DEFSEC Atlantic 2025
PRESENTED BY
HALIFAX CONVENTION CENTRE :: HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA :: SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 2, 2025
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Presentation Series
Last Revised October 1, 2025
All major presentations and panels this year will take place in the ACADA Presentation Pavilion located on the Ballroom Level of the Halifax Convention Centre. The format, content and timings of the presentations will be updated as the information provided evolves. If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact us.
Wed, Oct 1 - 9:00 am to 9:30 am
| Presenters: Melanie Nadeau (Chief Executive Officer - COVE) Cara Salci (Vice President, Strategy & Government Relations - Thales Canada) James Kesten (Director, Venture Growth - COVE) |
| Atlantic Canadian innovators are advancing naval technology leadership, with solutions that improve fleet readiness, operational efficiency, and safety. This session highlights the two winning solutions from the 2025 Naval Technology Innovation Challenge, supported by COVE, Thales Canada, and ACOA. |
Wed, Oct 1 - 9:40 am to 10:10 am
| Presenters: Jay Ballard (VP, Defence Learning) Matt Thomas (Director, Immersive Learning) George Schweizer (Lead Developer) |
| Calian is a leading provider of military training services and solutions for the Canadian Armed Forces, for NATO, and for NATO member countries. We use a blend of live, virtual, and constructive simulation solutions to deliver an immersive training experience, whether you are building individual skills or doing collective training for high-readiness units. In this session, Calian will talk about how they develop training with the most recent lessons learned to deliver realistic, immersive experiences. They will also showcase a virtual reality training solution for sailors on-board ship. The virtual reality trainer allows militaries to train people faster, cheaper, and safer than relying on live training alone. |
Wed, Oct 1 - 10:20 am to 11:05 am
| Presenters: Commodore Scott Robinson (Director General Naval Force Development - Royal Canadian Navy) Brigadier-General Darryl Taylor (Director General Aerospace Equipment Program Management, ADM(Materiel) - DND) Ravi Singh (Director General Defence Industrial Strategy, ADM(Policy-Industry) - DND) |
| Join senior representatives from the Department of National Defence’s Materiel Group, Policy Group, and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) as they come together for a dynamic panel discussion on defence requirements and industry alignment. The session will explore how National Defence is working to meet operational needs, and where industry support plays a critical role in delivering capability across the Canadian Armed Forces. Attendees will gain insights into the RCN’s evolving priorities, updates on defence spending, and how these investments are shaping procurement strategies. The panel will also delve into the forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), highlighting progress to date and anticipated next steps in Strategy development. The session will conclude with an open Q&A, offering participants a chance to engage directly with panelists. |
Wed, Oct 1 - 11:15 am to 11:45 am
| Panelists: Randy Billard (CEO & President - Virtual Marine) Save Perry (President - Canadian Global Affairs Institute) Jeff Smith (Sales Manager, Canada - Kongsberg Maritime) |
| This panel will examine how government and industry can collaborate - through procurement modernization and by leveraging regional hubs like Atlantic Canada - to drive innovation and operational efficiency in support of Canada’s national goals. |
Wed, Oct 1 - 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm
| Presenter: Graham Gagnon (Acting Vice President, Research and Innovation - Dalhousie University) |
| Accelerating innovation that multiplies investment and meets ITB obligations. Dalhousie University is mission-ready to deliver on Canada’s defence R&D needs. Acting VP Graham Gagnon will show how industry and government partners can multiply investments, meet ITB obligations, and access world-class research and talent. He will also share Dal’s vision to establish Canada’s first Defence Innovation Secure Hub in Halifax. |
Wed, Oct 1 - 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm
| Presenter: Doug Russell (Aerospace & Defence - Cohere) |
| Doug will present an overview of how Cohere is positioned to enable efficiency in both public sector and Aerospace and Defence from an implementation perspective. The presentation focus will be on Cohere solutions, market trends and real world examples. |
Wed, Oct 1 - 3:10 pm to 3:40 pm
| Presenter: Mark Allan (Senior Director of Quality and Operational Excellence - Leonardo DRS) |
| Over the past 18 months, the Leonardo DRS facility in Halifax, NS has undergone significant transformation—doubling its workforce, introducing a new product line, and achieving AS9100 certification. Growing within its existing footprint, placing a strong emphasis on operational excellence, capabilities have been scaled while maintaining consistent quality and delivery. This session will outline the strategies that enabled this growth and how they position the organization to meet the evolving demands of the defence sector. |
Wed, Oct 1 - 3:45 pm to 4:00 pm
| Presenters: Kate O'Neill (Future Training Capabilities Manager - Lockheed Martin Canada) Amie Walton (Vice President of Technology - RaceRocks 3D) |
| Kate and Amie will present an overview of the current training challenges in the CAF, and discuss how Total Learning Architecture and Adaptive Learning provide a way to mitigate those challenges. |
Thu, Oct 2 - 9:40 am to 10:10 am
| Presenter: Sam Specter (CEO & Co-Founder - Arken Innovations) |
| In today’s defense, maritime and aerospace ecosystem, organizations face a knowledge crisis, fragmented data, retiring expertise, and rising pressure for compliance and traceability. At DEFSEC Atlantic 2025, industry leaders Sam Specter, founder and CEO of ARKEN (founder and former CEO/CTIO of ModestTree) and Dr. George Palikaras, President & COO, co-founder of ARKEN (founder and former President/CEO of Meta Materials), together with a team of world-class experts and business developers, are announcing Arken Innovations inc’ inaugural solution, the Knowledge Fusion Engine™, the first Industrial AI platform engineered for mission-critical environments where failure is not an option. By fusing machine learning, real-time analytics, and domain standards such as S1000D, Controlled Goods, AS9100, MIL/NATO, ARKEN transforms fragmented data into auditable, actionable intelligence, helping SMEs accelerate compliance and readiness, while giving Primes the tools to reduce risk and deliver faster, measurable results. With Canada committing $2 billion to sovereign AI infrastructure and SME access to compute resources, Arken’s launch is aligned with national priorities to ensure competitiveness, resilience, and sovereign control over defense innovation. Join our presentation at DEFSEC Atlantic 2025 to witness the launch of Arken’s Knowledge Fusion Engine™ and discuss collaboration on ARKEN's Scale AI–backed maritime strategic alliance initiative to reshape collaboration between SMEs, Primes, and government for the next era of defense readiness. |
Thu, Oct 2 - 10:20 am to 10:50 am
| Presenters: Barbara Gibbon (Director General - Innovative Solutions Canada) Michael Nelson (CEO - TACTIQL) |
| Join Barbara Gibbon, Director General of Innovative Solutions Canada, and Michael Nelson, CEO of TACTIQL to learn about how SMEs in the Defence industry can successfully leverage funding from Innovative Solutions Canada to scale-up and reach new markets. |
Thu, Oct 2 - 11:00 am to 11:45 am
| Presenters: James Appathurai (Managing Director - NATO DIANA) Colin Stephenson (Executive Director - DEFSEC Atlantic) |
| DEFSEC Atlantic Executive Director, Colin Stephenson, will have a conversation with NATO DIANA Managing Director, James Appathurai, on the role DIANA is playing in NATO and its member countries’ approach to modernize innovation and procurement. |
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