In this exclusive interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Hunter Scharfe, CEO and Co-Founder of Juno Industries, shares his perspective on why Canada must rethink how it builds defence technology. From Arctic operations to AI-driven autonomous systems, Scharfe discusses the importance of aligning deep tech innovation with real-world national needs, and how Canadian talent, collaboration, and long-term thinking can position the country as a trusted defence leader among its allies.
Interview By Maheen Bari
Hunter Scharfe is the CEO and co-founder of Juno Industries, an advanced technology company accelerating Canadian and allied defence capabilities with mission critical software and autonomous systems Mr. Scharfe is an entrepreneur and financier with nearly a decade of experience as a builder and backer of high growth technology companies.
Scharfe is deeply committed to advancing Canada, including at the provincial level. He was recently appointed to Vancouver Lead for Build Canada, a non-partisan entity made up of entrepreneurs, leaders, and motivated citizens committed to driving Canada’s growth.
Most recently Mr Scharfe was a Senior Advisor to BTQ Technologies, a post-quantum cyber security solutions company recently listed on Nasdaq ($BTQ). Prior to founding Juno Industries, Mr Scharfe spent five years as a Partner at a Toronto-based technology merchant bank, where he served as either board member or advisor to several portfolio companies in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and decentralized infrastructure.
Mr. Scharfe holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.
Juno Industries operates at the cutting edge of defence technology. How do you envision deep tech and AI innovations transforming Canada’s capabilities in safeguarding national sovereignty over the next decade?
Canada’s defence industry is undergoing a long-overdue transformation and with that comes an opportunity to rethink how we build. While many companies — both legacy players and newly emerging ones — are building solutions, they don’t necessarily align with the problems we are facing. At Juno Industries, we’re focused on ensuring that the systems we develop directly align with what’s needed.
Furthermore, the most impactful global trends in technology have their roots in Canada. Researchers in Toronto and Montreal were the first deep learning and AI pioneers. Canadians built the very first commercially available quantum computer. All that to say that Canada’s biggest strength is its talent. It’s the people behind the innovations that will help safeguard Canada’s national sovereignty over the next decade and beyond, and we’re fortunate to have some of those individuals on our team.
As both a founder and strategic capital partner in emerging technologies, what are the biggest challenges you’ve faced building companies within frontier markets, and how have these influenced your approach to leadership at Juno Industries?
The biggest challenge with latent technology is convincing the world that it deserves to exist. Frontier markets are ahead of their time inherently, and that means your challenge will always be finding the early adopters who believe in your vision enough to try something new. With Juno, the qualities of resilience and ingenuity which are key for pioneering new industries, will be at the core of everything we do.
With Juno Industries focusing on Canadian arctic operations and AI-driven autonomous hardware, what unique problems are you solving for Canada’s defence sector, and how do these innovations differentiate your company globally?
While we share collective goals and challenges with our allies, Canada faces a distinct set of operational realities — particularly in the North, where extreme conditions and limited infrastructure make traditional systems less effective.
Our team is focused on building autonomous hardware and AI-driven software specifically designed to operate in harsh, remote environments. This is critical for Arctic and multi-domain operations. What sets us apart globally is that we’re designing with sovereignty and self-reliance in mind from day one. That focus — building for Canada first — puts us in a strong position to contribute to allied needs as well.
Your involvement with Build Canada and other initiatives reflects a commitment to provincial and national advancement. How important are collaboration and community-driven leadership for accelerating Canadian growth in defence and technology?
Collaboration is fundamental. Canada’s most complex challenges whether in defence, infrastructure, or innovation, won’t be solved in silos. We need public and private actors, policymakers and entrepreneurs, technologists and civic leaders all contributing in coordinated ways. That’s why initiatives like Build Canada matter: they create space for community-driven leadership that’s grounded in long-term thinking and national interest. In defence and technology collaboration is a strategic advantage. The more we align our efforts, the faster we’ll build sovereign capacity, drive innovation, and ensure Canada’s leadership in the decades to come.
In closing, what final advice or insights would you offer to small and medium-sized businesses aspiring to make an impact in advanced technology and national defence?
Always make sure you are asking the right questions. Start with a clear understanding of the problem you’re trying to solve, and make sure it’s a real one. In defence and advanced technology, impact comes from alignment: with operational needs, with national priorities, and with the people who will ultimately rely on what you build. For small and medium-sized businesses, the advantage is speed, focus, and the ability to innovate without bureaucracy. With that being said, success in this space takes patience, credibility, and collaboration. Build with purpose, partner with intent, and don’t underestimate how important trust is in this sector. Canada has the talent — what we need now is more companies willing to step forward and build in alignment.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Our platform is dedicated to fostering dialogue and sharing insights that inspire and empower small and medium-sized businesses across Canada.
