The Blueprint for a Canadian Rocket Supply Chain with Hugh Kolias of Canada Rocket Company

Episode notes

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen sits down with Hugh Kolias, Co-Founder and CEO of Canada Rocket Company, right as the company exits stealth with a $6.2M all-Canadian seed round backed by Ripple Ventures, BDC, Garage Capital, and others. Hugh breaks down the real mission: give Canada sovereign, medium-lift launch capability, so we’re not dependent on foreign nations to put critical satellites into orbit, while still building a business that can win globally. They get into the “hard part” behind the headline: pulling top-tier aerospace talent back home (including veterans from SpaceX), choosing a propulsion strategy that stays competitive by the time the rocket actually reaches orbit, and building a Canadian supply chain without over-verticalizing too early. If you care about dual-use tech, defense tailwinds, or what it actually takes to go from “deck” to “orbit,” this one’s a blueprint. From Calgary to PropTech Exit to Rockets (02:13) * Hugh’s path: mechanical engineering, a detour into finance, then building and selling a PropTech SaaS business. * Why deep tech finally felt “doable” in Canada: shifting market appetite + policy momentum.

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