Atostek targets defense industry markets – “There is strong demand for civilian technologies in the defense industry”
Dual-use technologies are being seen as a potential boost for Finland’s technology industry. The term refers to technologies that can be utilized for both civilian and military purposes. Atostek is also setting its sights on the defense industry markets.
According to Atostek’s Managing Director Tuomas Fjällström, seeking a foothold in the defense industry is a natural progression for the company.
“Even before we had the chance to create strategic slides, players in the defense industry were already reaching out to us. The momentum is moving in that direction. There is clearly a window of opportunity right now where specific types of civilian technologies are in strong demand and generating interest in the defense sector,” Fjällström explains.
Atostek’s dual-use technology is called Flexbot. It is a software platform designed to make programming intelligent machines cost-efficient and agile.
“Flexbot enables a cost-effective and secure way to develop the algorithms and swarm intelligence required by modern autonomous devices. Defense industry applications programmed with Flexbot could include, for instance, autonomous drones and robotic boats,” says Flexbot Product Owner Antti Sauvamäki.
In the civilian sector, the software platform has its roots in port logistics and container handling automation, areas where Atostek has developed software solutions for companies such as Kalmar. Mitsubishi Logisnext Europe also utilizes Atostek’s expertise in controlling intelligent fleets of machines.
“One significant strength of business based on dual-use technologies is that, because the industries are so different, competitive dynamics typically don’t pose an issue. On the contrary, substantial leaps in product development can be achieved by leveraging existing solutions,” Fjällström points out.
Earlier this spring, Atostek participated in the Sea-Air-Space defense industry event held in the United States as part of the Business Finland community. Atostek has a subsidiary in the United States and has been active in the U.S. civilian markets since 2024.
“We gained valuable insights from the Sea-Air-Space event about the defense industry market in the United States, as well as a good understanding of the products and needs of various players. This information helps us fine-tune our dual-use technology, originally developed for civilian purposes, to better meet the needs of the defense industry as well,” Sauvamäki states.