News Summary

Relocalize, a Montréal-based manufacturing startup, is set to open its second autonomous microfactory in the city, marking a significant step in sustainable and decentralized manufacturing. The new facility, located near the Lachine Canal in Griffintown, will manufacture 100-percent water-based cold packs used in last-mile packaged food delivery. This ‘dark factory,’ which operates without lights or human presence on-site, is the first of its kind in Canada and represents a pivot from pilot programs to commercialization for the startup. Relocalize has raised a total of $18.1 million CAD, including recent funding led by Desjardins Capital and contributions from Toronto-based Waterpoint Lane and California-based RGS Ice. The company, founded in 2021, aims to reduce carbon emissions and waste by manufacturing on demand, with an ultimate goal of competing globally from Canada. The Montréal microfactory will join Relocalize’s first facility in Florida, with plans to begin sales in 2026 and a Series A funding round in the near future.