About this episode

The episode discusses the evolution of Canadian defence technology amidst rising global tensions and national security priorities.

Canada is entering one of the most important moments in its innovation history. As global tensions rise and national security becomes a growing priority, founders, investors, and governments are being forced to rethink how Canadian defence technology is built, funded, and scaled. In this special episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen steps into the guest seat as part of a live panel recording from the Arctic Edge event, held during Toronto Tech Week on May 26th, 2026. Against the backdrop of escalating Arctic sovereignty concerns and a new era of national security, this panel, aptly named “The Backers,” brings together leading Canadian investors to dissect the burgeoning defence technology sector in Canada. Moderated by Matthew Lombardi of The Icebreaker, the discussion features Matt Cohen (Ripple Ventures), Devin Galloway (Garage Capital), and Mark Maybank (Maverix Private Equity). Together, they explore the seismic shift in Canadian capital markets, from the historical reluctance to fund defence to the current “cultural permission” that is finally opening doors. They tackle the complexities of dual-use technology, the harsh realities of government procurement, the critical…

People in this episode

Host: Matt Cohen

Guests: Devin Galloway, Mark Maybank

Topics covered

• defence technology
• Canadian innovation
• national security
• dual-use technology
• capital markets
• government procurement

Keywords

• defence tech
• Canadian sovereignty
• investment
• Arctic Edge
• national security
• Series A gap
• government procurement

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ripple Ventures, Garage Capital, Maverix Private Equity

Places: Canada, Toronto, Arctic

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