Ottawa, Canada – September 30, 2025 – Invest Ottawa congratulates Calian Group Ltd. on the launch of Calian VENTURES. Unveiled September 23rd in Ottawa, the initiative is designed to help Canadian small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) transform research and prototypes into mission-ready defence capabilities.
By creating a structured pathway from lab to mission, VENTURES will help Canadian SMEs fast-track their innovations, access integration environments, and pursue procurement opportunities with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and allied markets, while retaining their intellectual property.
“Today we are proud to launch Calian VENTURES, Canada’s defence innovation orchestrator,” said Chris Pogue, President, Defence and Space, Calian. “By leveraging Calian’s engineering experience, integrated defence solutions and trusted CAF relationships, we will work with partners to turn Canadian solutions into Canadian defence capabilities to help build Canada’s defence industrial base — that’s what Calian VENTURES is all about.”
Accelerating Innovation Through Collaboration
VENTURES is designed to close the critical gap between lab and mission by connecting SMEs with established partners across academia, finance, and industry. Its first three focus areas include:
- Command-and-control decision support systems
- Autonomous systems
- Space resource orchestration
By creating pathways for Canadian technologies in these priority domains, VENTURES will help innovators strengthen Canada’s resilience, advance dual-use applications, and grow export opportunities in global defence markets.
This builds on the strength of Canada’s defence economy, which as Calian highlighted in its recent release, comprises more than 585 firms generating $14.3 billion in annual revenue and supporting 81,000 jobs, 85 percent of which are SMEs.
Ottawa: A National Defence Innovation Hub
The launch of VENTURES underscores Ottawa’s role as a national centre for defence and security technology. The region is home to more than 330 defence and cybersecurity firms employing 10,000 people, alongside Canada’s largest tech park.
With 65 federal research labs, the headquarters of DND, DRDC, RCMP, CSIS, and CSE, and Area X.O designated as a NATO DIANA test centre, Canada’s Capital provides an ideal environment for Calian and its partners to accelerate mission-critical innovation.
“Calian is a cornerstone of our region’s defence and security ecosystem, a homegrown Canadian anchor with 43 years of IP and expertise in military training systems,” said Sonya Shorey, President and CEO, Invest Ottawa. “Through initiatives like VENTURES, Calian strives to help address one of the biggest challenges facing Canadian SMEs: navigating the path to federal procurement and global markets. By uniting startups, scaleups, and anchor firms, we can harness the full strength of Canada’s defence ecosystem to deliver sovereign capabilities, strengthen supply chains, fuel economic growth as a trusted national and global innovation hub. Together we can drive disproportionate impact for Canada and our allies.”
About Calian
For over 40 years, Calian has delivered mission-critical solutions when failure is not an option. Trusted worldwide, the company empowers organizations in critical industries to overcome obstacles, manage risks, and drive progress. By combining the expertise of its people, proven industry insight, cutting-edge technology, bold innovation, and global reach, Calian delivers tailored solutions that solve complex challenges.
Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with over 5,000 people around the world, Calian’s solutions protect lives, strengthen security, foster global connectivity, and drive economic progress — making a lasting impact where and when it matters most. Learn more: www.calian.com.
About Invest Ottawa
Invest Ottawa is the lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries in Canada’s Capital Region, facilitating economic growth and job creation in Ottawa. Guided by a vision to help realize Ottawa’s full potential as a globally recognized, innovative, inclusive, and future-ready city, Invest Ottawa delivers venture development, global expansion and talent programs and services that catalyze the growth and success of entrepreneurs and firms. These include small business training, mentorship, acceleration for technology firms, foreign business and investment attraction, local business retention and expansion in targeted sectors, commercialization and promotion of Ottawa’s diversified economy and high quality of life. Invest Ottawa is also the manager of Bayview Yards, Ottawa’s innovation hub and one-stop business acceleration shop, and founder and operator of Area X.O, the R&D complex for next-gen smart mobility, autonomy, and connectivity technologies. Since 2017, Invest Ottawa has supported and delivered $3.7 billion in GDP impact, 29,343 jobs, and $622 million in government revenues.
Media Contact
Lindsey Fair
Vice President Marketing and Bayview Impact
Invest Ottawa
[email protected]
613-857-7779
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