Vimy Forge defence accelerator opens first cohort to SMEs

From the Springboard Content Lab

Vimy Forge, a Canadian defence accelerator, is calling upon founders and small-and-medium-sized businesses across Canada to apply for its first cohort which will help them navigate and succeed in the defence market.

The inaugural training program is slated to begin in March 2025 and run until March 2027. It will be delivered in 12-week sprints, each with a five-day in-person focus week for deep engagement with mentors, experts and operational stakeholders.

The application deadline is December 20.

“Canada has world-class entrepreneurs and researchers, but too often their solutions struggle to reach the soldiers, sailors, aviators, and operators who need them most. The gap between early innovation and national capability is real — and widening as digital technology reshapes every part of security and defence.”

Duncan McSporran, Co-founder and CEO, Vimy Forge

By joining the first cohort, you’ll:

• Test and demonstrate technology in mission-relevant contexts guided by CAF and DND innovation priorities.
• Accelerate readiness for procurement and scale. Advance your technology through a national sovereign innovation network.
• Application deadline: 22 December 2025.

Vimy Forge mission and goals

Vimy Forge is a public–private partnership designed to close the gap between Canadian innovation and defence procurement. It helps Canadian startups and SMEs by providing the expertise and connections needed to succeed in the defence sector.

• Strengthen Security – Building capabilities that enhance Canadian and allied defence, security, and resilience through innovative solutions.
• Connect Innovators – Bridging the gap between Canadian startups, SMEs, and the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces.
• Accelerate Innovation – Providing tools, clearances, and market pathways to help breakthrough ideas become mission-ready solutions.

Closing gaps in defence ecosystem

Vimy Forge is Fredericton, NB-based sovereign defence and national security innovation accelerator. The accelerator focuses on digital-first capabilities, human–machine teaming, and other technologies that strengthen Canada’s operational and economic resilience. It is supported by a national coalition of public and private partners.

Many SMEs face persistent gaps when engaging the defence ecosystem: limited access to end users, unclear or evolving requirements, difficulties validating technology in operational contexts, and a fragmented path to venture and strategic capital.

Vimy Forge is designed to close these gaps by creating direct, recurring interaction with operational stakeholders, providing guided interpretation of requirements, and connecting companies to investors who understand defence timelines and procurement pathways.

Building pathways to defence ecosystem

SMEs selected for the inaugural cohort gain a structured, low-friction pathway into the defence ecosystem. This includes direct access to operational users, clear guidance on requirements and adoption pathways, and hands-on support to validate, mature, and position technology for procurement and integration. Companies benefit from a national network of defence primes, integrators, researchers, and capital partners who understand the realities of scaling in a complex market.

This application is concise and designed to assess strategic fit, maturity, and potential impact. Supporting visuals and artefacts may be included as appendices.

No equity is taken. SMEs receive significant in-kind support from Vimy Forge partners and work directly with mentors and Experts-in-Residence drawn from the Canadian Armed Forces, government, industry, and the innovation community—many of whom have built successful companies themselves in the defence, national security and aligned spaces.

The emphasis throughout is practical guidance, reduced barriers, and a clear route to measurable progress.

Springboard Atlantic Defence Stories highlights defence innovation taking place in the Atlantic Provinces. From advanced naval manufacturing to AI-enabled cyber defence and next-generation ocean sensing, researchers across Springboard’s 19 universities and colleges are driving solutions that matter to Canada’s defence and national security priorities. Springboard is proud to help bring these breakthroughs from lab to mission-ready capability.