At a time marked by geopolitical shifts, growing uncertainty and rapid technological change, the ability to understand, develop and turn new technology into real operational capability is becoming increasingly important.
Recent conflicts, not least in Ukraine, have demonstrated how commercially developed technologies can swiftly reshape the battlefield when applied in new and inventive ways. Through the Acceleration of Civil-Military Innovations initiative, Swedish companies are developing both their technologies and their business strategies to meet emerging defence and security needs.
Katarina Hedbeck, co-founder of Interlinked, presents how the company’s product can secure and maintain intravenous access for treating trauma and haemorrhagic shock in personnel injured in combat.
Today, much of the technology shaping the defence capabilities of the future is being developed in the civilian sector. At the same time, technological progress is becoming ever more closely tied to geopolitics. Integrating civilian innovation into military and security-related contexts is therefore no longer a complementary endeavour; it is a strategic necessity.
– Major technological advances are taking place in areas such as automation, interfaces, AI and autonomous systems. This makes it harder to remain concealed, harder to engage a technologically advanced adversary, and requires faster decision-making. At the same time, it is becoming easier to build situational awareness and collaborate. We need to translate this into capabilities that can protect Sweden and our NATO allies, says Brigadier General Andreas Odung, Deputy Head of the Strategic Planning Unit of the Defence Staff, at the launch conference for Acceleration of Civil-Military Innovations.
The initiative supports Swedish companies in adapting their technologies and business models to defence and security applications. Its aim is not only to strengthen individual innovations, but also to help build an innovation system capable of responding rapidly when the world changes overnight — in other words, Swedish defence innovation readiness.
Small and medium-sized enterprises have received funding for innovation projects focused on developing and verifying civilian technologies for military use. The companies are also taking part in accelerator programmes designed to help them refine complementary business strategies for the defence and security market.
The programme is delivered by five innovation environments that offer business development support and create opportunities for dialogue between entrepreneurs, defence stakeholders and end users. Through the initiative, 30 Swedish companies have received support to advance their technologies, deepen their understanding of the defence sector’s needs, and strengthen their capacity to contribute to Sweden’s security and resilience.
Daniel Persson, coach in the Amyna accelerator, and Emilia Forsgård, Project Manager at Cstrider.
– We provide an introduction to the defence sector: the regulations and requirements that apply, and we create contacts with needs owners who can give companies feedback. Over the past four years, the need for defence innovation has accelerated significantly, and civilian-developed technology is becoming increasingly interesting to the Swedish Armed Forces, says Daniel Persson, coach in the Amyna accelerator.
One of the companies supported through Ideon and Amyna is Cstrider, which develops small electric ferries for passenger transport that can be remotely operated and deployed where needed.
– Our product is primarily a civilian commercial product, but it has the potential to be applied for military purposes and to solve defence-related challenges related to transport, evacuation and troop movements. By taking part in the programme, we can further develop our technology to meet military needs together with Ideon and Amyna, says Emilia Forsgård, Project Manager at Cstrider.
Technology is critical to defence capability
Much of today’s innovation is being shaped by geopolitical realities, and the need to adapt civilian technologies for military use has become more urgent than ever.
– We are in a period where the world is changing rapidly, with geopolitical shifts and accelerating technological development. This places demands on Sweden to act quickly as a nation in order to integrate civilian solutions into military defence. Creating access to civilian innovations is central to the security situation. Civilian actors, by virtue of their innovative capacity, have an important role to play in contributing in new ways to solving military and security-related challenges, says Alma Jacobson, who is responsible for the Acceleration of Civil-Military Innovations initiative at Vinnova.
Innovation that strengthens military capability
According to Brigadier General Andreas Odung, the Swedish Armed Forces need to become better at communicating the capabilities they are seeking and the effects they want to achieve, rather than specifying solutions in too much detail. Otherwise, there is a risk that innovations will be obsolete by the time they reach operational use.
– We want to be a learning opponent and to be able to develop our capabilities over time. What worked six months ago does not always work today. We want to develop processes so that they function with the challenges we face today and those that emerge in the future, says Andreas Odung.
The solutions developed within the initiative are expected to align with NATO’s priority technology areas, known as Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs), which have been identified as critical to future defence capability.
Kaari Kink speaking at the launch conference at the Swedish Defence University.
– Contemporary conflicts, especially in Ukraine, have shown how commercial technologies can rapidly transform a conflict when used creatively. Modern conflicts target weaknesses, and threats are becoming increasingly complex. This means that every time a company protects data, designs a smarter energy system or builds better healthcare applications, it is contributing to stronger defence. Using new technologies is no longer a choice — it is a necessity if we are to be able to defend ourselves, says Kaari Kink, Programme Manager for NATO’s innovation programme DIANA, at the programme’s launch conference.
Read more about NATO’s priority technology areas
Knowledge and networks create momentum
Anna Rydberg, CCO at CYTO365, and Eskil Åhlin from Ironic Biotech have taken part in the accelerator programme at LEAD in Linköping.
Anna says that support from a business coach has been particularly valuable in helping the company build both knowledge and networks.
– Above all, we have gained a broad understanding of the Swedish Armed Forces, but also important entry points and contact with key individuals whom we can ask questions to gain a better understanding of the defence sector. We want to validate our products in different medical transport situations. LEAD in Linköping has given us many valuable perspectives and a great deal of knowledge in this area, says Anna.
Eskil agrees, highlighting the value not only of the work with LEAD but also of gaining access to the different accelerators and the wider network of companies involved in the programme.
– We chose LEAD because Linköping has a strong military history and expertise. We also had the opportunity to travel around the country and broaden our network. We have made contact both with companies in the defence industry and with start-ups we can collaborate with. Networking is an important part of taking part in the accelerator programme, says Eskil.
– We have also received tips and contacts via other start-ups participating in the programme, Anna adds.
Markus Sjölund, COO of Vimotek, which works with space infrastructure.
– We are a small company that puts most of our resources into technology development. The programme has helped us by packaging and condensing knowledge about different parts of the defence industry. If we had acquired that knowledge ourselves, it would have taken considerably more time and resources, says Markus Sjölund, COO of Vimotek.