Zentek Pre-Qualified for Canadian Defence Drone Initiative

Zentek Ltd., a Canadian company specializing in graphene and advanced materials, has been pre-qualified under the Government of Canada's Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace. This pre-qualification, issued under Supply Arrangement CW2467305, runs from August 26, 2026, to July 31, 2031. The arrangement is managed by the Defence Investment Agency on behalf of the Department of National Defence.

The pre-qualification is significant as it positions Zentek to respond to task solicitations issued under the Marketplace for the term of the arrangement. The Marketplace, which reopens to new applicants every three months until July 2027 and every six months thereafter until July 2031, allows Zentek to remain in the running for potential contracts. However, the company notes that there is no certainty that this pre-qualification will result in a material benefit.

Zentek's qualification is based on its capabilities in graphene and graphite-based coatings, advanced materials, and related technologies. The company has developed and manufactures coatings and specialty materials supported by its intellectual property portfolio. One of its technologies, ZEN-EMI-01, is a water-based electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding coating for which the company filed a provisional patent application on August 17, 2026. This coating incorporates purified Albany graphite, sourced from a deposit in Northern Ontario, which is 100% owned by Zentek's wholly owned subsidiary, Albany Graphite Corp.

The Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace covers a wide range of uncrewed and autonomous systems, counter-uncrewed system capabilities, communications and data systems, engineering and integration services, testing and training, and innovation and experimentation. Canada issues task solicitations to qualified suppliers rather than conducting a new qualification process for each requirement. A Supply Arrangement is not a contract and carries no committed value.

Mohammed (Moe) Jiwan, Chief Executive Officer of Zentek, commented, "Budget 2025 committed $81.1 billion to rebuild and rearm the Armed Forces, and every system acquired depends upon the materials and technologies behind it. We are in that ecosystem now, pre-qualified on the materials: the coatings, the specialty materials, and the patents behind them. This is the first step in a longer process, and we are moving on it."

Zentek's portfolio includes core platforms such as Albany Graphite, ZenGUARD™, and Triera. The company is advancing a range of graphene-enabled and advanced materials technologies across clean air, next-generation materials, and critical minerals. The pre-qualification under the Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace is a significant step for Zentek in its journey to support the Canadian Armed Forces and contribute to national defense initiatives.