Halifax Hosts NATO Innovation Continuum for the First Time in Canada
The Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE) in Halifax is hosting the NATO Innovation Continuum from October 5-9, bringing together up to 600 participants to test emerging defence technologies. COVE also announced a $2.5 million investment from ACOA to support Atlantic Canadian businesses.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, is hosting the NATO Innovation Continuum for the first time in Canada, with the week-long event taking place from October 5-9 at the Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE). The gathering brings together up to 600 innovators, researchers, and industry leaders from NATO, Allied nations, and all three branches of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Participants include representatives from NATO, NATO Allied Command Transformation, the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), and military delegations from Allied nations. Technology demonstrations throughout the event feature drones operating overhead, vessels on the water, and a large airship similar in appearance to a blimp.
Melanie Nadeau, CEO of COVE, stated that Halifax offers a highly competitive global environment for testing and commercializing defence and dual-use technologies. COVE currently works with more than 700 clients, ranging from small businesses to multinational companies, helping them scale internationally and access new markets.
Alongside the event, COVE announced a $2.5 million non-repayable investment from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to expand its Innovation Challenge program. Since 2023, the program has supported Atlantic Canadian companies working in areas including maritime robotics, digital shipyard solutions, environmental monitoring, and operational analytics. These efforts have generated four partnerships and deployed more than $1 million in public and private funding to participating businesses addressing operational challenges associated with the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship and Joint Support Ship-In Service Support program.
The NATO Innovation Continuum showcases Halifax as a global hub for defence and dual-use technology innovation while strengthening relationships between NATO, military representatives, and private sector innovators. The initiative supports the development of technologies applicable to marine safety, search and rescue, disaster response, Arctic operations, and critical infrastructure protection.