A Global Tech Hub, Built on Decades of Innovation
Ottawa didn’t just join the tech economy. It helped define it. Long before today’s headlines, this city was engineering the networks, systems, and technologies the world depends on.
Silicon Valley may have made tech famous. Ottawa made it work. That legacy shows up in our sectors today: deep, specialized, and built to handle complex, real-world challenges—with the talent, research, and stability to keep scaling.
Software and Applied AI
With 1,800+ tech companies, including Shopify, Tripadvisor, Assent and BlackBerry QNX; decades of software leadership, Ottawa turns advanced AI and engineering into real-world systems used at global scale.
Telecommunications
With 90% of Canada’s industrial telecom R&D, national research labs, and global leaders like Nokia, Ericsson, and Ciena, Ottawa is a global hub for next-generation network innovation.
Cybersecurity
Home to 180+ federal agencies and 100+ Cyber companies with global leaders in identity, encryption, and secure systems, Ottawa builds cybersecurity for environments where failure isn’t an option.
Smart Mobility
Home to Area X.O, North America’s only year-round, all-weather autonomous vehicle test facility, Ottawa is where mobility technologies prove they work in the real world.
Semiconductors
From chip design to photonics fabrication, Ottawa’s semiconductor sector powers next-generation technologies in AI and telecom, anchored by national assets like the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre.
Other Key Sectors
From cleantech and digital health to photonics and advanced manufacturing, Ottawa’s emerging sectors are driven by top-tier research, specialized talent, and a system built to scale innovation.
Aerospace and Defence
With 300+ companies and 6 NATO DIANA test centres, Ottawa develops mission-critical aerospace and defence technologies steps from national decision-makers.
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