New system-of-systems orchestration lab at Invest Ottawa’s Area X.O will connect legacy and emerging technologies accelerating development to deployment for Canada’s sovereign capabilities.
OTTAWA, ON, September 29, 2026 - Calian Group Ltd. (TSX: CGY) and Invest Ottawa today announced the launch of the Northstar Defence Lab at Area X.O during GCXpo, Canada’s next-generation technology demonstration showcase. The Northstar Defence Lab is a new mission-orchestration environment designed to address one of Canada’s most urgent defence challenges: enabling technologies developed by multiple innovators and companies, for different platforms and missions, to securely share data, coordinate action and operate as one integrated system of systems.
Canada must keep pace with rapidly changing technology and threats by unifying new and legacy defence capabilities while maintaining interoperability across the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and with its allies. Located at Area X.O’s Greenbelt site in Ottawa, the Northstar Defence Lab will provide a persistent Canadian environment where technologies can be integrated, orchestrated, tested, technically validated and scaled safely as part of a broader system of systems.
Developed by Calian in partnership with Area X.O, founded and operated by Invest Ottawa, and powered by Calian ATHORA™, the Lab will bring together Calian VENTURES’ partners, Canadian innovators, defence OEMs, defence solutions and technology partners to build integrated capabilities for Canada.
“Calian has supported Canada’s defence community for decades, delivering mission-critical capabilities where readiness, resilience and interoperability matter most,” said Patrick Houston, Chief Executive Officer, Calian. “As the Canadian Armed Forces modernizes to meet evolving threats, we are investing in the technologies, companies and collaborative infrastructure needed to move at pace alongside them. Through Calian VENTURES and the Northstar Defence Lab, we are helping strengthen Canada’s defence industrial base and accelerate the development, validation and deployment of integrated mission capabilities.”
The Northstar Defence Lab will be the first facility in Calian’s planned nationwide network of regional defence development labs. It is also a tangible next step in the company’s initiative to mobilize an initial $100 million to accelerate sovereign Canadian C5ISRT capabilities.
Orchestrating a collaborative Canadian defence ecosystem
Northstar will be established at Area X.O’s Greenbelt campus, a next-generation R&D complex and NATO DIANA Test Centre, with its real-world testing environments and connections across Canada’s defence and dual-use innovation ecosystem. Calian will build and operate the Northstar Defence Lab and serve as its defence integrator and orchestrator, applying its defence expertise, partner network and system-of-systems integration capabilities.
Its founding ecosystem partners include ADGA, Anvil, Cohere, Evertz Microsystems Limited, Larus, TACTIQL, Tessellate Robotics and 123 Cyber with Export Development Canada participating as an industry commercialization partner. Together, Northstar’s defence and technology partners will contribute complementary Canadian capabilities and expertise in communications, data fusion, artificial intelligence, cyber, sensing and operational decision support to help strengthen the CAF’s platforms and mission systems. The Lab will remain open to Calian’s existing and expanding network of Calian VENTURES partners.
“Northstar is being designed around the mission, not around any one product or company,” said Chris Pogue, President, Defence and Space, Calian. “It will give defence partners a place to connect legacy and emerging technologies, identify interoperability gaps and validate how the complete system of systems performs in the kind of realistic operational environment that is essential for Canada to move new capabilities toward operations at the pace required.”
“Canada’s ability to strengthen its sovereignty, security and economic resilience depends on turning homegrown innovation into real-world capability,” said Sonya Shorey, President and CEO, Invest Ottawa. “Through Area X.O and Ottawa’s innovation ecosystem, we are bringing together founders, companies, government, our Forces, and partners to accelerate the validation, adoption and deployment of defence and dual-use technologies, helping Canadian companies get to market, customers and revenue faster. The Northstar Defence Lab at Area X.O will help strengthen this pathway, creating new opportunities for Canadian companies, building our defence industrial capacity, and continually increasing the impact of Canada’s Capital Region as a national and global defence innovation hub serving Canada, our Forces and allies.”
The Northstar Defence Lab at Area X.O will be powered by ATHORA, a sovereign system-of-systems interoperability and mission-orchestration platform. Northstar will give Canadian innovators and small and medium-sized enterprises a pathway to demonstrate how their intellectual property can contribute to larger defence solutions.
Through Northstar, Calian and Invest Ottawa are creating a persistent Canadian environment where the defence ecosystem can turn disconnected technologies into integrated mission capability, faster. The result will be stronger system-of-systems interoperability, faster capability adoption and greater Canadian control over the technologies essential to operational readiness, Arctic sovereignty and national security.
About Invest Ottawa, Area X.O and GCXpo
Invest Ottawa is the lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries in Canada’s Capital and the founder and operator of Area X.O, a next-generation R&D complex and NATO DIANA Test Centre that helps innovators, entrepreneurs and companies get to market faster and safely by working directly with end users. Through Area X.O at the Greenbelt in Ottawa and Killaloe in the Ottawa Valley, Invest Ottawa brings together entrepreneurs, startups, SMEs, multinationals, governments, prospective customers, regulators and collaborators to safely develop, test, validate, demonstrate and commercialize breakthrough technologies in real-world conditions, driving adoption and deployment. Area X.O also hosts GCXpo, Canada’s premier next-generation technology demonstration event, bringing together innovators, companies, government and industry leaders, investors, researchers, and ecosystem partners across defence, agtech, smart mobility and other dual-use technologies to accelerate commercialization, adoption, deployment, and global growth.
About Calian
For over 40 years, Calian has delivered mission-critical solutions when failure is not an option. Trusted worldwide, we empower organizations in critical industries to overcome obstacles, manage risks and drive progress. By combining the expertise of our people, proven industry insight, cutting-edge technology, bold innovation and global reach, we deliver tailored solutions that solve complex challenges. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with over 6,000 people around the world, Calian’s solutions protect lives, strengthen security, foster global connectivity and drive economic progress, making a lasting impact where and when it matters most.
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Noah Note: You know, there are some people out here, and I mean no ill or offence but there are people out here just sorta doing side quests that you would never think of unless thrown in your face. This is one of those moments.
And that isn't to hate on Calian. Far from it. We have a serious lack of dedicated testing infrastructure that I will always welcome investment in. There is a lack of specialized testing facilities especially, from autonomous ecosystems to Hypersonic testing and everything in between that we are sadly lacking.
That is especially true on a national scale. Something I think folks forget is that having one facility, one place to go for things is a horrible kneecap to us. That is especially an issue for folks beyond Ontario and Quebec, where infrastructure is far more limited and to go out of ones way to get to it can be financially unviable and restrictive to supporting their development.
So if Calian wants a National network? Power to them. I welcome it. Calian has been very clear that they're building their roster, their team for the future. They're supporting, financing, and providing infrastructure to their people, and clesrlt they want that to be a pan-Canadian network to call upon.
I welcome the ambition. We get nothing if we don't try.
Really great to see this happening. Goose bay is hugely important