Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries

What Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries does

The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI) is a not-for-profit industry association incorporated under Canada's Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and headquartered in Ottawa. Founded in 1983, CADSI functions as the national trade association representing Canadian defence, security, and emerging technology companies, with membership spanning over 1,400 firms that constitute more than 90% of Canada's defence and security industry. The association serves as the unified industry voice to federal and provincial governments, the Canadian Armed Forces, and international partners, while providing member services including policy advocacy, government relations, market intelligence, workforce development, and international trade facilitation.

CADSI's product and service portfolio is anchored by the GATEWAY Suite, a member-exclusive business development platform comprising three core modules: GATEWAYcapabilities (a software application database showcasing Canadian defence, maritime, aerospace, cyber, and space capabilities), GATEWAYintel (a market intelligence tool covering procurement and export control data on 35+ countries), and GATEWAY MyRESOURCES (a content hub for events, reports, and educational material). The myCADSI member portal integrates access to all services. The association's flagship event, CANSEC, is an annual trade show held in Ottawa since 1998 featuring 280+ exhibitors, complemented by CAF Outlooks (Canadian Armed Forces briefings), Cyber and Digital Outlooks, and the International Program operating Canada Pavilions at major shows such as Eurosatory, AUSA, and DSEI.

CADSI's revenue is generated through three principal streams: tiered annual membership dues (ranging from $850 for academic institutions to $11,250 for large enterprises), event participation and booth rentals (most notably CANSEC), and international program fees for Canada Pavilion participation. Customer segments include small and medium Canadian defence companies (representing over 90% of members), large defence contractors, and specialized sub-segments in cyber security, aerospace/space, and maritime/naval sectors. The association is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors and led by President and CEO Christyn Cianfarani, with a professional staff of 25-30 employees managing operations.

Name

Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries

Legal name

Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries / Association des Industries Canadiennes de défense et de sécurité

Website

https://defenceandsecurity.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CADSI is a not-for-profit Ottawa-based industry association representing over 1,400 Canadian defence and security companies (90%+ sector coverage) through policy advocacy, the GATEWAY Suite business development platform, the annual CANSEC trade show, and international Canada Pavilion programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Aerospace & Defense (TLAIALAB)

Keywords

• Defence industry association
• Trade association services
• Membership subscription services
• Defence trade shows
• Policy advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues collected from defence and security companies across multiple tiers based on company size, ranging from micro businesses to large enterprises, plus academic and media memberships
2. Event Participation: Revenue generated from CANSEC trade show attendance, booth rentals, and conference registrations
3. International Programs: Fees from member participation in Canada Pavilion exhibitions at international defence shows and trade missions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CADSI is the national trade association representing Canada's defence, security, and emerging technology companies. Its core offerings are annual corporate membership subscriptions (tiered by company size) that include policy advocacy, government relations representation, and access to the GATEWAY Suite of business development tools. CADSI also operates flagship events — most notably the CANSEC annual defence trade show in Ottawa, CAF Outlooks briefings from Canadian Armed Forces leadership, Cyber & Digital Outlooks, and the International Program coordinating the Canada Pavilion at major global defence exhibitions such as Eurosatory, AUSA, and DSEI.

Product overview

CADSI operates as a national industry association providing a platform-based offering centered around its Gateway Suite of business development tools. The core portfolio includes GATEWAYcapabilities (a searchable database for showcasing Canadian defence capabilities), GATEWAYintel (international market intelligence on 35+ countries), and GATEWAY MyRESOURCES (educational content hub). These are complemented by flagship events including CANSEC (annual defence trade show), CAF Outlooks (Canadian Armed Forces briefings), Cyber and Digital Outlooks, and an International Program supporting Canadian companies at global trade shows through the Canada Pavilion. The myCADSI member portal provides unified access to all member services. The association connects over 1,400 Canadian defence and security companies with government, military, and international market opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Membership (Annual Subscription) Tiered annual membership subscriptions for Canadian defence, security, aerospace, cyber, and emerging technology companies, plus academic and media members. Includes access to the GATEWAY Suite (capabilities database, market intelligence, resources hub), policy advocacy on federal procurement and industrial strategy, government relations representation, networking at CANSEC and Outlooks events, and international trade facilitation through the Canada Pavilion program. Subscription tiers range from $850 (Academic) to $11,250 (Large Enterprises with 500+ employees), with intermediate tiers for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses.
• CANSEC Canada's premier annual global defence and security trade show held in Ottawa, featuring over 280 exhibitors and connecting Canadian Armed Forces decision-makers, government procurement officials, allied delegations, and industry partners across land, naval, aerospace, and joint forces domains. Booth rentals, conference registrations, and sponsorship packages are sold to member companies and international participants.
• CAF Outlooks Annual briefings from Canadian Armed Forces leadership including Army, Navy, and Air Force outlook sessions with Department of National Defence executives, focused on defence priorities and procurement needs. Sold as a registered conference series to CADSI members, government observers, and select international participants.
• GATEWAY Suite CADSI's proprietary business development platform bundled as part of membership, providing members with three integrated tools: GATEWAYcapabilities (a software database showcasing Canadian defence, maritime, aerospace, cyber, and space capabilities to buyers and partners), GATEWAYintel (curated market intelligence covering 35+ countries with export controls, demographic data, and business development prospects), and GATEWAY MyRESOURCES (a content hub with event documents, digital replays, Quad Charts, speeches, reports, and primers).
• International Program / Canada Pavilion Turnkey program enabling Canadian defence and security companies to exhibit under a unified Canadian banner at leading international trade shows such as Eurosatory, AUSA, DSEI, and others. Includes exhibitor and walker packages plus value-added business services including access to delegations, receptions, seminars, and meeting rooms. Fees are charged to participating member companies for each international event.
• Cyber & Digital Outlooks Annual conference addressing cyber security and digital defence policy, industry collaboration, and threat intelligence sharing for CADSI member companies and government stakeholders in the cyber security sector.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ADS (Aerospace, Defence and Space Trade Association, United Kingdom)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with the UK's primary aerospace, defence, and space trade association for bilateral industry cooperation, joint trade initiatives, and information sharing between Canadian and UK defence industries.
• Association of the United States ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Association of the United States Army facilitating industry dialogue, joint events, and cooperation between Canadian and American defence industries.
• Australian Industry and Defence Network (AIDN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Australia's leading defence industry network for bilateral trade facilitation, policy exchange, and joint industry engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership with the Canadian Commercial Corporation, the federal government's international contracting agency, to support member companies in accessing government-to-government procurement opportunities.
• Canadian Manufacturers & ExportersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters on manufacturing policy, workforce development, and export promotion for the defence industrial base.
• CDA InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the CDA Institute (Confederation of Defence Associations) for joint advocacy on defence policy, military affairs, and industry-government relations.
• National Defence Industrial Association (United States)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the U.S. National Defence Industrial Association for cross-border industry cooperation, joint conferences, and bilateral defence industrial base policy engagement.
• Navy League of the United StatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Navy League of the United States for maritime defence industry engagement, naval affairs dialogue, and joint events supporting naval procurement awareness.
• University of TorontominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with the University of Toronto for defence policy research, workforce development, and thought leadership on Canadian defence and security issues.

Scale indicators2 records

Direct peers

• ADS Group: UK's primary aerospace, defence and security trade association, directly comparable to CADSI as a national industry voice and active strategic partner. Mirrors CADSI's structure of membership, advocacy, intelligence, and international trade mission programming.
• National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA): US national defence industry association and CADSI's most strategically important partner across the Five Eyes alliance. Closest large-scale analog in scope, with comparable advocacy, events, and intelligence functions.
• Australian Industry and Defence Network (AIDN): Australia's leading defence industry network, a direct strategic partner of CADSI. Comparable as a national association representing defence suppliers and supporting member access to government and export markets.
• Aerospace Industries Association (AIA): US aerospace and defence industry trade association. Most direct international analog in terms of sector scope (aerospace + defence), policy advocacy, and statistical/intellectual leadership for the industry.
• AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD): Pan-European aerospace and defence industry association representing 16 national associations. Direct peer at the continental level, providing a model for federated cross-border industry representation that CADSI could partner with or emulate.
• Association of the United States Army (AUSA): Major US defence industry association focused on land forces, and a CADSI strategic partner. Comparable in running large annual industry expositions and policy forums, with a more service-specific niche than CADSI's whole-of-industry scope.
• Navy League of the United States: US naval/maritime defence industry association and CADSI strategic partner. Comparable in delivering maritime-specific industry engagement and supporting member participation in naval procurement dialogue.

Broad incumbents

• European Defence Agency (EDA): EU-level intergovernmental agency supporting defence capability development. Not an industry association, but a broader public-sector incumbent that engages with industry in ways that overlap with CADSI's advocacy and capability-mapping functions.

Others

• Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME): Canada's largest manufacturing and export industry association, a CADSI strategic partner. Adjacent rather than competitive—CME represents broader manufacturing while CADSI focuses on defence, making them complementary ecosystem participants.
• Conference of Defence Associations Institute (CDA Institute): Canadian defence policy think tank and CADSI strategic partner. Provides the policy/intellectual layer adjacent to CADSI's industry voice role, with a think-tank mandate rather than a membership/advocacy function.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cadsicanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-association-of-defence-and-security-industries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries