Nordic Space & Defence Summit 2026

Event partner: Kista Science City


Space tech and Defence tech attract huge interest and investments today. Since the defence and space markets largely overlap and both involve deeptech, THINGS decided to expand the Nordic Space Summit into the ultimate Northern meeting place for anyone interested in buying from, selling to, investing in, partnering with or just get on top of the New Nordic Space & Defence Tech Ecosystems - say hello to Nordic Space & Defence Summit 2026, March 18-19 2026. 

We already have 230 participants and the program together with stellar international speakers and partners line-up found below. 

THINGS kick-started the idea of Nordic collaboration in Space tech in September 2024. Each country is too small but together they could attract more resources, talent, attention, enable powerful partnerships and build a world-class support for Space Tech companies. Nordic Space Summit 2025 was the first acid test for the collaboration and it turned out very well, and demonstrated a large overlap with Defence tech.

The 2026 edition immediately got the name of Nordic Space & Defence Summit, the home market for that event is "New Nordic” i.e. The Nordic and Baltic countries and our mission is to provide the ultimate Nordic meeting place for Defence and Space. The event is also 3-4 times as big, starting after lunch March 18 and closing in the afternoon March 19, and will include networking dinner, a matchmaking for each domain, side events, exhibitions and of course a packed main stage program. NSDS26 brings together key stakeholders — startups, corporates, investors, media, and public agencies—to drive visibility, access to resources, networks, innovation one most importantly business!

Side events is a great way to add value to events by using the situation that a lot of interesting people have gathered to provide additional opportunities. A Kista Space & Defence Tour is planned, which will be open to all participants, as well as EU Space Academy workshop for space companies. Another example is DeepTech Alliance Next Gen Compute Exploration Program 2026 which will use NSDS for their next generation communication and cybersecurity mission. 

This is the place to be for anyone interested in buying from, selling to, investing in, partnering with and understanding the New Nordic space and defence ecosystem! The numbers of tickets are limited and availability shows upon registration. Our event site will be updated continuously up and through the event. 

THINGS always focus on enabling business relationships, why our events are quite small but with the right people and companies attending. We always say that we have presentations to allow us to have breaks. 

👉 Secure your tickets  by registering now or contact Magnus Melander if you want do discuss partnerships, sponsorship, speaker opportunities, exhibiting, workshops, hosting matchmaking, side events or have questions about NSDS26.


Confirmed speakers 2026

Tomas Jonsson
Team Leader at CASSINI Space Entrepreneurship Initiative at European Commission

Ted Elvhage
Founding partner at Expansion Aerospace Ventures


Edgar Kissling
Group Sales Director at HENSOLDT

John Kent
VP Mission Sales at ICEYE

Sandra Golbreich
General Partner at BSV Ventures

Tobias Menne
VP Global Sales at Constellr

David Ordonez
Deep Tech Investor at NATO Innovation Fund (NIF)

Manuel Kliese
VP, Head of Business Development International at Rheinmetall

Robert Carpentier
Marketing and Sales Director at Thales Alenia Space, Europe & North America

Dr. Thomas Winkler
Head of Innovation at Terma A/S

Benita Gloria Gornicka
Space Missions and Applications Director at Unibap Space Solutions

Fredrik Sjöberg
OHB Sweden

Philip Thomas
Head of the ESA ScaleUp Division

Koen Guerts
High-Tech Gründerfonds

Karin Nilsdotter
Chief Executive Officer and Partner at Spaceport Sweden AB

Jesper Rhönnstad
Global Sales Manager Defence at Clavister

Tugba Gunes
CCO at Vake.ai

Odd-Harald Hagen
Director Strategy and BizDev at Space Norway

Michael Schön
Senior Advisor and Investor

Christian Fredrik Eggesbø
CEO and Founder at Six Robotics AS

Peter Stensgaard Hansen
Managing Director Denmark at Astrolight

Salman Toor
CTO at Scaleout

Edvard Foss
General Manager at Hyper KSAT

Filip Kocian
Investor at Expansion Aerospace Ventures

 

James Campion
CEO & Co-founder at TeraSI

Jens Holzapfel
Business development at Nordic Air Defence

Brian Dunne
Commercial Officer at Aavuus

Mattias Luha
Founder at KrattWorks

Mikko Punnala
CEO of Sharpnav

Martin Modell Grande
Co-Founder & CEO Tycho Space

Knut Roar Wiig
CEO at Rift Dynamics

Moses Mwakyanjala
CEO at Remos Space

Eero Kytömaa
CEO & Co-Founder at Polar Orbital

Anders Kjaer
Founder & Managing Partner at PSV Hafnium

Jakob Knutssøn
CCO at Monopulse

Fredrik Schäder
Deputy CEO & Chief Commercial Officer at Arctic Space

Petr Šíma
Partner at DEPO Ventures / EBAN

Wojciech Drewczynski
Operating Partner at Balnord

Jarkko Antila
CEO at Kuva Space

Mattias Andersson
CEO & Founder at MTEK

Olga Bodet
CEO at Zero Gravity

Len Schuch
CEO at TEOM

Markus Skogsmo
CEO at PandionAI

Karin Bengtsson
CEO at Kista Science City

Magnus Melander
Co-founder and Evangelist at THINGS AB

Linda Krondahl
CEO & Co-founder THINGS

Program


18:00

Networking dinner for early arrivers (non-hosted)


09:00

Side event: Kista Space & Defence tour

Kista Science City
12:00

Doors open for Registration

Kista Science Tower
13:00

Welcome

Kista Science Tower
Magnus Melander
Co-founder and Evangelist at THINGS AB
Karin Bengtsson
CEO at Kista Science City
13:10

Keynote: The Space & Defence opportunity - The stars are aligned for New Nordic!

Kista Science Tower
Ted Elvhage
Founding partner at Expansion Aerospace Ventures
13:30

Break

Kista Science Tower
13:45

Introduction: Defence

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Linda Krondahl
CEO & Co-founder THINGS

Matchmaking: Space

Hosted by CASSINI

Read more
Matchmaking Corner, Kista Science Tower
13:55

Insight: Defence - Taking on the challenge

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Johan Axelsson
Interoperability Champion, Swedish Armed Forces
14:20

New Nordic Defence Case Presentations: Nordic Air Defence; KrattWorks; Six Robotics

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Jens Holzapfel
Business development at Nordic Air Defence
Mattias Luha
Founder at KrattWorks
Christian Fredrik Eggesbø
CEO and Founder at Six Robotics AS
Tugba Gunes
CCO at Vake.ai
14:50

Break

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
15:05

Insight: Cellular network as a sovereign sensor for drone defence

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Len Schuch
CEO at TEOM

Side event: Talking to Defence Customers: A Workshop for Space Companies

Organised in partnership with EU Space Academy.

Read more
Room: Nova
15:20

New Nordic Defence Case Presentations: Vake; Clavister; RiftDynamics; Monopulse

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Jesper Rhönnstad
Global Sales Manager Defence at Clavister
Knut Roar Wiig
CEO at Rift Dynamics
Jakob Knutssøn
CCO at Monopulse
16:00

Break

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
16:15

Insight: Software Defined Sensors in Space: Key for Successful Reconnaissance and Targeting Operations

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Edgar Kissling
Group Sales Director at HENSOLDT
16:30

Fireside chat: the Space Norway story - from Space to Dual use

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Odd-Harald Hagen
Director Strategy and BizDev at Space Norway
Karin Nilsdotter
Chief Executive Officer and Partner at Spaceport Sweden AB
16:50

Panel: Corporate Startup collaboration: shortening innovation cycles

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Dr. Thomas Winkler
Head of Innovation at Terma A/S
Edgar Kissling
Group Sales Director at HENSOLDT
Manuel Kliese
VP, Head of Business Development International at Rheinmetall
Tobias Menne
VP Global Sales at Constellr
Michael Schön
Senior Advisor and Investor
17:30

Closing remarks

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Linda Krondahl
CEO & Co-founder THINGS
18:00

Business mingle - buffé and drinks

Kista Science Tower


09:00

Introduction: Space

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Linda Krondahl
CEO & Co-founder THINGS

Matchmaking: Defence

Matchmaking Corner, Kista Science Tower
09:10

Keynote: Europe & New Nordic

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Tomas Jonsson
Team Leader at CASSINI Space Entrepreneurship Initiative at European Commission
09:25

New Nordic Space Case Presentations: Astrolight; Scaleout Systems; Aavuus; Remos Space

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Peter Stensgaard Hansen
Managing Director Denmark at Astrolight
Salman Toor
CTO at Scaleout
Brian Dunne
Commercial Officer at Aavuus
Moses Mwakyanjala
CEO at Remos Space
10:05

Break

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
10:20

Fireside chat: the ICEYE story

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
John Kent
VP Mission Sales at ICEYE
Karin Nilsdotter
Chief Executive Officer and Partner at Spaceport Sweden AB
10:35

New Nordic Space Case Presentations: Polar Orbital; Tycho Space; Kuva Space; MTEK

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Martin Modell Grande
Co-Founder & CEO Tycho Space
Eero Kytömaa
CEO & Co-Founder at Polar Orbital
Jarkko Antila
CEO at Kuva Space
Mattias Andersson
CEO & Founder at MTEK
11:15

Break

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
11:30

Insight: Scaling through partnership - Hyper by KSAT

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Edvard Foss
General Manager at Hyper KSAT
11:45

Fireside chat: The Unibap story

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Benita Gloria Gornicka
Space Missions and Applications Director at Unibap Space Solutions
Filip Kocian
Investor at Expansion Aerospace Ventures
12:05

Panel: Taking New Nordic Space Higher

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Philip Thomas
Head of the ESA ScaleUp Division
Fredrik Sjöberg
OHB Sweden
Robert Carpentier
Marketing and Sales Director at Thales Alenia Space, Europe & North America
Anders Kjaer
Founder & Managing Partner at PSV Hafnium
Linda Krondahl
CEO & Co-founder THINGS
12:45

Closing Remarks

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Linda Krondahl
CEO & Co-founder THINGS
12:55

Lunch

Kista Science Tower
14:00

New Nordic Space & Defence - where do we go from here

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Magnus Melander
Co-founder and Evangelist at THINGS AB
14:10

Alumni update: The Nordic Space Summit 25 Stars are back

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
Benita Gloria Gornicka
Space Missions and Applications Director at Unibap Space Solutions
James Campion
CEO & Co-founder at TeraSI
Mikko Punnala
CEO of Sharpnav
John Kent
VP Mission Sales at ICEYE
Fredrik Schäder
Deputy CEO & Chief Commercial Officer at Arctic Space
14:40

Panel: New Nordics joining forces in Space and Defence

Main Stage, Kista Science Tower
David Ordonez
Deep Tech Investor at NATO Innovation Fund (NIF)
Sandra Golbreich
General Partner at BSV Ventures
Petr Šíma
Partner at DEPO Ventures / EBAN
Koen Guerts
High-Tech Gründerfonds
Wojciech Drewczynski
Operating Partner at Balnord
15:10

Break

15:25

Panel: Earth observation data to boost corporates

Filip Kocian
Investor at Expansion Aerospace Ventures
Michael Schön
Senior Advisor and Investor
Olga Bodet
CEO at Zero Gravity
Markus Skogsmo
CEO at PandionAI
15:55

Nordic Space & Defence Tech Awards

Linda Krondahl
CEO & Co-founder THINGS
16:00

Farewell drinks

Kista Science Tower

The Nordic Space & Defence Summit 2026 is a “startup style” event with short presentations, high energy, and premium business networking. Expect keynotes from leading voices in the space and defence industries, dynamic rendez-vous sessions with top New Nordic tech companies, and fresh updates on the three strategic domains selected for regional collaboration: Earth Observation, Secure Space Communication, and Defence Technologies. The program also includes startup pitches from across the New Nordic countries, insight presentations from experts and policymakers, an award ceremony celebrating standout innovation, and a fantastic buffé dinner business mingle. The event design supports Side events like workshops, launch events and board meetings before, during and efter the event, all aimed at strengthening collaboration efforts across sectors and creating as much value for participants as possible.

Practical information

Hotel: Comfort hotel Kista (direct link) 250 m from Kista Science TowerDiscount: 15% Code: 70129529 Book via their app, web or phone. 

Hotel: Scandic Victoria  ca 1500 m from Kista Science Tower (direct link) Discount: 12% Code: D000049399 Book at Scandic's web page.

Venue: Kista Science Tower, Färögatan 33, Kista

Travel: Kista is located on the way from Arlanda airport to Stockholm. The Kista metro station (Line 11) is 5 minutes walking distance from the venue. It's 18 minutes from Stockholm Central station to Kista.

This event is organized in close collaboration with our friends at Kista Science City, and will be held on-site in Kista. We do not offer refunds. If you have purchased a ticket that you do not qualify for, you will need to upgrade or your ticket can be voided. For questions and proposals please reach out to Magnus Melander, magnus@thingstockholm.com 

THINGS, founded 2014, is the industry-focused Deep tech and innovation hub in Sweden, located on the Royal Institute of Technology campus in Stockholm. Our vision is to turn Deeptech into Business, with a focus within Infrastructure, Industry, Utility, Space and Defence. We work with 100+ member companies around the world - 50/50 corporates and tech companies - and 25+ partner organizations to deliver cross-border services. We joined DeepTech Alliance 2021 and since 2024 we are their exclusive operation partner. We are also partners with Stockholm Climate Leadership Forum. www.thingstockholm.com

Kista Science City AB works to strengthen the tech ecosystem, support business and attract talents to Kista, and the Stockholm region through community activities, programs and projects.www.kista.com