►Defence Builder and 17Tech unite to accelerate defense innovation across Finland and Ukraine
Kyiv, Helsinki November 2025. Defence Builder, Ukraine’s accelerator for defense tech startups and 17Tech Oy, a Finnish defense technology accelerator and venture capital firm, announce a strategic partnership to reinforce the defense tech innovation ecosystems of Finland and Ukraine. Accelerator accepts startups from all NATO countries.
Knowledge is the key factor for Europe’s security. Knowledge-sharing between Ukraine and Finland means combining Ukraine’s wartime ingenuity and first-hand experience against Russia, with Finland’s advanced defence systems and resilience expertise. Together, through our acceleration partnership, we can turn this shared knowledge into faster innovation and stronger collective defence. Startups from both batches will gain access to a combined network of resources, expertise, and validation pathways that span from real battlefield environments to NATO-aligned defense forces.
Bringing Together Wartime Innovation and Tech Excellence
17Tech brings extensive expertise in cooperating with multiple countries’ defense forces, international business, and tech development capabilities, as well as managing accelerators across 12 countries. They also provide startups with access to international prime contractors and a well-developed investor network.
Defence Builder contributes top-tier expertise and access to up-to-date battlefield feedback, enabling real-world testing in Ukraine. With 15 startups already accelerated across two batches, of which 6 battlefield-tested or already deployed their solutions, in total have received nearly €4M in soft commitments, and 9 verified with the Ukrainian military and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Defence Builder has proven its ability to transform battlefield-driven technologies into scalable solutions.
Sami Luukkonen, 17Tech’s Chairman of Board, comments: “The partnership between Defense Builder and 17Tech marks a groundbreaking moment in the defense innovation ecosystem. By merging Ukraine’s modern wartime experience with Finland’s world-class deep tech expertise, we’re creating a one-of-a-kind defense technology accelerator – something truly unprecedented in today’s landscape.”
Line Rindvig, CEO of Defence Builder, emphasises the strategic importance of this partnership: “Ukraine is developing tomorrow’s defence technologies and sharing hard-won knowledge while fighting for its freedom. Finland understands this and knows that modern warfare is won through superior capability delivered at speed. Our purpose in partnering with 17Tech is to transform this shared knowledge into advanced innovation and a faster, more resilient collective defence – for Ukraine and Europe.”
“This is truly an exciting milestone for Ukrainian, Finnish, and European defense technology. Together, we’re unlocking synergies and collaboration potential that have never before existed in the defense accelerator space,” says 17Tech’s Co-founder Antti Kosunen.
Scope of Collaboration:
To provide startups with unparalleled access to resources, this collaboration will merge our networks, expertise, and unique operational insights.
Joint Events: Both accelerators have the option to organise events in which all startups from both programs are welcome to participate remotely and/or physically.
Investor Access: Parties will introduce startups to their networks of investors and relevant stakeholders, including local defense forces, NATO, and/or rated institutions.
End-User Need Validation: Defence Builder will help participating startups understand and validate real operational needs of defense end-users, ensuring that innovation efforts address actual battlefield challenges. 17Tech will help participating startups understand and validate real operational needs of Finnish Defense Forces/NATO Forces, ensuring that innovation efforts address current needs.
Field Testing: Defence Builder will enable limited field testing and operational evaluation of selected technologies in real battlefield environments, helping both sides’ startups to refine and prove their solutions.
Knowledge Exchange: The Parties will share learnings from their respective ecosystems to improve accelerator models and startup support mechanisms.
