To better align civilian solutions with the needs of the defense sector, LEAD is now joining forces with several of Sweden’s leading innovation hubs in TACTIC, an initiative that has been awarded 35 million kronor in funding from sources including the EU.
Small, agile technology companies are developing solutions that are critical to Sweden’s security. However, there are often no established channels for integrating their technology into the defense sector. To address this, existing innovation ecosystems can be leveraged to help these companies grow.
LEAD, Kista Science City, Sting, Ideon Science Park, and Uppsala Innovation Centre have collectively been awarded 35 million kronor in funding from sources including the EU. The initiative aims to establish a national framework to accelerate the development of dual-use technology—that is, solutions with both civilian and military applications.
“TACTIC strengthens the conditions for more innovative companies to contribute to Sweden’s competitiveness and total defense capability. Through this initiative, we are also building stronger partnerships and the ecosystem needed to accelerate the development of new solutions,” says Catharina Sandberg, CEO of LEAD.
Aims to strengthen the collaboration between innovation and total defense
TACTIC aims to establish a regional structure in the Stockholm area that can eventually serve as a model for national collaboration. Through the project, companies will gain access to needs-based dialogues with stakeholders in the total defense sector, business development, testing and demonstration environments, and international partnerships.
The goal is for at least 80 small and medium-sized enterprises to receive support in the field of dual-use technology during the project period. In addition, at least ten innovation processes between companies and stakeholders within the total defense sector are to be carried out, while at least ten international partnerships are to be established.
By the time the project concludes, a sustainable framework for collaboration between civilian innovation ecosystems and defense actors will be in place. The goal is to strengthen Sweden’s technological resilience, industrial capacity, and international competitiveness at a time when the need for innovation in security and defense is growing.
