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How a Canadian defence accelerator is bringing industry and military closer together
Canadian defence accelerator Vimy Forge is putting industry and the Canadian Armed Forces in the same room to speak candidly.
Key points
- Vimy Forge officially launched in January with almost $1-million in federal government funding.
- The 12-month program includes four in-person week-long intensive sessions, often held on military bases.
- Managing director Duncan McSporran spent 24 years as an infantry soldier in the British Army.
Why it matters. The accelerator feeds into Ottawa's goal of boosting the number of defence contracts awarded to Canadian companies and growing revenues for small and medium-sized defence businesses.
Vimy Forge, a defence accelerator based in Fredericton, officially launched in January with almost $1-million from the federal government. The investment comes from a $357.7-million initiative under Ottawa's Defence Industrial Strategy. Its nine inaugural companies are developing technologies from uncrewed ground vehicles to drone-detection software.
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How a Canadian defence accelerator is bringing industry and military closer together
Vimy Forge is part of a concerted effort to create a system that’s more amenable to innovation in the sector Open this photo in gallery: Tomek Bartczak, founder and chief executive of Engineering Design Lab, highlighted the camaraderie between fellow Vimy Forge cohort members as a massive boost to his understanding of how to navigate the Canadian defence ecosystem. Cole Burston/The Globe and Mail Gathered near the gates of Canadian Forces Base Halifax on a blustery blue-sky day in early October, the huddle of entrepreneurs that make up the Canadian defence accelerator Vimy Forge looks like a group of schoolkids fresh off a big yellow bus and ready for adventure. Together, they comprise Vimy Forge’s inaugural cohort, launched last March. Eight months in, they’ve attended classes, sat through lectures, embarked upon field trips and bonded as new friends whose days are filled with many of the same challenges. These include complex procurement pathways and a lack of local testing opportunities. Left unresolved, those challenges can be consequential not only for the entrepreneurs and companies themselves but also for the customers they serve. Duncan McSporran, managing director at Vimy Forge, knows this well from his time as an infantry soldier in the British Army for 24 years. “I’ve been on the other end of this during my period in uniform, where you’ve ended up with high-tech capa.