Espoo and the United States: Collaborations Continue

In recent months, Enter Espoo’s efforts to strengthen ties with the United States have seen significant progress. Collaborative initiatives are not only increasing, but they are also paving the way for exciting new opportunities.

Sister City: Irving, Texas

Among these collaborations is the development of our Sister City partnership with Irving, Texas, which will foster deeper cultural and economic exchanges between our cities. Irving is home to the global headquarters of nine Fortune 500 companies, offices of fifty-three Fortune 500 companies, and offices of one hundred sixty foreign-based companies. Plans are in development for a delegation from Irving to Espoo in 2025. Stay tuned for more details.

US Department of Defense Foreign Comparative Testing visit to Espoo

In late July, we had the privilege of hosting the United States Department of Defense Foreign Comparative Testing Program delegation at A Grid, where over seventy participants attended the info session and fifty-one Finnish companies showcased their dual-use solutions during one-on-one meetings. The FCT group enjoyed site visits to ICEYE, Kuva Space, and Dispelix. Solar Foods introduced the delegation to Solein® – protein out of thin air – during dinner at their facilities.

The event was a great success, opening the door to potential joint ventures and partnerships.

Info session for Foreign Comparative Testing program at A Grid

United States Department of Defense Foreign Comparative Testing info session at A Grid

NATO DIANA

NATO DIANA Challenges business accelerator program has garnered strong interest from companies in Finland. The application period ended August 9, and over 2,600 applications were received from dual-use innovators in NATO countries.

Espoo is now part of the NATO DIANA network, with an accelerator and a test center being established at VTT's site in Otaniemi. VTT, in collaboration with Aalto University and the University of Helsinki, will manage the accelerator.

As we continue to build these relationships, we look forward to further strengthening our ties with the United States and creating lasting impacts through these initiatives.