We are pleased to share two updates that highlight BDC’s continued commitment to strengthening Canada’s economy through strategic action.

BDC boosts its Defence Platform 

After introducing it in December 2025, BDC announced on March 12 a major expansion of its Defence Platform up to $6 billion. Building on strong early demand, the Defence Platform combines financing, advisory services, and investments to help small and medium-sized businesses seize opportunities in the defence sector. It supports companies in aerospace, specialized manufacturing, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and other dual-use technologies.

The Bank announced in January initial investments in dual-use innovators and a strategic partnership with Creative Destruction Lab’s global Defence program, strengthening connections between early-stage companies, investors, and defence stakeholders in Canada and abroad.

To date, $91.7 million in financing has already been provided to 16 businesses and 16 businesses have engaged BDC’s advisory services for defence-related opportunities. This expansion focuses on a two-layer approach that combines direct financial solutions for businesses and indirect solutions that offer more targeted support for the broader ecosystem.

BDC also shared the appointment of Peter Suma as Managing Partner of the StrongNorth Fund, a $300 million venture capital fund dedicated to early-stage Canadian startups developing defence-focused or dual-use deep technologies.

For more information, please refer to BDC’s Defence Platform and our latest news release.

Supporting women entrepreneurs through the Maïa movement 

We are also pleased to introduce Maïa, a national movement designed to transform how women entrepreneurs access opportunities, markets, and networks, and to announce our endorsement of the Maïa Declaration of Principles.

Maïa brings together entrepreneurs, organizations, institutions, and decision-makers around a shared ambition: placing women entrepreneurs and the human dimension at the heart of the economy. While women-led businesses are key drivers of innovation and growth, they continue to face structural barriers to financing, markets, and influential networks. Maïa was created to address these gaps through collective action and long-term systemic change.

By endorsing the Declaration of Principles, we affirm our commitment to the seven foundational principles that guide Maïa. This vision aligns closely with Isabelle Hudon’s leadership and position, which emphasize that supporting women entrepreneurs is not a symbolic gesture—it is a strategic choice that strengthens competitiveness and long-term economic resilience.

By joining Maïa, partners become active contributors to a national movement focused on action and impact. Together, we can create the conditions for women entrepreneurs to grow, connect, and fully access economic opportunities.

For more information, visit Maïa today!