Calian and Invest Ottawa announce launch of Northstar Defence Lab at Area X.O to accelerate Canadian defence interoperability

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, Ontario, Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 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 Calian

www.calian.com

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.

For additional information, visit calian.com.

Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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About Invest Ottawa and Area X.O

Invest Ottawa
Lindsey Fair
Vice President, Marketing and Bayview Impact
Invest Ottawa, Area X.O and Bayview Yards
613.857.7779
Lfair@investottawa.ca

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.

DISCLAIMER

Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect” or similar statements. Factors that could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things, the impact of price competition; the scarcity of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed-price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry.

For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Company’s most recent annual report and other reports filed with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievements expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them.

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