Defence in the darkness week

Welcome to the darkness – Join us in multiple events around dual use, defence and security during the biggest startup event of the year on 18th to 22st of November 2024 – this page gathers all those events during the Slush week in Finland.  If you are looking to sell or learn, are an dual use startup, defence scaleup or prime, support organisation, investor or just dual use curious looking to make connections – we have the events for you.

Be among the first to meet our carefully selected cohort of defence tech startups as they showcase solutions at the intersection of military and civilian applications. This week is packed with a series of events organized by various parties, focusing on the latest advancements and discussions in the fields of defence, dual-use technologies, and security. Below is the schedule of events happening throughout the week.

Please note that each event has their own registration and entry criteria.

Monday 18th (Slush Day -1)

Estonian DefenceTech Meetup #5

Organizer: Estonia Founders Society
Time: 3:30 PM
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Apply to participate here.

On November 18, the next event in the highly popular DefenceTech meetup series in Tallinn, Estonia. As usual, the event will feature 4-5 keynote presentations and 4-5 startups. Estonian DefenceTech meetups usually draw an attendance of 200-250 people, including 60-70 investors while the rest are entrepreneurs, tech talent, and government officials. As a rule, about a quarter of the audience is from abroad.

Tuesday 19th (Slush Day 0)

DECOI 2024 – Defense Ecosystem of Innovators

Organizer: FiBAN
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Epicenter, Mikonkatu 9, Helsinki, Finland
Apply to participate here.

In collaboration with partner organizations, the Finnish Business Angels Network (FiBAN) is proud to host Northern Europe’s largest Defence pitch event on November 19th.

This exclusive event is designed for investors, officers, defence and security organizations, and ecosystem members. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and collaborate!

Defence & Deep Tech: Exploring the Future of Dual-Use Investments

Organizers: Keva, GroveStreet, European Investment Fund (EIF), European Investment Bank (EIB), and Tesi.
Time: 18:00-20:30
Location: Sofia Helsinki, Sofiankatu 4C, Helsinki
Apply to participate here.

Join investors, and startups for an evening focused on the evolving landscape of deep tech and dual-use technologies. This event provides a unique opportunity to explore new investment opportunities, share ideas, and connect with startups, VCs and other investors driving defence and dual-use technology advancements. Notice that applying does not guarantee a spot, as spaces are limited.

Border Land – Security Eastern Finland

Organizers: Kuopio, Joensuu, Lappeenranta, Mikkeli, Imatra, University of Eastern Finland, and LUT.
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: GLiveLab
Application link here.

Description: Join us for drinks and snacks while networking with companies and investors interested in security- and NATO-related business opportunities. Eastern Finland joins forces to bring local companies together during SLUSH 2024, presenting new innovations and opportunities in Border Security and Dual-Use Technologies.

Wednesday 20th (Slush Day 1)

Knights of Nordics – Dual-use curious: Exploring opportunities in the dual use sector

Organizers: Enter Espoo & VTT
Time: 12:00 – 2:00 PM
Location: Messukeskus Siipi
Register: Apply here

Is your company considering entering the defence or dual-use sector? Are you curious about how to adapt your tech solutions for military applications? Knights of Nordics – Dual-Use Curious is an event designed to help dual-use companies understand how to navigate this unique market. Join us for a series of 10 minute talks from key players who have successfully bridged the gap between civilian and defence markets.

After the presentations, join expert-led round tables for in-depth discussions. This is an excellent opportunity to ask questions and gain valuable insights into how to approach the defence market while networking.  Whether you’re exploring dual-use opportunities or seeking new growth markets, this event will provide you with the knowledge and connections to move forward. Apply today to secure your place!

Resilience Tech Slush Social

Organizer: Project A + IQT
Time: 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: For registered only
Register here.

​In-Q-Tel and Project A warmly invite you to an exclusive, invite-only get-together for founders, investors and government officials in the DefTech and resilience ecosystem.

​About In-Q-Tel.  ​IQT has delivered significant mission impact for more than a quarter century by building a unique—and uniquely powerful—not-for-profit global investment platform that accelerates the introduction of groundbreaking technologies to enhance the national security and prosperity of America and its allies.

​About Project A. ​Project A is an early-stage tech investor partnering with founders who challenge the status quo in their industries. Over the past years, we started to focus on European resilience and invest in companies like Quantum Systems and Black Semiconductors to strengthen Europe’s ecosystem of the future.

Friday 22th

DEFINE Accelerator Grand Opening

Organizer: DEFINE / City of Riihimäki
Time: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: DEFINE Innovation Hub, Riihimäki, Finland
Apply to participate here.

Join us for a landmark moment in the Nordic defence tech scene as we unveil Finland’s first-ever defence-focused technology accelerator’s first batch. This invitation-only launch event and party, hosted at the brand-new DEFINE Innovation Hub in Riihimäki, marks Finland’s bold step into the future of defence technology development.Be among the first to meet our carefully selected cohort of defence tech startups as they showcase solutions at the intersection of military and civilian applications.

We expect a full house of people from the Finnish Defence Forces, investors from Finland and abroad, military experts, regional companies, and carefully selected startups and SMEs at the forefront of defence technology. Coordinated by the City of Riihimäki, the DEFINE Accelerator program is managed by Redstone VC, a venture capital firm based in Berlin and operating also in Helsinki and Zürich. The 3-month program supports startups developing technological solutions with both military and commercial applications.