The Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program of the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is hosting its third annual IDEaS Marketplace, which will be held at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario, on Friday, May 31, 2024, from 9:00 to 16:00.

Last year’s IDEaS Marketplace was a great success with over 450 stakeholders and more than 570 attendees present. The event showcased accomplishments from the Competitive Projects element’s second and third Call for Proposals (CFP) and COVID-19 CFP with more than 55 companies presenting their solutions and 72 innovation booths.

• Existing IDEaS stakeholders within the DND/CAF;
• Representatives of large defence and security firms; and
• Federal and provincial government partners supporting innovation.

• Competitive Projects’ CFP4;
• Pop up city and Robot Round-up Contests;
• Innovation Networks’ CFPMN3 Advancing 5G capabilities; and,
• Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (CUAS) 2019 and 2022, and Corrosion Detection in Ships (CDIS) Sandboxes.

This year’s event will also showcase select Canadian innovators participating in NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) pilot challenges launched in 2023.

Innovators will have the chance to showcase their solutions in a five-minute presentation. These engaging talks will address a number of challenges faced by DND/CAF. Some of the themes include:

• Reliable object detection for maritime operations;
• Integrative and adaptable approaches to support successful transition to civilian life;
• Real-time data analysis for rapid military decision-making;
• Getting vital supplies to troops using autonomous vehicles;
• Cybersecurity on naval vessels;
• Innovative Tools for acoustic sensor operations;
• Modular lightweight armour for land vehicles;
• Advancing 5G capabilities and concepts for defence and security (Innovation Networks);
• Integrating energy, water and waste management systems for deployed camps (Contests);
• Advanced robotic platforms and control solutions (Contests);
• Detection of corrosion on naval vessels (Sandboxes);
• Detection and/or defeat of (kinetically or non-kinetically) micro and mini UAS (Sandboxes);
• And much more!

This is a great opportunity to connect with innovators, create new partnerships, and see amazing solutions! Participation in this event is FREE, but is by invitation only and attendance will be limited. Please register by Thursday May 17, 2024, to secure your spot.

If you have any questions regarding the event, or would like to refer a contact to request an invitation, please reach out to the IDEaS Marketplace team at the following email address:  IdeasMarketplace-IdeesMarche@forces.gc.ca.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• The 2024 IDEaS Marketplace agenda, speakers, and resources will be posted when they are available.
• The Westin Hotel is located at 11 Colonel by Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 9H4.