Riihimäki stakes claim as Finland’s dual-use start-up hub

Just 60 kilometres north of Helsinki, Riihimäki is positioning itself as a hub for defence industry growth.

The town hosts several key Finnish Defence Forces research units and has fostered collaboration between industry and the military for decades.

It is now seeking to create favourable conditions for Finland’s expanding defence and dual-use start-up sector, says Teemu Seppälä, technology and innovation director at the City of Riihimäki.

- We have several technology-focused companies and institutions here, and we are well located from a logistics perspective, Seppälä told Defence Nordic.

Accelerator programme

Riihimäki has launched an accelerator for defence and dual-use start-ups under the banner Define - Defence Innovation Network Finland.

Supported by the European Union, the initiative brings together the Finnish Defence Forces, leading defence companies, research institutes and early-stage firms.

Its mission is to help participants develop technologies that meet both military requirements and commercial market demand. The programme provides mentoring, product development support and access to international markets.

The fourth cohort begins in March, says Markus Rankka, business manager at the City of Riihimäki:

-We connect stakeholders from the defence forces, universities and funding bodies. Define acts as a civilian interface between the military and industry, with a particular focus on start-ups.

The three-month accelerator offers coaching, funding access, product development support and guidance on scaling. An alumni network supports graduates beyond the programme.

So far, 36 companies from Finland, six other Nato countries and Ukraine have completed the accelerator. Approximately 12 companies will join the spring cohort in March, further expanding the network.

- We are seeing strong interest from the Nordics and the Baltics, Rankka says.

Industrial base and reserves

Riihimäki’s location underpins its strategy.

The town sits in a region that accounts for more than half of Finland’s defence industry output, according to Seppälä. Local companies include Sako, described as Europe’s largest rifle producer, alongside Patria and Millog.

In Riihimäki, Define has supported the Finnish Defence Forces in establishing new cyber security and ICT conscript roles.

- Even by global standards, we have one of the largest reserve-based armies. Almost every family has a connection to the defence forces, as nearly all men enter the reserve, Seppälä says.

He adds that these ties have historically fostered informal links between defence and industry. The Finnish Defence Forces have now established an Innovation Unit intended to serve as a single national and international point of contact.

Through the Define ecosystem, the municipality aims to attract additional start-ups and scale domestic capability.

- You could call it economic development. We want to help companies grow domestically and internationally while strengthening Finland’s defence capabilities, Seppälä says.

He adds that the Define brand now operates nationally, allowing other regions to adopt the model rather than create parallel schemes.

- We share our experience with other cities so they can ramp up quickly. Our goal is to support companies developing dual-use technologies that benefit both the wider economy and national security, he says.