In an insightful conversation with Sasha Ivanov, founder of Maple Scan, the conception of this innovative app arose from a personal experience during the announcement of tariffs on Canadian goods. Ivanov, a computer science master’s holder and app developer from Alberta, sought to empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. Launched in March, Maple Scan offers AI-powered image recognition to identify product origins and ingredient sources, distinguishing between “Made in Canada” and “Product of Canada.” The app has gained traction, amassing over 110,000 downloads and facilitating over 550,000 scans. Community support has been pivotal to its growth, with volunteers aiding in its development. Maple Scan continues to evolve, adding features such as hyper-local recommendations and engaging messages during scans. As Canadians reassess their shopping habits in light of tariffs, Maple Scan serves as a tool for fostering local economies and conscious consumerism, encouraging users to prioritize Canadian-made products.
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