Defence Innovation Day 2026

Join us on 21 September for Defence Innovation Day 2026, the opening event of Estonian Defence Week.

This year’s programme centres on three themes shaping defence innovation today.

Who Builds, Who Scales: Inside Defence Innovation
This block looks at how cooperation moves defence innovation from early development to operational relevance, including rapid adoption success stories from NATO DIANA teams.

Battlefield Innovation: Lessons from Ukraine
A closer look at how urgent operational needs drive the fast development, testing and deployment of new technologies.

Protecting Society: From Hybrid Threats to Infrastructure Security
This block focuses on hybrid defence, infrastructure protection and border security, with particular attention to resilience in a changing security environment.

Defence Innovation Day brings together a broad mix of actors across the defence innovation ecosystem. This includes civilian startups with dual-use potential, defence technology companies from Estonia and throughout NATO, end-users looking for new solutions, investors seeking promising teams and technologies, and public sector and ecosystem stakeholders interested in defence innovation.

Alongside the stage programme, visitors will be able to explore more than a dozen booths featuring some of the most promising defence companies from Estonia and across the NATO ecosystem. Selected teams will also pitch their solutions on stage. Throughout the event, the audience will be able to interact with speakers by submitting questions online in real time.

Event details

📅 Date: 21 September 2026
🕘 Time: 10:00–16:00, doors open at 09:00
📍 Location: Kultuurikatel / Tallinn Creative Hub, Kursi 3, Tallinn
👥 Format: In-person only
🎫 Ticket: Free of charge, but registration is mandatory
🗣️ Language: English only

Registration

Registration takes place outside Fienta, click register above or follow this link:
https://edw.ee/en/estonian-defence-week/did/registration-form/

Please note that while the event is free of charge, registration is mandatory and participation is subject to prior approval by the organisers.

Questions?
Kati Kirsipuu, Project Manager at Tehnopol
[email protected]

Defence Innovation Day is powered by Tehnopol and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications through the NATO DIANA Estonian Accelerator, as well as the Ministry of Defence of Estonia, with one programme block co-curated by Sparkup Tartu Science Park.

We look forward to seeing you in Tallinn.

Agenda subject to change.