Vimy Forge Officially Launches to Strengthen Canada’s Defence Innovation
We’re thrilled to share that the Government of Canada has officially announced significant support for the launch of the Vimy Forge accelerator program in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
On February 9, 2026, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) announced a federal investment of $997,000 through the Regional Defence Investment Initiative to support Vimy Forge as it rolls out a new innovation accelerator for early-stage Canadian defence and security companies. This investment is part of the Government’s broader effort to grow resilient domestic capability in critical defence technologies and strengthen Canada’s national security innovation ecosystem.
Read the full official press release here:
👉 Strengthening Atlantic Canada’s defence capabilities in New Brunswick through Vimy Forge accelerator program — Canada.ca
A National Cohort of Canadian Innovators
The inaugural cohort — named Black Flight — brings together 10 Canadian companies from across the country, each developing promising defence and dual-use technologies. These include:
123 Cyber (Montréal, QC)
Bloomsco (Montréal, QC)
Cellula Robotics (Burnaby, BC)
Engineering Design Lab (Toronto, ON)
Prodigy Intelligence (Surrey, BC)
Seafarer AI (Saint John, NB)
Tehama (Ottawa, ON)
Vartis Space (Milton, ON / Fredericton, NB)
Wuxly (Toronto, ON)
Xubin Aerospace (Ontario)
These teams represent a rich diversity of capability areas — from AI and cybersecurity to marine robotics, autonomous systems, smart textiles, and counter-UAS innovation — highlighting the wide range of Canadian innovation powering national security and sovereignty.
Marking an Important Milestone — Our Official Launch
Roundtable discussion hosted by Vimy Forge on January 29 at the National Digital Excellence Centre (NDEC), Cyber Centre, Fredericton, NB.
Before the press release went public, we celebrated a key moment in the life of the accelerator: our official launch event on January 29th. Hosted as a roundtable discussion, it brought together federal leadership and community partners, including:
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister for ACOA
David Myles, Member of Parliament for Fredericton-Oromocto
This roundtable marked a meaningful milestone — not just in securing support for Vimy Forge, but in building momentum around the real progress that Canadian defence innovators are making today. It reinforced the strong collaboration between government, industry and the local Fredericton ecosystem as we work collectively to scale technology teams and create impact.
This event laid the foundation for the year-long accelerator program set to begin in March, where founders will work through structured 12-week sprints and in-person sessions — driving practical progress and connection as teams grow.