Robotics Centre Secures BDC Financing to Support Growth and Uncrewed Systems Manufacturing
OTTAWA,Ontario | 2026-09-03 |Robotics Centre Inc., a Canadian developer, manufacturer and integrator of uncrewed systems, has secured $5 million in financing from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), including a portion to be funded upon the achievement of specific milestones.
The financing from BDC’s Growth and Transition Capital team provides Robotics Centre with additional financial capacity to support the company’s continued expansion of its operations and manufacturing activities. Headquartered in Ottawa, Robotics Centre develops, manufactures, and integrates uncrewed systems for defence and other operational applications, combining its in-house engineering and manufacturing capabilities with selected third-party platforms, supported by training, systems integration, and lifecycle services.
A growing focus of that work is manufacturing.
The financing comes as Robotics Centre continues to expand its Canadian manufacturing capabilities. In April 2026, the company announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Tungsten Collaborative, would receive advisory services and up to $943,850 in funding through the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program’s Defence Industry Assist initiative. That project is focused on developing an AI-powered, high-speed drone manufacturing process intended to significantly increase production efficiency and support both defence and commercial applications.
“Moving from developing great technology to producing it at scale requires more than engineering,” said Khaled El-Sayed, Co-Founder and CCO of Robotics Centre. “It requires equipment, inventory, people and the working capital to respond when customers need product. BDC financing gives us additional flexibility to make those investments while continuing to grow the broader business.”
“A strong defence and security ecosystem requires more than innovative technologies. It requires Canadian companies that can scale production, develop specialized expertise and strengthen domestic supply chains,” said Sean Crouse, Director, Growth and Transition Capital, BDC. Robotics Centre is contributing to that foundation through its advanced manufacturing capabilities, and this investment aligns with BDC’s focus on supporting businesses that help build a stronger, more resilient economy. ”Robotics Centre’s manufacturing work is focused on building greater production capability in Canada while maintaining control over design, engineering and system integration. The company is developing processes intended to support more efficient production of Canadian-made uncrewed systems, strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity and reduce dependence on supply chains outside Canada and allied countries.
The BDC financing complements the company’s existing operating resources and previously announced technology development activities. It provides flexibility to manage the working capital, equipment, inventory and operating requirements associated with expanding production, fulfilling product orders and serving a growing customer base. The company will continue to invest in its manufacturing operations, engineering capabilities and product portfolio as it develops its role in Canada’s defence and uncrewed systems sector.
About Robotics Centre
Robotics Centre is a Canadian owned uncrewed systems company headquartered in Ottawa. Over the past decade, the company has delivered thousands of uncrewed and counter-uncrewed systems from a wide range of manufacturers to military and law enforcement customers around the world.
Robotics Centre combines systems integration with its own engineering and manufacturing capabilities. The company designs and builds the Shuriken, Kukri and Longbow uncrewed aerial platforms, as well as payloads, components and custom solutions. Robotics Centre also provides engineering support to Ukrainian uncrewed systems companies, drawing on operational experience to rapidly adapt technologies to evolving requirements. As the company expands its Canadian manufacturing capabilities, Robotics Centre is focused on delivering cost-effective, operationally relevant systems that can be produced at scale while strengthening secure Canadian and allied supply chains.
