In May 2025, a workshop on Border Defense and the establishment of a "defense living lab" was held in Finland. This workshop brought together 50+ international small businesses and members of academia: GTRI, Finnish defense, local government officials, other private companies and investors to focus on developing a blueprint for operationalizing technology experimentation. Examples include: Drone Operations: water (UUV) and air space (UAV); Sensor Technologies: Remote, radar acoustic, electro-optical, and magnetic. Also Real-time Situational Awareness, which includes 5G/6G telecommunications in the Modern Battlefield. Small businesses have opportunity to bring partnership as well as some of the most innovative and adaptable solutions to the challenges poised by these emerging technologies.
This Border Security panel will discuss emerging technologies and opportunities for small businesses emphasizing the cybersecurity challenges in telecommunications, drones, and sensors on the battlefield. The panel will compare similar issues in the United States, Finland, Australia, and of course Ukraine. Finally, there will be an opportunity for teaming, collaboration and sharing of contact information to solve these business cases.