Solving.AI raises US$0.8M (CAD$1.1M) pre‑seed round from AQC Capital and Québec angel investors
AQC CapitalCompany
Montréal‑based Solving.AI closed a US$0.8 million (CAD$1.1 million) pre‑seed round on July 14, 2026, led by AQC Capital with participation from Québec angel investors. The capital will fund go‑to‑market efforts for ShowMe, the company’s AI‑driven training add‑on designed to accelerate adoption of complex enterprise software.
Solving.AI raised US$0.8 million (CAD$1.1 million) in a pre‑seed round led by AQC Capital and Québec angel investors on July 14, 2026, marking the startup’s first external financing. ## Deal Terms The round, classified as a seed‑stage venture funding round, was anchored by AQC Capital, a Montreal‑based venture firm, with additional commitments from a group of local angel investors. The company did not disclose a post‑money valuation or any revenue multiples. ## Market Context The funding targets the launch of ShowMe, an AI‑powered large‑language‑model tool that overlays on complex SaaS applications such as Salesforce and HubSpot. ShowMe lets end users ask questions in text or voice while navigating their screen, promising to cut onboarding cycles that traditionally span six to twelve months. "Companies are spending millions of dollars on software for users to take six to 12 months to start using it, and the drag of adoption is creating a huge loss in revenue," chief operating officer Alexis Boucher said. "With ShowMe, they’re able to start using it right away, and the learning curve is much faster." The founders—Benjamin Philion, formerly of Talent.com, and CTO Daniel Acevedo, also an alumnus of Talent.com—paired with Boucher, who brings experience from Lightspeed Commerce and Vasco, to address a pain point that large enterprises face when rolling out high‑ticket software. ## Go‑to‑Market Plan The capital will be allocated to product refinement, sales hiring, and partnership development with enterprise software vendors. The team plans a follow‑on raise within 12 to 15 months to scale the platform and expand its integration catalog. By positioning ShowMe as a value‑added layer that improves software adoption, Solving.AI hopes to lock in renewal revenue for its customers and capture a share of the growing AI‑enabled training market.
Why It Matters
The infusion of pre‑seed capital gives Solving.AI the runway to move from prototype to a commercially viable product, directly challenging incumbents such as traditional LMS providers and emerging AI tutoring platforms. With ShowMe positioned as an add‑on rather than a standalone learning system, the startup can embed itself in existing enterprise tech stacks, potentially creating a sticky revenue stream that enhances customer retention for the host SaaS vendors. Competitors that rely on manual onboarding or generic video tutorials may need to accelerate their own AI initiatives to avoid losing enterprise contracts to a solution that promises faster time‑to‑value.
For investors, the round underscores a growing appetite for niche AI tools that solve specific workflow frictions in the B2B SaaS stack. A successful rollout could validate a business model where AI training is monetized as a subscription add‑on, opening a new revenue lever for software vendors and creating a template for future AI‑driven adoption solutions.
Key Points
- Solving.AI secured US$0.8 million (CAD$1.1 million) pre‑seed funding led by AQC Capital and Québec angel investors
- ShowMe is an AI‑driven add‑on that integrates with complex SaaS applications like Salesforce and HubSpot
- COO Alexis Boucher highlighted that the tool can reduce software adoption cycles from six‑12 months to immediate use
- Founders Benjamin Philion and Daniel Acevedo previously built Talent.com; Boucher brings experience from Lightspeed Commerce and Vasco
- The company plans a follow‑on raise in 12‑15 months to scale go‑to‑market efforts
Analysis
The pre‑seed raise places Solving.AI in the middle of a wave of AI‑enabled SaaS tools that aim to tighten the adoption loop for high‑ticket enterprise software. While the round’s valuation was not disclosed, comparable AI‑driven training startups have been valued at roughly 10‑15 times projected ARR at the seed stage, suggesting Solving.AI could be positioned for a mid‑single‑digit million‑dollar post‑money valuation. The market trend is clear: enterprises are spending heavily on complex platforms but struggle with user onboarding, creating a revenue‑leakage problem that AI can mitigate. By offering a conversational layer that shortens the learning curve, ShowMe could become a defensible add‑on that boosts net revenue retention for the host SaaS vendors, a metric that investors prize. For operators, the deal signals that investors are willing to back early‑stage AI solutions that address concrete workflow friction, even before any ARR is booked. The upcoming 12‑ to 15‑month follow‑on round will likely be priced against early traction metrics such as pilot adoption rates, integration depth, and renewal impact on partner SaaS products. If Solving.AI can demonstrate measurable reductions in time‑to‑value for customers, it may set a valuation precedent for a new sub‑category of AI‑assisted training platforms, prompting both incumbents and new entrants to double down on AI‑first onboarding solutions.