Estonia Planning Defence Business Lab
We are getting a new pre-accelerator for Estonian defence startups, backed by the state.
The Ministry of Defence, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, is developing a programme to serve as a stepping stone to the NATO DIANA or the European Defence Fund (EDF) programmes.
“The creation of the Defence Business Lab pre-accelerator will help companies overcome traditional barriers in the defence sector, such as understanding different regulations, and further increase their competitiveness in international accelerator programmes,” said Siim Sukles, Undersecretary for Defence Industry and Innovation at the Ministry of Defence, about the new pre-accelerator.
Initially, a 2025 test run proved successful after 10 early-stage defence companies completed an intensive training programme. Of those graduates, one was successful in the NATO DIANA programme, three competed in the Ministry of Defence’s development grant competition, one company applied to the EDF program, and another secured its first investment.
“Estonian defence industry companies have proven that we are at the forefront of international development in the defence sector. For example, in the 2024 EDF application round, international consortia with Estonian participation received more than a third (€365 million) of the total funding from the Defence Fund. The pre-accelerator will help teams reach the requirements of the defence sector faster and more reliably,” said Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur.
The establishment of the Pre-Accelerator Programme Regulation will make it a permanent programme to support the defence industry. Similar programmes to support companies in international competition have also been established in neighbouring countries such as Sweden and Latvia.
Watch this space.