Duncan McSporran

Duncan is a founder and Managing Director of Vimy Forge, Canada’s national defence accelerator, supporting Canadian SMEs to develop, commercialize and scale sovereign capabilities for defence and national security. A former British Army officer, he served for more than 24 years, including secondments with the US Army at the National Training Center and the Canadian Army Combat Training Centre.

Following military service, Duncan led operations at the University of New Brunswick’s high-speed impact testing laboratory, managing research for clients including NASA, CSA, MDA, Boeing Phantom Works and Airbus. He later co-founded Kognitiv Spark, serving as COO and helping grow the company into an internationally recognized mixed-reality business.

A founding board member of ACADA and member of UNB RIDS-AI’s Advisory Board, Duncan is an advocate for Atlantic Canadian talent and opportunity. He and his wife Naomi raised their three children in Fredericton, where he has volunteered in youth rugby and short-track speed skating.