A Kitchener, Ont. startup has been acquired by the U.S.-based engineering firm Consor North America. No details of the deal, including the financial terms, were shared in the announcement. ConeLabs built a platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D modelling to inspect and identify defects in critical infrastructure – issues that might be missed by the naked eye. Albert Mansour, the company’s CEO and co-founder, showed CTV News in May 2025 how the technology works. A drone takes images of the structure, which is turned into a 3D model that can be analyzed by AI for damage. Mansour said his team of engineers spent several years inputting data to train the AI on what it should look for. The technology can also makes inspections easier alongside preventing potential structural failures. “We’re shutting down lanes of highways… we put people underneath bridges from a bucket truck,” Mansour explained in 2025. “All of that is a very resource intensive, time-consuming task.” Consor said they were excited to integrate the platform into their existing business in both Canada and the U.S. “By combining our expertise with ConeLabs’ cutting-edge technology, we’re creating new possibilities for how infrastructure is managed, helping clients make more proactive, data-informed decisions,” Consor CEO Mindy Shimanek said in a media release. The technology has already been tested out in several states, including the City of Kitchener.
