The Nordic space ecosystem combines world-class infrastructure and research with significant untapped
potential. Sweden and Norway host two of the world’s largest ground-station networks (SSC and KSAT),
anchored in polar regions and complemented by advanced aerospace firms. Denmark and Finland are
driven by research excellence and university spin‑offs, with DTU’s long-standing role in building instruments for NASA and European Space Agency (ESA), and Finland’s strengths in small satellites around Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT).
At the same time, the ecosystem remains fragmented. Space activities have largely been organised along
national lines, with funding tied to national agencies and ESA’s geo‑return, which has prioritised national
capacity over cross‑Nordic commercial collaboration. Incentives for Nordic‑level partnerships are limited,
and there is no complete overview of commercial activities, particularly outside the ESA framework.
There is a clear need to map the national space ecosystems, identify existing and emerging strongholds,
and pinpoint avenues for Nordic‑level cooperation.
A key question is how Nordic Innovation can most effectively support and enhance collaboration and synergies across the Nordic space technology ecosystem.
Project partners
The project partners are:
Danish Technological Institute (DTI) - project owner: a leading research and technology organisation from Denmark
Research Institute of Sweden (RISE): is Sweden’s research institute and innovation partner
Aalto University: has played a pivotal national role in strengthening Finland’s innovation capacity and
space ecosystem.
Background
Nordic Space Technology Ecosystem is supported under the program 'Nordic Forward: Resilience and competiveness for 2050 and as a part of the 'Mapping of the Nordic Space Ecosystem' tender.
Read more about Nordic Forward: Resilience and competitiveness for 2050
