Finland’s cyber defense and technology sectors are set to benefit from their membership in NATO, as the alliance has decided to establish research and development facilities and test centers in the country. This decision comes after Finland formally joined NATO in April 2023, before their Nordic neighbor Sweden joined in March 2024.
The joint venture between VTT, Finland’s state-backed technical research center, and NATO’s Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (Diana) program aims to focus on developing security-focused technologies for both civilian and defense sectors. The initiative will involve private Finnish technology companies and training them to operate in the defense and security sectors.
The accelerator and test centers will be located in Helsinki and Oulu, focusing on areas such as defense communication systems, 6G technology, cyber security, space innovations, and quantum computing technologies. This project aims to showcase Finland’s expertise in key technological areas and help companies develop technologies that will benefit NATO and its member states.
Additionally, Finland’s Ministry of Defense and VTT have been working on potential joint venture projects with NATO since 2023. The collaboration plan includes setting up a Diana accelerator facility in Espoo, near Helsinki, and test centers in Otaniemi and Oulu. This collaboration will enable Finnish companies to participate in NATO’s innovation activities and gain insight into the technical and procurement requirements of the alliance.
After Finland, NATO is expected to invite Sweden to join the Diana program, as Sweden recently gained Limited Partner status in the NATO Innovation Fund. This development has sparked discussions among Nordic governments about establishing a common innovation fund to support R&D projects in the defense and security sectors. The Nordic Investment Bank is being considered as a conduit for providing low-interest loans to finance technology-driven R&D projects in the region.
Overall, these initiatives demonstrate the growing collaboration between Nordic countries, NATO, and the private sector to drive innovation in defense and security technologies.