The next startup opportunity? University of Helsinki opens programme focused on resilience and security
This programme helps early-stage teams and individuals explore whether their idea, research, or technology has strong potential in security, resilience and deep technology (including dual-use applications).
The Helsinki Incubators at the University of Helsinki have launched an eight-week programme aimed at helping entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators turn security and resilience ideas into scalable startups.
While much of the startup ecosystem continues to focus on AI productivity tools and consumer applications, a different opportunity is rapidly emerging across Europe: technologies that strengthen resilience, security and critical infrastructure.
Finland is positioning itself at the center of that movement.
Helsinki Incubators has opened applications for its new Resilience & Security Pre-Incubator, an eight-week entrepreneurship programme designed to help early-stage founders, researchers and innovators validate ideas in areas ranging from cybersecurity and AI to critical infrastructure, biotechnology and space technologies.
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The initiative comes at a time when Europe is increasing investments in resilience-related innovation amid growing concerns around cyber threats, supply chain vulnerabilities, energy security and geopolitical instability. Finland, which joined NATO in 2023, has also accelerated efforts to strengthen its innovation ecosystem around security and digital resilience.
Programme Period:
- 1 September - 27 October 2026 (8 weeks)
Application Deadline:
- Monday, 17 August 2026 at 23:59 (UTC+3)
Building startups around resilience
Unlike a traditional academic course or hackathon, the programme is designed as a practical pathway for people who want to explore whether their ideas have real commercial and societal potential.
Participants will work on validating problems, understanding customer needs, developing positioning strategies and navigating the increasingly complex security ecosystem. Teams that demonstrate strong potential may later advance into the University of Helsinki’s full Security & Resilience Incubator programme.
The pre-incubator is open not only to university students and researchers, but also to entrepreneurs, engineers, technologists and professionals with operational experience in security-related fields. No previous startup experience is required.
From cybersecurity to space technologies
The programme reflects how broad the concept of resilience has become.
Among the areas of interest are cybersecurity, AI resilience, autonomous systems, critical infrastructure protection, supply chain security, environmental resilience, biotechnology, human performance technologies and space-related innovations. Many of these sectors are increasingly viewed through a dual-use lens, meaning technologies can serve both commercial and security-related purposes.
This trend is also visible across Finland’s wider innovation strategy. Through initiatives such as Business Finland’s Digital Resilience Programme, the country is investing heavily in technologies that improve security, continuity and operational resilience while creating export opportunities for Finnish startups and scaleups.
Why resilience is becoming a startup opportunity
Historically, security and resilience technologies were often associated with governments, defence organizations or large corporations. Today, startups are increasingly playing a central role in developing solutions for cyber defence, critical communications, autonomous systems, infrastructure monitoring and risk management.
As Europe seeks greater technological sovereignty and stronger security capabilities, founders working on resilience challenges may find themselves entering one of the fastest-growing innovation sectors of the decade.
For Finland, the goal is not only to improve preparedness but also to create globally competitive companies capable of addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges.
And for entrepreneurs looking beyond traditional startup categories, resilience may be the next frontier.