Space Nordic brings together Nordic space expertise
A shared future for the Nordic space sector
The newly launched Space Nordic initiative aims to unite the Nordic space sector and strengthen its global competitiveness. Funded by Nordic Innovation and led by Space Denmark, the project gathers key regional actors to reduce fragmentation and unlock the full potential of Nordic space expertise.
Over the next three years, Space Nordic seeks to position the Nordic region as a global leader in space related research and technology, increase collaboration within the region, and raise its visibility internationally. Joint participation in major international conferences, trade fairs and networking events will increase the visibility of Nordic space expertise and help create new research, innovation and business partnerships worldwide.
The project partners are Space Denmark and University of Southern Denmark (Denmark), Tampere University (Finland), Uppsala Innovation Centre and Innovatum (Sweden), and Norwegian Space Cluster (Norway).
Tampere University contributes expertise especially in satellite positioning, signal processing, and satellite communications
The global space sector is expanding rapidly, while the importance of Europe’s strategic resilience continues to grow. The Nordic countries risk falling behind if they continue operating as separate actors. Together, however, the region has an exceptionally strong knowledge base, including world-class technical universities, satellite expertise, advanced research infrastructure, and shared needs in areas such as climate monitoring, secure and resilient communications, and Arctic security.
By combining these strengths, Space Nordic aims to create a stronger Nordic space ecosystem and reinforce the region’s position as an international frontrunner in space related research, space technologies and key application areas . The initiative will also create new opportunities for Nordic organisations to increase international collaboration, visibility and business growth.
Space Nordic will place particular emphasis on strengthening Research-to-Business (R2B) activities and enhancing the region’s international commercial position. The project will map and open access routes to research infrastructures in Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden, making it easier especially for Nordic SMEs to develop and test technologies suitable for space applications.
Another key objective is to deepen cooperation between research and industry, ensuring that research results generated in the region are translated more effectively into practical applications and business opportunities.
In Finland, Tampere University is a key partner in the project, led by Heidi Kuusniemi, Professor of Wireless Systems .
“Space Nordic provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the strong space expertise of Tampere University and Finland both across the Nordic region and internationally. At the same time, we can build new research and innovation partnerships, strengthen collaboration with industry, and reinforce the Nordic countries’ collective position in the rapidly growing space economy,” says Heidi Kuusniemi.
“The Nordic region is already well-positioned to be a central space hub in Europe. We have the companies, universities, and collaborative and agile mindset needed to leverage the rapid growth in the space sector globally, but it requires us to coordinate and work together,” said Søren Gram Riisgaard, CEO of Space Denmark.
“Space is not only about presence and power. It is also about building competitiveness and resilience,” said Sindre Bornstein, Managing Director of Nordic Innovation. “Achieving this requires us to use our resources as effectively as possible. The Nordic countries are individually too small to build competitive space ecosystems on their own, but by combining our industries, resources, strengths and expertise, we can make a difference. Space Nordic brings together the best of the Nordic countries into one unified force, working to position the region as a world leader in space technology.”
Greater visibility through cooperation
Over the next three years, Space Nordic will coordinate Nordic delegations at major international space events and replace fragmented national appearances with a unified “Nordic Pavilion” concept.
“Through Space Nordic, we are building a stronger international profile for Nordic space expertise. The research infrastructure catalogue will help companies, researchers and other stakeholders more easily identify and access the Nordic region’s unique research, testing and validation environments. This will strengthen collaboration, support the creation of new innovations and enhance the international attractiveness of the region,” says Heidi Kuusniemi.
Space Nordic invites the space ecosystem to join
Space Nordic invites stakeholders across the Nordic space ecosystem to participate in building the future of the region’s space industry. More information is available on the Space Nordic website.
Get in touch
Søren Gram Riisgaard
CEO, Space Denmark
+45 60 54 48 81
sgr [at] spacedenmark.dk (sgr[at]spacedenmark[dot]dk)
Joonas Leppänen
Senior Innovation Adviser
+47 476 83 623
joonas.leppanen [at] nordicinnovation.org (joonas[dot]leppanen[at]nordicinnovation[dot]org)
Heidi Kuusniemi
Professor
Tampere University
+358 50 3521085
heidi.kuusniemi [at] tuni.fi (heidi[dot]kuusniemi[at]tuni[dot]fi)
Photo: Divine Kila, Space Denmark
