Canadian aerospace company NordSpace announced today the launch of NordSpace Ventures, a newly established division focused on investing in the space, defence, and dual-use technology sector. Its first portfolio member is an Edmonton space data company with one of the world’s most powerful satellite imaging arrays.
Nordspace calls the investment an act of sovereignty-building between the two industry-aligned companies.
NordSpace announced its investment in Wyvern on Thursday, calling it an act of sovereignty-building between the two industry-aligned companies.
“The investment aligns two deeply complementary Canadian companies,” a release issued by NordSpace reads. “NordSpace is building the sovereign launch infrastructure and satellite systems to place and operate assets in orbit, while Wyvern is developing the sensing capabilities that give those assets purpose.”
Wyvern CEO and co-founder Chris Robson did not disclose how much money NordSpace put up, but said it was “a fairly big investment.” BetaKit reached out to NordSpace for comment, but did not hear back by press time.
Founded in 2018 by a group of University of Alberta engineering alumni, Wyvern operates a highly sophisticated array of satellites it calls the Dragonette constellation. Those satellites use high-resolution cameras capable of capturing hyperspectral images that reveal data across a wider range than a typical satellite.
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Robson told BetaKit in an interview that the funding would advance the development and deployment of Wyvern’s next-generation Rosette satellites, capable of an even broader visual range and greater data capacity.
“The money is primarily enabling the continued development of our payload. Our long-term roadmap is to develop this technology called deployable optics, and the first payload that has some of the technology we’ve been developing for deployable optics is part of our Rosette mission, which is launching in the next couple of years,” Robson said.
Strategic partnerships
At a time when the federal government is increasingly looking to expand its trading partners and cement Canadian sovereignty amid threats from the US, Canada remains the only G7 nation without domestic space launch capabilities. That means those looking to launch into orbit, whether with satellites or otherwise, need to seek foreign assistance.
It’s for that reason that Wyvern’s unique and complementary capabilities drew NordSpace Ventures’ attention. Under the venture model, portfolio members gain access to swaths of NordSpace’s aerospace resources, including launch services at the Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland and Labrador. NordSpace, in turn, gains access to Wyvern’s advanced imaging technology—the only such provider in Canada.
That resource pooling, as well as targeted investment into strategic and technical partners, is central to NordSpace’s broader vision of developing a sovereign space ecosystem in Canada, complete with sovereign launch ability.
In August and September of 2025, Nordspace attempted several suborbital launches of its Taiga rocket from the Atlantic Spaceport Complex. But weather delays, faulty safety systems, and other setbacks caused the company to miss both of its launch windows. The company has not attempted any launches since.
This latest investment, and the partnerships it has borne, is a big deal for both Wyvern and Nordspace, and for the Canadian aerospace industry itself, according to Robson.
“One of the most important things from Wyvern’s perspective is our ability to get more satellites into space to continue to support our business. Being able to launch something from Canadian soil is a really important part of Wyvern’s future, but also Canada’s future,” he said.
BetaKit’s Prairies reporting is funded in part by YEGAF, a not-for-profit dedicated to amplifying business stories in Alberta.
Feature image courtesy Nordspace.