Defence Tech Meetup Fall 2026 Helsinki
Defence Tech Meetup Fall 2026
For STARTUPS:
If you are a startup, please register using the dedicated startup application form below, otherwise your application will be rejected. All startup applications will also be considered for the 10 pitch slots and 15 exhibition stands available at the event.
Apply here:
Startup application form
Attendance is limited to two people per startup. Applications accepted until November 12th.
Important: This is a curated, closed-door defence event. All participants are verified and approved by the hosts. For security and privacy reasons, the exact location, final speaker list and operational details will be shared only with confirmed attendees.
Funding. Procurement. Market Access.
BSV Ventures, Patria, and Millog invite you to a focused, working-level forum bringing together defence and dual-use startups, defence primes, procurement organisations, military end-users, investors and policymakers from across the Nordic and Baltic region and other allied ecosystems.
This closed-door forum will focus on two questions:
Is the capital flowing into defence tech creating sustainable companies or increasingly ambitious valuations – and how do we turn successful field testing into procurement and deployment at scale?
The agenda combines investment debate, operational and procurement perspectives, practical lessons from EU–Ukraine defence industry collaboration, startup showcases and curated networking.
November 19th | 12:30–17:00
Location will be shared with approved guests
Capacity: ~200–250 participants
Format: curated, closed-door, defence-focused
What to expect
A focused, working-level discussion on the realities of building and scaling defence technology – bringing together perspectives from investors, defence forces, procurement organisations, primes, startups and NATO/allied institutions.
The event is designed for practical conversations, direct access to decision-makers and curated networking, rather than broad industry presentations.
Preliminary Agenda
12:00 – Doors open for exhibitors
12:30–13:00 – Guest arrival and registration
13:00–13:10 – Opening remarks by BSV Ventures, Millog and Patria
13:10–13:20 – Tough Tech from the Tough Ten report presentation: key findings and data
Presented by BSV Ventures, Co-invest Capital, DEPO Ventures, NATO Innovation Fund.
13:20–14:00 – Panel I: Defence Tech: Are We Building Value or Valuations?
Panelists:
Sander Verbrugge, Partner @ NATO Innovation Fund
J.D. Englehart, Senior Investment Director @ In-Q-Tel
Giuseppe Lacerenza, Partner – Defence & Security @ Keen Venture Partners
Teppo Havo, General Manager @ Danske Bank Growth
Moderator: Sandra Golbreich, BSV Ventures
Defence tech is attracting unprecedented amounts of capital, with some companies reaching multi-billion valuations before procurement has caught up. The panel will discuss what justifies those valuations, what realistic exits look like, and whether we are building the next generation of defence champions – or pricing them as champions before we know who wins.
14:00–14:30 – Networking and coffee break
14:30–15:10 – Panel II: From Operational Experience to Defence Capability: Accelerating Innovation and Adoption Across Allied Forces
Panelists:
Maryan Sulim, Co-founder, Zvook
Yuriy Dyachyshyn, CEO & Co-founder, Lifesavers
Dan Henry, Co-founder, Apollo Minerva
Moderator: Erik Bhullar, BSV Ventures
A successful field test is only the beginning. The panel will explore what needs to happen next to move from soldier validation → requirement → procurement → deployment → scale, and how successful testing can translate into real procurement and adoption across multiple allied markets.
15:10–15:25 – Keynote: Anti-disinformation drone: Reading the Kremlin's Source Code, Liudvikas Andriulis, co-founder @Repsense
Russian information operations run the same pipeline in every country: build, test, launder, amplify, mainstream. In Kursk, the Kremlin's line took shape within 18 hours. Using live findings from Repsense's DIS platform, this session shows how each stage can be detected and measured as it happens, and how the next stage can be forecast.
15:25–15:55 – Startup pitches hosted by Rasmus Basilier (NATO DIANA Lead Mentor, host at "Winning with Defence Tech" podcast, Development Manager at Millog) : 10 selected companies
15:55–16:00 – Closing remarks
16:00–17:00 – Networking with snacks and drinks
Who should attend
Defence and dual-use startups
Angels and VCs
Defence primes and integrators
Military end-users and procurement organisations
Government and policy representatives
NATO and allied ecosystem stakeholders