Message from Dr. Jaspinder Komal, Assistant Deputy Minister, Defence Research and Development Canada

“Innovation will not wait.” This is the message we have received from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) senior leadership at the inaugural IDEaS Marketplace event. The event highlighted the aspirations and accomplishments of IDEaS-funded innovators from its first call for proposals.

This is the same message from Department of National Defence (DND) as the Department moves to modernize their infrastructure and equipment to meet current and future threats.

Former Associate Deputy Minister Stefanie Beck spoke of the importance of creating the ability to respond now to meet the challenges and threats of the present and future. It is no longer a future issue we seek to address in the abstract; it is in the here and now that we see the consequences of technology affecting many aspects of our lives.

Innovation is the future of defence. But we must execute in the present to get there. And that’s exactly what IDEaS continues to do. It is going beyond the realm of useful into the world of necessity.

Through IDEaS, DND/CAF know they have a stable partner with an ever-increasing roster of innovators, thinkers, and solutions at their disposal to call on, whatever challenge may arise.

The world, and the future, will not wait.

“Now is the time for us to transform how we do our work at National Defence. With the new technologies coming, we really have no choice.”

Stefanie Beck, former Associate Deputy Minister, Department of National Defence
IDEaS Marketplace event, June 2022