defence tech in focus: estonia hosts its first defence week in 2025

Defence tech is evolving fast, and Estonia is emerging as one of its most dynamic hubs in Europe

The defence technology (defence tech) sector is moving faster than ever. It is shaped by urgent global threats and rapid innovation. From drone countermeasures to AI-powered detection systems, the race to secure Europe’s borders is no longer theoretical. It’s happening right now. 

Against this backdrop, Estonia is hosting its first Defence Week from 22-26 September 2025. This event will bring together founders, policymakers, and security experts to exchange ideas and showcase solutions.

For entrepreneurs, the event highlights Estonia’s growing role as a hub for defence tech startups and dual-use innovation. Many international founders already choose to base their companies in Estonia through e-⁠Residency. They’re drawn by its NATO-level security environment and world-leading digital infrastructure.

As Ukrainian e-resident Denys Sobchyshak, CEO of Vidar Systems, put it: “Every time I come to Tallinn, the discussions get bigger, more urgent, and more focused. Estonia makes things happen quickly.”

What is defence tech?

Defence tech covers the tools, systems, and platforms developed to enhance security and resilience. Traditionally, it has been associated with weapons or military hardware. Today, the sector extends far wider. It includes dual-use technologies, where civilian innovations also have defence applications (and vice versa).

Examples range from AI-driven surveillance to cyber defence to acoustic detection systems like Vidar Systems. Many of these technologies emerge first in the commercial sector before being adapted to military use. This shift has opened the space to smaller, agile companies that can move faster than traditional defence contractors.

Oleksandr (“Alex”) Plyakhtur’s startup, BeesAgainstMines, illustrates this evolution well. His company combines drones, subsurface sensors, and artificial intelligence to detect buried mines in Ukraine’s farmland. 

Originally designed for humanitarian demining, the same system is capable of identifying underground tunnels or storage sites. These applications have direct military value. 

“We’re working with new technologies. We don’t need a lot of rockets; we need solutions to prevent invasion from any source. Every country in Europe needs to be thinking about how to defend its territory,” he stated.

Denys and his team at Vidar Systems began as volunteers, experimenting with acoustic monitoring of artillery when the invasion of Ukraine started. Today, their company provides frontline detection of drones and mortar systems. The technology stack is relevant to both civilian infrastructure security and defence operations.

This blend of humanitarian roots and hard security needs reflects the changing face of defence tech companies in Europe. It explains why Estonia’s Defence Week has attracted such wide interest.

European defence tech startups and dual-use applications 

Europe has traditionally lagged behind the United States in defence spending and technology development. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has accelerated investment and collaboration across the continent. From Germany’s push to modernise its armed forces to NATO’s collective focus on emerging threats, the European defence tech ecosystem is now one of the fastest-growing in the world.

What sets Europe apart is the dual-use focus. Much of the innovation stems from startups and small firms that began with humanitarian or commercial goals. They now find applications in defence. 

This flexible approach contrasts with the large-scale procurement cycles more typical in the US. British e-resident of Estonia David Fortune is the director of Saher (Europe), a security consultancy that also offers research and training. 

His team sees great value in this kind of cross-sectoral collaboration, what they describe as a “Research to Reality” approach: Pooling insight from government, academia and practitioners leads to meaningful breakthroughs. “Without this bridge building, your impact is only ever as good as a third or half as it could be, so different partners gain from understanding each others’ perspectives.”

BeesAgainstMine’s work with drones and detection systems exemplifies this forward-looking model. Founder Alex sees important potential in the future rebuilding of Ukraine when peace finally returns. “We need to plan how to restore our territory, to rebuild broken buildings. How to make our country beautiful after the war.”

Denys of Vidar Systems echoed the agile nature of startups emerging from new threats, observing that Europe’s tech community is rising to meet urgent needs. “At the beginning of the war, artillery caused 70% of casualties. Now, drones are an ever-growing threat, while artillery continues to cost lives daily on the front line. Startups like ours can adapt fast.”

This responsiveness is becoming Europe’s strength on the global stage. It matches cutting-edge science to real-time security challenges.

Estonia’s role in defence tech 

Among European nations, Estonia stands out as a hub for defence innovation. It is known for its world-leading digital government and as host to NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. The DIANA Accelerator offers funding and mentorship in 182 test centres across 32 NATO countries for dual-use deep tech, while the Defence Estonia Cluster connects R&D, defence firms, and clients.

Estonia brings together cybersecurity expertise, startup agility, and a strong national commitment to resilience. And the country supports this with considerable resources: SmartCap, the Estonian Defence Fund, invests up to €10m in military and dual-use technologies, co-funding high-potential startups that align with NATO goals.

Events like the Estonian Defence Week highlight this positioning. 

For founders, the attraction goes beyond networking to Estonia’s renowned enabling business environment. Through e-⁠Residency, international entrepreneurs can incorporate quickly, access the EU market, and safeguard intellectual property in a trusted legal system.

Alex explained why BeesAgainstMines chose Estonia as its base through the e-⁠Residency programme:

For a company dealing with AI and detection technology, data security was decisive.

Denys echoed the value of Estonia’s support networks. His company, Vidar Systems, is part of Estonia’s Founder Society, which connects defence and dual-use startups with policymakers and investors. “From the start, we had two options,” he explained. “Either to become a non-profit organisation, and hope that donations would be enough to scale a solution. But we decided it would be faster, easier, and more rational to attract venture capital to this whole topic.”

This combination of agility and credibility makes Estonia an increasingly attractive location for defence tech companies. It also reinforces Estonia’s reputation as a trusted partner in Europe’s wider security architecture.

For example, UK entrepreneur David Fortune also turned to Estonia to grow his company, Saher (Europe) OÜ, which works with police and border guards on counter-drone systems. His story mirrors many founders who choose e-⁠Residency to run operations in a transparent EU environment.

“We had worked with the Estonian Police and Border Guard before, when we had a British business.” he explained, “So when we wanted to work with more European partners and collaborate with EU-funded projects, it made sense to form the business in Estonia.”

Defence tech startup trends and Estonian Defence Week 2025 

Defence technology today is defined by speed, adaptability, and dual-use potential. Startups are shaping the sector by applying innovations from agriculture, logistics, and AI to frontline defence problems. Estonia’s Defence Week 2025, running from 22–26 September in Tallinn, will showcase this evolution.

The five-day programme spans NATO DIANA’s accelerator day for early-stage companies, the Annual Baltic Conference on Defence, and a disruptive technologies symposium. There is also a ‘hack day’ and a live demonstration event in Tartu. For founders, it offers both visibility and collaboration opportunities.

Dual-use applications remain central. Alex Plyakhtur highlighted how his company’s mine detection drones began as a humanitarian tool, yet also detect underground tunnels and storage facilities. BeesAgainstMines had good reason to choose Estonia as its base due to current security constraints, but sees a long-term future helping to safely automate the handling of risky environments.

Estonia Defence Week events reflect this ecosystem approach that underpins dual use. Dave Fortune explained, “Saher was never a defence company, we are security and safety related, but there are always both civilian and military applications in areas like drones and counter drones. And you have to have standardisation and interoperability between what different sectors and manufacturers are doing.”

The Tallinn Defence EXPO will feature production from Estonian companies and highlight Ukraine’s practical innovations. The Defence Industry Symposium, themed The Power of Disruption, will debate the technological future, with dual-use applications at its core.

Growth opportunities for defence tech companies

For companies incorporated through e-⁠Residency, these platforms are a gateway into Europe’s wider security and innovation networks. Estonia offers a trusted test-bed for technologies that must be both secure and scalable. 

Denys of Vidar Systems is looking forward to everything that Estonian Defence Week promises, having found great benefit in attending smaller events previously through the Estonian Founders Society and globally.

“First of all, I am always happy to meet industry representatives. In previous events, we have got to know amazing people who push the boundaries, and I have several meetings lined up to talk to other founders about their experiences and potential co-operation.”

“There’s always interesting investor news and activities going on at these events too,” he reflected.

“But thirdly, I hope that this week we will be able to meet some of the Estonian military directly.” 

These face-to-face encounters are as valuable to defence tech companies as in any other startup industry. “We need to establish co-operation and understand their needs. As a private company, what can we provide them?”

Because technology, in acoustic detection as everywhere else, moves fast, they face constant competition.

e-⁠Residency for defence tech startups 

This environment aligns with broader European trends. Defence tech is no longer siloed in state arsenals, but embedded in a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. Estonia’s Defence Week is designed to exhibit new solutions, while connecting them with innovators and policymakers. This way, investors can help turn them into scalable, real-world applications.

For international entrepreneurs, it’s a reminder that Estonia is more than a digital pioneer – it’s becoming a European defence tech hub.

Through e-⁠Residency, defence tech startups can:

• Register and run a company 100% online in the EU
  
• Access Estonia’s secure and transparent digital infrastructure
  
• Connect with a trusted network of service providers and investors
  
• Operate with confidence in a NATO-aligned jurisdiction
  

Estonia’s role as both a digital pioneer and a frontline NATO member gives it a distinctive position. “Estonia is the Delaware of Europe,” Denys concluded. 

FAQ: Estonian Defence Week 2025

What is Estonian Defence Week?

Estonian Defence Week is a five-day event in Tallinn and Tartu (22–26 September 2025) dedicated to defence technology and innovation. It includes NATO DIANA’s accelerator day, the Annual Baltic Conference on Defence, a symposium on disruptive technologies, and the Tallinn Defence EXPO.

Why is Estonia hosting Defence Week now?

The war in Ukraine has accelerated demand for new defence solutions across Europe. Estonia, with its NATO commitments and advanced digital ecosystem, is well-placed to lead these discussions. Defence Week reflects Estonia’s growing role as a European hub for defence tech and dual-use innovation.

What trends will be highlighted at Defence Week?

Key topics include drone defence, acoustic detection, AI-driven surveillance, cybersecurity, and dual-use technologies with both civilian and military applications. Startups from Ukraine, Estonia, and across Europe will showcase innovations that are already making an impact on the ground.

Who should attend Defence Week?

Defence tech founders, investors, policymakers, and researchers will benefit from the event. For entrepreneurs, it is a chance to meet potential partners, explore funding opportunities, and connect with Estonia’s thriving startup networks.

How does e-⁠Residency connect to Defence Week?

Many defence tech founders attending the event already run their companies through Estonia’s e-⁠Residency programme. It provides a trusted EU legal base, strong IP protection, and seamless access to the European market – all critical for startups working with sensitive technologies.