Invest Ottawa

Ottawa’s innovation economy is powered by global talent, community collaboration, and inclusive growth. 🌍 Join Invest Ottawa and community partners on June 24 for an upcoming Work in Ottawa webinar supporting newcomers as they explore career pathways, employment supports, and opportunities in Canada’s Capital. 🗓️ June 24 from 12-1 pm This 60-minute session will explore: ✔️ Ottawa’s thriving technology landscape and talent opportunities ✔️ Newcomer support systems and employment pathways ✔️ Community-driven programs helping skilled professionals integrate and succeed Featuring speakers from Invest Ottawa, World Skills Employment Centre, and OCISO: 🎤 Sahr Kazmi, MBA 🎤 Ledianis Rivero-Sosa, CCDP® 🎤 Fatima Saadeddine, MBA,PMP,CHRP,ESPT 🎤 Zuhal Karim This interactive webinar in collaboration with Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP) is part of the Work in Ottawa series featuring our community partners WorldSkills Employment Centre and Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization - OCISO. Register here: https://bit.ly/4ea478V

🚀 What you build matters. How you build it matters even more. That’s why founders, operators, investors, and ecosystem leaders come to AccelerateOTT. Not just for inspiration, but for the conversations, insights, and connections that help move companies forward. At AccelerateOTT 2026, you’ll hear from founders building in real time, investors navigating a shifting capital landscape, and operators helping shape what growth looks like in the age of AI. And beyond the stage, it’s the energy in the room that makes AccelerateOTT what it is. The conversations between sessions. The introductions that lead somewhere bigger. The feeling that you’re surrounded by people building what’s next. This isn’t one moment. It’s momentum. 🎟️ Secure your ticket: https://bit.ly/4dNbBgI

This week in our Defence Innovation Hub Strategy series, we’re focusing on how Canada strengthens its defence posture, secure and sovereign infrastructure will be foundational. Next in our series: Goal #4 Build Sovereign and Secure Infrastructure, Labs, and Capabilities This goal focuses on: ✔️ Expanding NATO DIANA Test Centres including Area X.O and NRC labs ✔️ Enabling both classified and open testing environments ✔️ Establishing a sovereign semiconductor capability to secure supply chains ✔️ Integrating labs into a connected, secure innovation network Ottawa–Gatineau already hosts critical infrastructure. The opportunity now is to connect, modernize, and scale it. Working alongside our partners, we are building a secure, interoperable innovation network that accelerates R&D from concept to commercialization. This is about more than infrastructure. It is about independence, resilience, and readiness. ⬇️ Click the link in our comments to read more. In partnership with City of Ottawa / Ville d’Ottawa, Ville de Gatineau, Area X.O, Ottawa Board of Trade, and Kanata North Business Association #DefenceInnovation

Some of the best ideas move forward when builders have space to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another. Looking for a place to build, connect, and make progress on your next idea? The next Builder Sundays Ottawa session takes place May 31. 🛠️ Thank to Shopify for opening its doors to support Ottawa’s builder community. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4dXwG8x

🚀 Meet the Top 10 finalists heading to the Startup World Cup Ottawa Regional at AccelerateOTT 2026. These founders are building what’s next across AI, healthtech, fintech, mobility, and advanced technology: • CardiAxis Medical Inc. • Constant Health • Kavodax™ • SamSearch • STRATOTEGIC • BioThera Solutions • CanVeer Biopharma Inc. • Peepal Research Inc. • Celestra Health Systems • Taskd On June 11, they’ll take the AccelerateOTT stage to pitch in front of an incredible panel of judges, investors, and ecosystem leaders for: 💸 A share of the $50K prize pot 🌍 A chance to represent Ottawa on the global stage for $1M USD at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in Silicon Valley This is more than a pitch competition. It’s visibility, connection, and opportunity at a defining moment in a founder’s journey. 🎟️ Join us at AccelerateOTT 2026: https://bit.ly/4dNbBgI Click the link in our comments to read more about the Top 10 finalists.

Canada’s AI and semiconductor future will be built through bold collaboration, strategic investment, and a stronger path from innovation to commercialization. Invest Ottawa was proud to join leaders from across industry and government at the CHIPS North Summit fireside chat featuring: 🎤 The Honourable Evan Solomon of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario 🎤 Keith Strier, SVP, Global AI Markets, AMD The conversation reinforced a clear opportunity for Canada to position our country as a global leader in AI and semiconductor innovation. As Canada’s Capital, Ottawa continues to play a critical role in this future, bringing together deep expertise in semiconductors, AI, telecommunications, cybersecurity, and advanced research with a globally connected innovation ecosystem. At Invest Ottawa, we’re proud to support the founders, scale-ups, multinationals, researchers, and partners helping shape the next generation of Canadian innovation and economic growth.

Decisions Drive Execution: Canada’s Capital Region Delivers Both · Read my latest OP Ed in The Hill Times: https://lnkd.in/eZ9xuAyc The future of defence, security, resilience, and allied collaboration will belong to regions where sovereign authority, finance, diplomacy, and innovation converge in real time. The world's first multilateral Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) must be headquartered where decisions drive execution, and where the full ecosystem already operates together from day one. Canada’s Capital Region is already doing exactly this.

Today at Area X.O, Invest Ottawa is proud to welcome an international delegation as part of CANSEC week activities. Located in Canada’s Capital, Area X.O is one of North America’s leading R&D and testing environments for defence, autonomy, connectivity, and advanced communications technologies, helping innovators move from concept to commercialization in real-world conditions. Delegates were getting a first-hand look at: 🔹 Over 1,800 acres of secure testing and demonstration environments 🔹 Advanced infrastructure supporting next-generation technologies 🔹 Strategic proximity to federal partners, including the Department of National Defence 🔹 Unique collaboration and procurement pathways enabled through Government of Canada partnerships From defence innovation and smart mobility to advanced communications and autonomous systems, Area X.O continues to bring together industry, government, academia, and global partners to accelerate the future of secure and connected technologies. Thank you to all delegates, partners, and innovators joining us today during CANSEC week.

What does it take to build for the missions that matter? On June 4, Invest Ottawa kicks off Ottawa Innovation Week 2026 with Built for Orbit: Mission-Ready Innovation, a high-energy evening at Bayview Yards spotlighting the people, technologies, and partnerships helping Canada’s capital lead on the global stage. Expect live demonstrations, strategic networking, visionary conversations, and an all-star panel exploring how Ottawa companies are moving mission-ready innovation from concept to commercialization. 📍 Cours Bayview Yards, The Foundry 📅 Thursday, June 4, 2026 ⏰ 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Spots are limited. Secure your ticket and be part of the opening mission: https://bit.ly/3OHtipr

Day 1 of CANSEC 2026 is underway, and the Invest Ottawa team is onsite at Canada’s leading defence, security, and emerging technology event. From breakthrough defence innovation to commercialization and global growth, we’re here to help companies accelerate what’s next. Connect with Invest Ottawa to explore how we support innovators through: 🔹 Area X.O Access one of North America’s leading all-weather R&D and testing environments for smart mobility, autonomy, defence, and next-generation technologies 🔹 Venture Development Accelerate commercialization with mentorship, market readiness support, and connections to capital and strategic partners 🔹 Global Expansion Explore pathways to scale in Canada and internationally through market expansion, ecosystem connections, and investment support CANSEC brings together global defence leaders, innovators, military officials, international delegations, and emerging technology companies shaping the future of security and resilience. If you’re attending today, let’s connect onsite and explore opportunities to test, validate, commercialize, and scale your innovation. 📍 CANSEC 2026 May 27–28 EY Centre (Cohere Centre), Ottawa