Before the reverse takeover headlines, before public markets and expansion plans, Shift AI was doing what most early-stage companies need most: proving the technology works in the real world.
Shift AI builds software that helps organizations track and manage high-value assets and fleets in real time. In airport environments, its platform gives teams clearer visibility into where equipment is, how it’s being used, and what needs attention–so operations run more efficiently.
That’s what brought Shift AI to Innovate Calgary’s Soaring Higher Challenge. Led by Innovate Calgary in partnership with Calgary International Airport and WestJet, the challenge supports startups in testing and validating aviation solutions in real operational environments.
Innovation is about ideas and the grit to keep iterating and improving. “Our partnership with Shift AI has embodied that spirit from day one,” said Megan Gupton, CIO at Calgary Airports. “Together, we’ve taken their proven platform and transformed it to address dynamic, real-world challenges here at Calgary Airports.”
For Shift AI, it was both a pilot and a proof point at a critical moment.
“We spent the last 2 1/2 years building the product, going to market and getting early traction, and one of those was the challenge,” said Sana Srithas, co-founder of Shift AI and now Chief Operating Officer. “That was one of our early tractions — a live environment showcasing what our product can do.”
The experience also allowed Shift AI to pressure-test the product with real users and real-world workflows. “The team was amazing — proactive with feedback and deeply engaged in QA and testing,” Srithas said. “You really can’t pay for that kind of experience.”
WestJet echoed the value of that hands-on collaboration. “Shift AI’s submission and proof of concept were exactly what we were looking for: technology that solves real operational problems and improves the experience for our guests and our people,” said Anne-Louise Brooks, WestJet Senior Manager, Digital Business Development & Consulting. “What impressed us most was Shift’s pace of learning–rapid feedback, responsive iteration and development grounded in the realities of day-to-day airport operations.”
Srithas added that adoption is driven by customization, especially in operationally dense environments like airports. “We worked closely with YYC and WestJet to tailor the solution to their specific airport maps and operational needs, rather than relying on generic mapping, which makes adoption significantly easier,” she said.
Gupton said the collaboration reflects the intent behind Soaring Higher: applying innovation to practical needs. “Watching an area of opportunity in our business evolve into practical, operational solutions through this collaboration has been rewarding and exciting,” she said. “Shift AI’s dedication to designing targeted solutions for complex use cases aligns perfectly with our Soaring Higher Challenge — a call to take what is known and push it further.”
That kind of on-the-ground validation is a big reason Innovate Calgary ran this challenge-based program: to help founders move from promising ideas to proven solutions, and to build credibility with customers and partners.
Now, Shift AI is building on that foundation with a major growth milestone: the company has completed a reverse takeover of Predictiv AI, a move that supports faster scaling and broader market reach. “What the RTO allows us to do is now be able to scale, bring in funds, and be recognized on a global scale,” Srithas said.
Shift AI began in fleet management and expanded into aviation as the team recognized a clear operational need. “Initially, we were in the mobility sector focused on fleet management, but what we noticed is there is a need in aerospace,” Srithas said. “We built a product specifically for that.”
The company has also expanded internationally and is applying its platform in new contexts. “We’ve started operations in Sri Lanka and Africa. We’ve got a UN project where we’re using our fleet management solution to monitor vehicle health,” Srithas said.
For Innovate Calgary’s community of founders and partners, Shift AI’s story is a clear example of how a well-designed challenge can help companies move faster: test early, learn quickly, integrate into real environments, and build proof points that support scale.
“You could sit here and build a perfect product, but you don’t know if it’s perfect or not until it’s out there in the hands of your customers,” Srithas said. “For us, it’s about getting an MVP out fast and letting real customer feedback prove and shape the product.”
