This week on The BetaKit Podcast, we’re talking defence tech.
It’s a wholly new topic for the pod, because this time last year, Canada didn’t have a defence tech sector.
“It actually allows us an opportunity to build sovereign capability and leapfrog to get our armed forces where they need to be by taking advantage of leapfrog Canadian technologies.”
The geopolitical situation being what it is, defence is suddenly very hot: the federal government has committed to spending 5 percent of GDP on defence by 2035, changed procurement laws to support the sector, and is encouraging the banks and pension funds to invest.
The feds have even conscripted this week’s guest, Matthew Lombardi of defence newsletter The Icebreaker, to help map the sector with the Council of Canadian Innovators.
What Lombardi found was a cluster of almost 500 Canadian companies building critical technologies—technologies like quantum, logistics and telecommunications, or aerospace, for example—that have a ‘dual use’ in the defence sector. He also found procurement issues common to Canadian tech companies across all industries, and some financing and regulatory hurdles particular to defence.
We cover all of that and more on the episode, but I want to swing back to the novelty of the subject matter for a moment.
The need for a Canadian defence tech sector is new to everyone involved, including BetaKit. And for some (including me!), this might be an uncomfortable subject.
But as our prime minister recently noted, there has been a rupture in the global order, and the effects are profound. This conversation is part of that.
So what does Canadian defence tech look like?
Let’s dig in.
PRESENTED BY
The BetaKit Podcast is presented by CADSI: The national voice of Canada’s defence, security, and emerging technology sectors.
CADSI advocates for a resilient and sustainable defence and security sector by engaging government, shaping policy, and strengthening Canada’s role with global partners. We create platforms that connect industry with decision-makers, foster collaboration, and reinforce Canada’s position as a reliable partner in international security.
Visit defenceandsecurity.ca to grow your defence business with CADSI.
Image courtesy Prime Minister Mark Carney via YouTube. Recorded and edited at Toronto Podcasts.