CANADA’S LEADING DEFENCE & SECURITY INNOVATION HUB
INNOVATION, INVESTMENT, & VALUE-CREATION.
As the bridge between end-users and startups, ONE9 Capability Labs works synergistically with ONE9’s venture investing team to identify capability gaps and validate technology, thereby derisking investments and creating deal flow. Our international task force of subject matter experts further help us align private sector capabilities with public sector demands.
WHAT WE DO //
Supporting end-users, startups, and our venture investing — Capability Labs is a vital value-creating element of the ONE9 ecosystem.
LINES OF OPERATION
[01]VENTURE STUDIO
Building security-focused capabilities and companies responsive to validated end-user and market demand.
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Structured engagement with operators, stakeholders, and market participants to identify high-impact security challenges and validate real demand before capital is deployed.
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Translating validated needs into scalable capabilities through technical architecture design, rapid prototyping, and iterative development aligned with operational requirements.
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Structuring new companies around validated capabilities, assembling founding teams, defining governance, and establishing the foundation for long-term execution.
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Designing and executing dual-use commercialization strategies across defence and enterprise markets, including pilot programs, early customer acquisition, and funding pathways.
[02]INNOVATION AS A SERVICE
Curating and solving public sector defence and security end-user organizations’ real-world problems with private sector capabilities.
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Working with public sector stakeholders to define mission problems, operational constraints, and success criteria—translating high-level objectives into executable innovation initiatives.
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Identifying and engaging best-fit private sector solutions across startups, SMEs, and established vendors to rapidly match validated challenges with deployable capabilities.
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Evaluating technical maturity, operational fit, and deployment requirements to ensure proposed solutions align with mission needs and procurement realities.
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Supporting the transition from identified capability to acquisition by advising on procurement pathways, stakeholder alignment, and implementation planning to enable sustained adoption at scale.
[03]OPERATIONALIZING CAPABILITIES
Supporting mission execution of both end-users and clients with testing and evaluation and technology deployment.
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Supporting the evaluation of emerging technologies in realistic environments to confirm performance, reliability, and suitability for operational use.
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Enabling the transition from demonstration to deployment by addressing integration requirements, system interoperability, and operational constraints.
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Ensuring technologies can be effectively adopted by supporting user workflows, SOP development, and integration into day-to-day operational environments.
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Helping organizations move from initial adoption to broader rollout by supporting stakeholder alignment, sustainment planning, and scalable implementation strategies.
[04]SUPPORT TO STARTUPS
Helping security and dual-use startups navigate government and defence markets through strategic guidance, customer access, partnerships, and commercialization support to accelerate traction and scale.
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Supporting startups in positioning their products for public sector buyers by defining target missions, customer pathways, and commercialization strategy across defence and dual-use markets.
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Connecting startups with relevant operators, procurement stakeholders, and decision-makers to accelerate customer discovery, validation, and early traction.
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Helping companies navigate RFIs, RFPs, and contracting processes by strengthening proposals, clarifying requirements, and improving competitiveness for public sector opportunities.
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Supporting strategic partnerships with primes, integrators, and ecosystem partners to expand reach, accelerate adoption, and enable long-term scalable growth.
