Former Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan Launches Juno Industries to Scale Canada’s Sovereign Defence Technology
Press Release
VANCOUVER, BC — January 15, 2026 — Former Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan and technology entrepreneur Hunter Scharfe today announced the launch of Juno Industries Inc., a defence-technology company developing autonomous systems to strengthen Canadian and allied national security, sovereignty, and defence capabilities. Sajjan will serve as executive chairman and Scharfe will serve as chief executive officer.
The Company closed a $3 million seed financing in the fall of 2025 and is backed by prominent Canadian entrepreneurs and investors, including Geordie Rose, founder of D-Wave and Sanctuary AI, who serves as Senior Advisor to the Company.
“Since my time as national minister of defence, I’ve stressed the need for predictability, certainty, and a clear path forward to strengthen our military and defence sector,” said Harjit Sajjan, cofounder and executive chairman of Juno Industries. “We are now seeing the early foundations of that vision take shape, and I believe the team at Juno Industries has the talent, know-how and capital to help advance innovation in Canada and among allied partners.”
Juno Industries is being established amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty and accelerating technological change. The company is focused on advancing dual-use autonomous systems for high-consequence environments under a defined development program. Canada has committed approximately $80 billion over the next five years to modernize its defence capabilities, with increased emphasis on domestic innovation, industrial capacity, and sovereign technology.
“We are in the opening innings of a generational growth cycle in defence technology,” commented Hunter Scharfe, co-founder of Juno Industries. “Juno Industries is focused on strengthening sovereignty and improving security outcomes for Canadians and our allies. I am deeply grateful to partner with Harjit as his experience and patriotism set the tone for everything we’re building. I am confident that our shared commitment to solving mission-critical problems will deliver meaningful impact in the years ahead.”
About Harjit Sajjan, Executive Chairman and co-founder
Harjit Sajjan served in Canada’s federal Cabinet for nearly a decade (2015-2025), bringing a rare combination of frontline military experience, geopolitical insight, and international development leadership to national and global decision-making tables.
Before entering politics, Sajjan served as a decorated officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, completing multiple overseas deployments including in Bosnia and Afghanistan. He played a critical role in NATO operations and earned commendations for his operational planning and leadership. Simultaneously, he served as a detective with the Vancouver Police Department, focusing on organized crime investigations. This dual-track career shaped his critical analysis approach to crisis management in government and on the international stage.
As Canada’s Minister of National Defence (2015–2021), Sajjan led a major modernization of defence policy through Strong, Secure, Engaged; a 20-year strategic plan backed by $553 billion in funding. Under his leadership, Canada committed to increasing annual defence spending by 73%, from $18.9 billion in 2016–17 to $32.7 billion by 2026–27, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to NATO and global security. He oversaw Canada’s contributions to NATO and G7 missions, led complex procurement initiatives, and responded to emerging threats including cyber warfare, hybrid conflicts, and Arctic sovereignty. He worked closely with allied governments, defence industries, and intelligence agencies across North America, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific.
A cornerstone of his defence tenure was leading the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Canada’s cryptologic and cyber security agency. In 2018, he championed the creation of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, consolidating federal cyber expertise into a unified hub serving as the national authority on cybersecurity for both public and private sectors.
Following his Defence portfolio, he was appointed Minister of International Development (2021–2023), where he led Canada’s $8 billion+ global development portfolio. His work spanned climate finance, global health (including COVID-19 vaccine equity), and humanitarian response, often at the intersection of diplomacy, infrastructure, and private capital mobilization. His leadership helped shape Canada’s Indo- Pacific Strategy and strengthened bilateral partnerships across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
From 2023 to 2025, Sajjan served as Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness, spearheading initiatives to enhance national resilience against climate-related disasters, critical infrastructure threats, and cross-jurisdictional emergencies.
Outside of public service, Harjit Sajjan is an avid runner and licensed skydiver, finding balance and focus through physical endurance. His passion for discipline and precision, mirrors his approach to leadership on the global stage.
With deep relationships worldwide including Washington, Brussels, and key multilateral institutions, Harjit Sajjan is uniquely positioned to advise on geopolitical risk, defence-sector investments, and cross- border strategic growth. His ability to synthesize national security, development finance, and foreign policy has made him a sought-after voice on global strategy.
About Hunter Scharfe, CEO and co-founder
Hunter Scharfe is the CEO and Founder of Juno Industries, an advanced technology company accelerating Canada’s defence capabilities with mission critical software and autonomous hardware.
Scharfe envisions a new paradigm where Canada is better-equipped to confront threats to its sovereignty and flourishes as a defence leader and partner to its allies.
As a deep tech and frontier markets entrepreneur, and strategic capital partner with nearly a decade of experience building and backing companies across emerging technology sectors, he is well positioned to lead Canada towards a secure tomorrow.
Scharfe is deeply committed to advancing Canada, including at the provincial level. He was recently appointed to Vancouver Lead of Build Canada a non profit and non partisan entity made up of entrepreneurs, leaders, and motivated citizens committed to driving Canada's growth.
Scharfe has launched several high-profile ventures including Alset AI, a pioneering AI and cloud computing investment firm, which he cofounded in 2023 while serving as Partner for Toronto-based Paterson Partners. Scharfe currently serves as a Senior Advisor to BTQ Technologies Corp. (CBOE: BTQ).
About Juno Industries Inc.
Juno Industries Inc. is a Vancouver-based defence technology company co-founded by former Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan and technology entrepreneur Hunter Scharfe. The company is developing autonomous systems to strengthen Canadian and allied national security, sovereignty, and defence capabilities by harnessing Canadian technical talent and innovation. Learn more at junoindustries.ca
He was the worst MND that Canada has had. "He played a critical role in NATO operations..." As a liaison officer he was about as critical as the sludge pump and bindle rotor on my Mercedes diesel engine.
The transition from overseeing the military to selling it technology is significant. Under the *Conflict of Interest Act*, former ministers face a five-year "cooling-off" period. This rule stops them from lobbying, which means asking the government for money or changes to laws. Sajjan cannot personally push for contracts with his old department yet. But the federal lobbyist registry often shows other executives taking those meetings. We should watch the public records to see who knocks on doors for Juno.