAlike, and Bidblox.
This trifecta represents diversity in AI applications—from ride-sharing optimization to smart bidding solutions—and underscores a shared belief: AI must be both cutting-edge and conscientious.
What to expect in Pitch of Fairly AI?
On stage at Edmonton’s AI Hub, each startup will have five minutes to tell its story:
- Problem Statement
- What gap in the AI ecosystem are you addressing?
- Solution Overview
- How does your technology work, and what makes it unique?
- Market Traction
- Early wins, pilot programs, or partnerships that prove your concept.
- Roadmap & Impact
- Where you’re headed next—and the real-world benefits you’ll unlock.
For Fairly AI, the narrative is clear: AI without transparency isn’t AI you can trust. Their demo will walk judges through live model audits, bias-detection dashboards, and real-time explainability tools.
Why It Matters?
You may not be building AI models yourself, but you’re already interacting with them. From lending decisions to hiring recommendations, opaque algorithms shape critical aspects of our lives.
By pushing for more transparent solutions, Fairly AI and its UpperBound peers are laying the groundwork for AI you can understand and trust—so you don’t have to take “black-box” decisions on faith alone.
Conclusion
The AI revolution isn’t just about what machines can do—it’s about ensuring they do it responsibly. Fairly AI’s selection for UpperBound 2025 is a reminder that the most impactful technologies are those built with ethics and transparency at their core.