An Ottawa-based developer of a self-driving spacecraft platform, named one of Canada's most promising startups, says foreign interest has driven demand for its technology despite Canada's accelerated defence and dual-use innovation push.
Obruta CEO Highlights U.S. and EU Pull
Kevin Stadnyk, co-founder and chief executive of Obruta Space Corp., acknowledged that recent federal government announcements, including the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) and the Space Launch Act, have been 'game changers.' However, he stressed that 'the pull to move to the U.S. and European Union has been very real,' as nearly all demand and investor interest in his company originates from U.S. and European investors and companies.
Funding and Expansion Plans
Obruta raised a pre-seed round from several U.S. venture-capital firms and family offices, with Quebec's Aventure Capital leading a convertible note to complete the round last January. The company also participated in a U.S. startup accelerator supported by defence giant Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. Obruta plans to expand internationally and launch subsidiaries but hopes to keep its headquarters in Ottawa. Stadnyk noted that the company expects to secure a commercial contract before one with the Canadian government, though it is pursuing both avenues.
NACO's Moonshot Ventures Cohort
Obruta was named one of 27 Top Moonshot Ventures of 2026 by the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO). Among the other early-stage startups on track for Series A funding, two are defence and dual-use companies. The cohort has collectively raised over $140 million. Claudio Rojas, NACO's CEO, stated that this is the first Moonshots cohort where defence and dual-use technologies form a distinct grouping, reflecting Canada's first-ever Defence Industrial Strategy.
Need for Later-Stage Capital
Stadnyk emphasized that Canada must increase later-stage capital to retain innovative defence and dual-use tech companies. 'The early stage investment market exists within Canada, but it trails off once you start moving past Series A into Series B and C. Large $100-million-plus rounds that deep-tech companies need simply don't occur often within Canada,' he said. He noted growing interest due to recent policies like Defence Industry Assist, which earmarked $240 million for SMEs developing dual-use tech, and the Ideas program, which funds solutions for the Canadian Armed Forces. These programs have become 'a lot more relevant' for Obruta, which is now eyeing sovereign space and defence applications for Canada.
