Defence actors from Finland and Norway met in Oslo and Trondheim to deepen industrial cooperation, strengthen Nordic value chains and accelerate dual-use innovation across the defence and security sectors.
Defence industry leaders, technology companies, research institutions and public-sector representatives from Finland and Norway gathered in Oslo and Trondheim on 28–29 May for the “Team Finland: Defense Sector Industrial Cooperation and Growth Visit to Norway”. The event was organized by the Embassy of Finland in Oslo with support from Digital Defence Ecosystem and NORDSEC Nordic Defence and Security Cluster.The program brought together stakeholders from across the Norwegian and Finnish defence ecosystems, including industry, research institutions and public-sector actors.
County Mayor of Trøndelag, Tomas Iver Hallem. Photo: Ebbe Deraas.
County Mayor of Trøndelag, Tomas Iver Hallem, welcomed the Finnish delegation to Trondheim and emphasized the importance of strengthening Nordic cooperation at a time when security, preparedness and resilience are becoming increasingly important across the region. He also pointed to Trøndelag’s growing role as a hub for defence-related industry, logistics, technology development and allied cooperation following Finland and Sweden joining NATO.
Finland’s Ambassador to Norway, Teemu Tanner, described the rationale behind the visit and the importance of closer Nordic industrial alignment:
“This is an arrangement where we try to increase cooperation between the digital defense sector of Finland and the Norwegian security and defense sector. There is a lot of potential between Finland and Norway, and a good basis already through industrial ties such as Kongsberg’s ownership in Patria and the co-ownership of Nammo between Patria and the Norwegian state. This provides a solid foundation to move forward.”
“We also need to respond to the rapid technological development we are seeing, for example in Ukraine, by increasing our own production capacity and keeping up with the pace of change.”
“The most important outcome is that we better understand how Norway is investing its long-term defence funds, and that Norwegians understand how Finland is investing. Equally important is that companies from both countries meet and build direct business-to-business relationships, which can develop into real cooperation and concrete business opportunities.”
The two-day program linked policy and procurement discussions in Oslo with innovation-focused sessions in Trondheim, with particular emphasis on resilience, industrial scaling and operational collaboration.
Teemu Alakoski (Patria), Jan Marius Reppe (RITEK), Toni Piispa (MILLOG) and Claes Björkstèn (Conlog) discussed resilience and security of supply during the session “The Nordic Supply Corridor”. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
The event assembled a wide range of actors from industry, research and public administration across both countries.
Norwegian and Nordic research and technology institutions included SINTEF, NTNU and NORBIT, alongside public-sector and ecosystem actors such as DSB, NDMA (Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency), Business Finland, Business Turku and Business Tampere.
Industrial participation spanned established defence and dual-use suppliers including Patria, MILLOG, RITEK, Conlog, Valmet Automotive, Innokas, 3DStep and Reaktor.
Vegard Forbord, CEO Biodrone. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
Sessions in Trondheim at Forsvarsmuseet Rustkammeret focused on dual-use technologies, digital resilience and Nordic value chains, with contributions from research institutions and industry alike.
Mathias Enell, Scata. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
Companies and technology providers presenting included DA-Group, Insta, Ubiq Aerospace, Kuva Space, Modul-System, Scata, Agate Sensors, Blueye Robotics, Airbus and Biodrone.
Interactive workshops and matchmaking sessions enabled participants to identify joint opportunities across maritime systems, sensing technologies, autonomous platforms and secure infrastructure.
Maja Solum, UBIQ Aerospace. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
The visit underscored the increasing importance of structured Nordic collaboration in defence, security and dual-use technology development, driven by shared strategic priorities and a rapidly evolving geopolitical environment.
Ebbe Deraas of NORDSEC invited the Finnish delegation to Forsvarskonferansen Nordic Defence and Security Conference taking place in September. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri
Photos: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri