New partnership connects aerospace companies with specialized testing infrastructure, commercialization support and rural innovation networks
YARMOUTH, N.S. — September 10, 2026 — IGNITE Atlantic and the Yarmouth Airport Corporation, operating as Aerospace Park Atlantic (APA), have formed a new partnership to help aerospace and advanced-technology companies test ideas, commercialize new products and grow from rural Nova Scotia.
Through a new memorandum of understanding, the organizations will collaborate to attract and support aerospace, aviation, defence and autonomous-systems companies seeking space to research, test, validate and commercialize new technologies.
The partnership brings together complementary strengths: Yarmouth’s international runway, accessible airspace, hangars, industrial space and proximity to marine infrastructure; and IGNITE Atlantic’s startup and scale-up support, mentorship, commercialization programming, investor connections and innovation networks.
“Aerospace companies need access to the right infrastructure, expertise and relationships to turn promising technologies into successful businesses,” said Doug Jones, CEO of IGNITE Atlantic. “This partnership brings those elements together in a rural region with the space, assets and ambition to support meaningful innovation.”
The partnership is intended to support companies at every stage: from startups seeking an affordable environment to test a prototype to established firms looking for dedicated space, strategic partnerships or opportunities to expand.
“Yarmouth has the physical assets and operating environment that innovators need to move ideas from prototype to real-world testing,” said Jones. “By connecting those advantages with IGNITE’s business support and partner network, we can help companies grow while creating new opportunities for Southwest Nova Scotia.”
Under the MOU, IGNITE Atlantic and Aerospace Park Atlantic will work together to:
- Attract aerospace, defence and advanced-technology companies to Yarmouth and Southwest Nova Scotia.
- Support research, testing, demonstration, validation and commercialization.
- Connect companies with mentors, investors, research institutions, government agencies and industry partners.
- Develop industry events, demonstrations, workshops and networking opportunities.
- Explore training and workforce-development initiatives.
- Promote Aerospace Park Atlantic through provincial, national and international networks.
The partnership reflects IGNITE’s commitment to ensuring rural entrepreneurs and communities can participate fully in emerging industries. By combining specialized infrastructure with locally accessible business support, the partners aim to show that globally relevant innovation can be developed, tested and commercialized outside major urban centres.
For aerospace companies, Yarmouth offers the space and flexibility to test technologies in a less-congested and more affordable operating environment. For rural Nova Scotia, the initiative creates a pathway to attract investment, develop skilled employment, grow local supply chains and build new economic opportunities around an existing regional asset.
“This MOU with IGNITE Atlantic re-inforces our vision and adds to our growing network of professional support services that we see as pivotal as we continue on the journey to taking our place within the Atlantic Canada aerospace cluster,” says Greg Shay, CEO of Aerospace Park Atlantic. “We have the environment and infrastructure that can support innovation, testing and prototyping of dual-use technologies, and partners like IGNITE Atlantic are important pillars for providing specific expertise and for broadening our global network of collaborators.”
“This partnership is about creating opportunity where it can have a lasting impact,” Jones said. “It gives innovative companies a practical place to prove what they can do while helping a rural region build the industries and jobs of the future.”
About IGNITE Atlantic
IGNITE Atlantic is a rural innovation organization supporting entrepreneurs, startups, scaling companies, established businesses and industry partners across Nova Scotia. Through incubation, commercialization support, mentorship, investment readiness, strategic partnerships and innovation programming, IGNITE helps businesses grow, brings new opportunities to rural communities and strengthens regional innovation ecosystems.
About Aerospace Park Atlantic
The Yarmouth International Airport Corp’s Board set an ambitious plan for Aerospace Park Atlantic, and that is to being Canada’s Atlantic proving ground for civilian and military aerospace. A unique facility and environment for testing, training, R&D and operations support. With our quiet airspace, abundant real estate, operating runways, proximity to the marine environment and more, Aerospace Park Atlantic has a role to play in contributing to not only the burgeoning Atlantic aerospace sector but also to spurring further economic development activity in southwestern NS.