The Hamilton, Ont.-based startup designed its drone system based on the needs of the Ukrainian military, which include it being modular and easy to build, CEO Kath Intson said at the Nrth tech conference in Toronto on Thursday. “We are now selling directly to the Ukrainians.” (The Logic)

Talking point: Sentinel’s drones aren’t the only ones made in a NATO nation that Ukraine is using to defend itself against Russia, but Intson said most of those are part of government aid packages for Kyiv, not commercial procurements. The firm is also manufacturing small autonomous aircraft for Ukrainian company Airlogix under a deal announced in May that both Ottawa and Kyiv have backed. Intson said Sentinel has had no trouble selling its technology, but has faced challenges raising Canadian capital to develop it. She cited as a factor the Canadian perception of the country’s military as peacekeepers rather than the lethal force it proved to be in Afghanistan. Intson said domestic investors tend to ask about civilian applications for Sentinel’s dual-use technology rather than focusing on the opportunity in defence. ”I would like to see a massive attitude change within the Canadian investor space,” she said.

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