Turning computing heat into a practical heating solution for greenhouses.
Updated
January 23, 2026 10:41 AM
Inside of a workstation computer with red lighting. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Most computing systems have one unavoidable side effect: they get hot. That heat is usually treated as a problem and pushed away using cooling systems. Canaan Inc., a technology company that builds high-performance computing machines, is now showing how that same heat can be reused instead of wasted.
In a pilot project in Manitoba, Canada, Canaan is working with greenhouse operator Bitforest Investment to recover heat generated by its computing systems. Rather than focusing only on computing output, the project looks at a more basic question—what happens to all the heat these machines produce and can it serve a practical purpose?
The idea is simple. Canaan’s computers run continuously and naturally generate heat. Instead of releasing that heat into the environment, the system captures it and uses it to warm water. That warm water is then fed into the greenhouse’s existing heating system. As a result, the greenhouse needs less additional energy to maintain the temperatures required for plant growth.
This is enabled through liquid cooling. Instead of using air to cool the machines, a liquid circulates through the system and absorbs heat more efficiently. Because liquid retains heat better than air, the recovered water reaches temperatures that are suitable for industrial use. In effect, the computing system supports greenhouse heating while continuing to perform its primary computing function.
What makes this approach workable is that it integrates with existing infrastructure. The recovered heat does not replace the greenhouse’s boilers but supplements them. By preheating the water that enters the boiler system, the overall energy demand is reduced. Based on current assumptions, Canaan estimates that a significant portion of the electricity used by the servers can be recovered as usable heat, though actual results will be confirmed once the system is fully operational.
This matters because heating is one of the largest energy expenses for commercial greenhouses, particularly in colder regions like Canada. Many facilities still rely heavily on fossil-fuel-based heating and policies such as carbon pricing are encouraging lower-emission alternatives. Reusing computing heat offers a way to improve efficiency without requiring a complete overhaul of existing systems.
The project is planned to run for an initial two-year period, allowing Canaan to evaluate real-world performance factors such as reliability, system stability and maintenance needs. These findings will help determine whether the model can be replicated in other agricultural or industrial settings.
More broadly, the initiative reflects a shift in how computing infrastructure can be designed. Instead of operating as energy-intensive systems isolated from everyday use, computing equipment can contribute to real-world applications. Canaan’s greenhouse pilot highlights how excess heat—often seen as a by-product—can become part of a more efficient and thoughtful energy loop.
In doing so, the project suggests that improving sustainability in technology is not only about reducing energy consumption, but also about finding smarter ways to reuse the energy already being generated.
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Six technology companies showcased solutions for financial research, wealth management, consumer insight and security to investors and institutions.
Updated
November 14, 2026 11:54 PM
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Arnold Lau and King Leung (back row, fourth and fifth from left), Associate Directors-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, join the Ventureport team and representatives from the six technology companies. PHOTO: VENTUREPORT
Ventureport hosted the soft launch of InvestHK’s Fast-Track Connect at its AI+ Tech+ Finance+ gathering on 30 October, bringing more than 100 guests to Pier 1929 in Wan Chai.
Sponsored by InvestHK, the event brought investors, institutional representatives and technology companies together to explore investment and business partnerships. Six companies took the stage to showcase software solutions for financial professionals, consumer research, local AI computing and digital asset security.
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The Acting Head of Startups, at InvestHK, Chin-yung (CY), and the Senior Vice President (Fintech), Pauline Fan, introduced Fast-Track Connect. They explained how the agency’s international network connects it with technology companies seeking investment, customers and business opportunities in Hong Kong.
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Their remarks also highlight the need for a more structured approach to build these connections. Investors need easier ways to identify companies that match their interests, while institutions seeking new technology need access to businesses whose products could support their operations or benefit their customers.
To address this need, Fast-Track Connect provides an online platform where technology companies can publish profiles outlining their products and funding needs. Investors and corporate participants can identify relevant businesses and contact them to explore potential investments or collaborations. Service providers and community partners are also part of the platform. Alongside investors and corporate participants, these groups are designated as Champions on the platform.
Curated by InvestHK and supported by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, Fast-Track Connect builds on the Global Fast Track Programme. It aims to help local enterprises expand into Chinese Mainland, Southeast Asia and other markets.
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AlphaPai, an AI-powered investment research platform developed by financial technology company RabyteTech, presented tools for financial research, including gathering data, monitoring financial instruments and comparing information from corporate earnings calls.
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At the event, the team explained how users can give research instructions in everyday language, while the software retrieves and processes information to prepare reports and presentation materials. Examples included tracking market developments and comparing company statements over time. The team also emphasised the importance of traceable sources, allowing analysts to verify the information behind their research.
A2B2.AI, a fintech startup, presented AI- powered tools designed to support investors and wealth advisers. Its specialist AI agents—software designed to carry out particular tasks—help prepare client meeting briefings, monitor financial products approaching maturity and identify market developments relevant to individual clients, according to the team.
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For investors, the tool can help make sense of lengthy documents provided by advisers and bring information from different accounts together to assess risk exposure. For wealth professionals, the tools support preparation and follow-up around client meetings.
The team described its approach as combining AI with human expertise to support financial decision- making. It also clarified that the platform does not execute investment transactions on behalf of clients, leaving those decisions and actions in their hands.
Preferences AI, an AI startup specialising in synthetic consumer research, presented simulated consumer profiles that businesses can use to explore how different audiences might respond to products, pricing and marketing messages. These profiles generate modelled responses rather than feedback from people directly interviewed or surveyed.
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The company described that its profiles are grounded in population data and account for differences between local audiences Businesses can use them to explore pricing or packaging options, as well as ask follow-up questions to understand the reasons behind a particular response. The team also discussed testing its models and working with academics to help validate the approach. It said the technology could help businesses explore consumer preferences more quickly.
ByteFuture, an AI infrastructure startup, focused on running AI on users’ own hardware. It introduced Olares, its operating system, and Olares One, a device designed to run AI models and applications locally.
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Its applications included personal assistance, financial research and content creation. The team argued that users handling private documents or proprietary trading strategies may prefer to retain that material on equipment they control.
A demonstration of AI-generated video illustrated creative work the team said could run locally. It also described applications and agents available through its software marketplace.
PureGlobal, a fintech company, addressed digital asset custody: the systems used to safeguard access to digital assets. Its team described technology for protecting access credentials and supporting offline transactions without a conventional internet connection.
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The presentation focused on infrastructure for institutions holding and transferring digital assets, including security under different operating conditions.
SlowMist, a blockchain security firm, examined the risks of giving AI agents permission to read information and perform tasks. Its examples included malicious instructions concealed in material an agent might encounter and attacks exploiting access granted to software.
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The team discussed security auditing, monitoring and investigations alongside risks arising from third-party tools and an agent’s stored information. One scenario involved exposing a wallet’s recovery phrase, which can give someone control over its assets.