As Head of Defence at Business Tampere, Colonel (ret.) Mika Kulkas brings a mindset familiar from his military career to building Cold Will: see the big picture first, put the right resources in the right places and stay focused on concrete outcomes. He believes Finnish defence and security technology now has an exceptional opportunity.
Finland’s NATO membership, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and Europe’s rapidly increasing investment in defence have fundamentally changed the operating environment. According to Mika Kulkas, Finland has a great deal to offer in this new landscape.
– Finland is known as a country with the skills, the will and the capability to maintain a strong defence readiness. Our high-tech expertise, strong culture of preparedness and demanding northern conditions create a combination that is closely watched internationally.
At the same time, this presents a significant economic opportunity.
– Finland has traditionally developed defence industry capabilities primarily for its own needs. Now international demand is growing rapidly, opening up entirely new opportunities for Finnish companies.
From the drawing board to the field — and back again
Kulkas sees Cold Will first and foremost as an international network connecting research, companies, test environments and the operational world.
– The key is a continuous development cycle: turning inventions into business, testing technology in real-world conditions and feeding lessons from use back into further development.
Technology tested in the North has to cope with much more than cold temperatures and snow. Darkness, poor visibility, low cloud cover, icing, long distances and disrupted conditions all challenge both individual devices and complete systems.
– If a solution works here, it has a strong chance of working elsewhere as well. Finland’s strength comes from the combination of demanding conditions and technological expertise.
According to Kulkas, Ukraine brings another, unfortunately highly relevant, perspective to the equation.
– In an environment of total war, technologies and the countermeasures developed against them evolve rapidly. This requires rapid adaptation: not only technologies, but also tactics and operating models must evolve as battlefield conditions change. The development of drones and electronic warfare demonstrates how quickly this cycle can move.
A good solution works in practice
Kulkas stresses that technological sophistication alone does not make a good defence innovation.
– A solution needs to be simple enough, quick to scale, easy to use and train for, and capable of operating in demanding conditions. It also needs to be open to further development.
Technologies that can be applied in both defence and civilian environments are particularly interesting. Many products developed by Finnish companies were never originally designed for defence applications, even though they may have significant potential in the sector. Kulkas also emphasises the importance of self-sufficiency and security of supply.
– The more critical technologies and their value chains we can manage in Finland and together with trusted partners, the stronger the overall capability becomes.
The right piece in the right place
Kulkas brings from his military career a strong ability to see how individual elements fit into a larger whole.
– A single technology, company or research project is always part of a larger system. The key is to understand its role and identify where it can create the most value.
The aim is to build a strong national network, identify expertise in companies, educational and research institutions and across different regions of Finland, and open up international channels, partnerships and growth opportunities for Finnish actors.
But the ambition goes beyond helping Finnish companies grow internationally. Cold Will is being built as a two-way gateway: accelerating Finnish technologies towards field-tested capability, procurement and global markets, while helping international defence and dual-use companies establish partnerships, R&D activities and production in Finland.
At its best, this creates growth in both directions: Finnish companies gain access to new markets and partnerships, while international investment, expertise and industrial activity find their way to Finland.
– We want to build a network where the right actors and solutions can be connected quickly. When someone reaches out to Cold Will, we need to be able to find a way forward.
Kulkas has a clear message for companies, research organisations and educational institutions: Cold Will is for those with expertise, ambition, agility and a willingness to collaborate actively.
– Cold Will is built for those who want to take technology from idea to real-world use — and from Finland to the world.