Borderland – Eastern Finland Showcased Innovation in Border Security and Dual-Use Technologies
For the past five years, Business Kuopio has organized the “Kuopio Goes Slush” side event in Helsinki, bringing local companies to the spotlight a day before Slush. This year, however, the collaboration of five cities and two universities from Eastern Finland, made Borderland happen.
Kuopio, Joensuu, Mikkeli, Imatra, Lappeenranta, along with the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) and Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT), joined forces to showcase cutting-edge innovations and opportunities in border security and dual-use technologies.
The event, held on November 19th at G Live Lab Helsinki, aimed to connect local companies with investors, key organizations, and international representatives interested in security technologies and NATO cooperation. By all accounts, Borderland was a great success, as highlighted by many participants.
A Dynamic Gathering of Innovators
The event attracted approximately 190 participants, including 33 local companies from Eastern Finland and companies from other parts of Finland. Investors from Finland and abroad came to explore potential collaborations, while representatives from eight embassies in Finland added a strong international dimension. It was a particular honor to welcome ambassadors from Ukraine, Belgium, Canada, and the Czech Republic as well as the representatives from other embassies (US, Norway, Estonia, and Netherlands).
Other key organizations attending included FiBAN, Business Finland, Business Helsinki, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, and VTT DIANA program, just to name a few.
This diverse audience created a great opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange.
The event was hosted by Parastoo Jalili from Business Kuopio and Mikko Järvilehto from Business Joensuu.
Insights from Distinguished Speakers
The event opened with remarks from Jukka Kopra, Chair of the Defense Committee and a member of the Finnish Parliament, who emphasized the importance of regional collaboration in defense and security.
Tero Vihavainen, head of the Finnish space office, as a keynote speaker then continued. He spoke about the critical role of space-based services in safeguarding critical infrastructure and managing emergency situations.
Showcasing Eastern Finland’s Innovation
One of the event’s highlights was the presentation of seven cutting-edge technologies from companies in Eastern Finland. Among them was SUNS Oy from Kuopio, which, in partnership with DR1 Oy, has developed a fully autonomous drone system powered by SUNS’ energy solutions. This innovation offers applications ranging from border control to other critical operations.
In addition to SUNS Oy, eight other companies from Kuopio were present at the event with their advanced solutions:
- 3D Talo: Specializing in virtual and augmented reality solutions for visualization, training, and design.
- Biobros: Pioneer in industrial water and wastewater purification through innovative electrocoagulation methods.
- LightningChart: Creator of the world’s most powerful high-performance charting framework.
- Savopak: Manufacturer of transport and storage packaging for industries like food and defense.
- SolidComp: Offering precise and visually detailed 3D scanning based on the latest technology.
- Myontec: Developers of wearables leveraging surface electromyography (sEMG) for measuring muscle activation.
- LumiFire Suppression: Enhancing the safety of companies and public sector by delivering the right fire safety solutions for each risk scenario.
- Bevenic: Innovative and high-quality life cycle services from product planning and prototyping, supply chain management to contract manufacturing.
From other cities in Eastern Finland, the event also featured Kelluu (Joensuu), Observis (Mikkeli), Relesoft (Lappenranta), and Rumble tools (Imatra). Adding to this, the University of Eastern Finland’s Head of Photonics and Mathematics showcased how photonics serves as the backbone of modern defense systems. Kuva Space also shared its groundbreaking work with a hyperspectral satellite constellation.
Eastern Finland: A Living Lab for Innovation
Eastern Finland stands out as a unique living lab due to its geopolitical location. The region provides companies with innovations in border security and dual-use technologies.
Kuopio, in partnership with Savonia University of Applied Sciences, has initiated a bold project to build a regional innovation ecosystem centered on comprehensive security. This initiative aims to foster national and international business opportunities while enhancing the region’s capacity to anticipate and address security threats.
Stronger Together
Borderland demonstrated the power of collaboration. The collective effort of cities, universities, and key stakeholders from Eastern Finland proved that “we’re stronger together”. The event highlighted the region’s potential in security and defense and laid a strong foundation for future collaborations.
As Eastern Finland continues to emerge as a hub for innovation, we look forward to more groundbreaking initiatives and partnerships in the years ahead.
Authors: Parastoo Jalili & Arto Yletyinen
