A one-hour workshop on building for both commercial and defence markets.

Dual-use: From Problem to Market (Hybrid-workshop series):
A workshop for early-stage companies, hosted at Bayview Yards, with a virtual attendance option.

Dual-use is not a label you add to a product later. It is a strategic choice about how you build, position, and take your technology to market. This session helps founders make that choice for the defence and security market, with a clear view of what investors expect along the way.

What you’ll take away:

– How venture capital works, and what investors need to see at pre-seed, seed, and Series A, including how to plan for the gap between early capital and sustainable revenue
– How to identify and validate a real capability gap: a specific operational need that current systems, primes, and vendors are not meeting
– How to decide whether to go commercial-first or defence-first, and why choosing a primary market matters
– How to run customer discovery across the three people in most defence buying decisions: the operator, the buyer in procurement, and the decision-maker
– How to map two potential markets side by side using the Mission Model Canvas, so you can see where your value propositions diverge
– What investment-ready evidence looks like: a validated problem, demonstrable progress, a specific go-to-market plan, early customers or partners, and clear financial runway

By the end, you should have a sharper answer to three questions: which capability gap you can own, who you are really building for, and which market you should commit to first.

Who should attend: Commercialization-stage companies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6–9, meaning your technology has been demonstrated in a near-operational or operational environment and is moving toward customers and procurement. This is a strong fit if you are deciding how to position for defence and security or preparing to raise.

The session closes with an overview of ONE9’s advisory services and open Q&A. Attendees can book one-on-one time with the ONE9 team following the workshop.

About ONE9:
ONE9 is a Canadian national security technology investment and innovation platform focused on finding, funding, and scaling the next generation of security and defence technology companies. It connects startups with operational end users and subject matter experts to identify real capability gaps, validate technologies, and align private sector innovation with public sector defence and security needs.

Speakers

Glenn Cowan
Glenn is a Canadian venture capitalist, retired special operations officer, accomplished investor, adventurer, and skydiving world record holder. Glenn is the Founder of ONE9, a leading Canadian defence and security ecosystem focused on investing in dual-use technologies validated by national security end-users. Drawing on extensive operational experience with Joint Task Force 2 and deployments across Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa, Glenn brings a unique perspective on technology, national security, and high-performing teams.

Michael Smith
Former Canadian Armed Forces legal officer and national security specialist, Michael brings more than 12 years of military experience and expertise in military justice, intelligence and information operations, and national security law. He deployed on Operation IMPACT and advised on Royal Canadian Air Force targeting operations, providing first-hand insight into the opportunities and limitations of technology in the modern battlespace. Michael is also a returning lecturer on the Law of Targeting at Carleton University.