Cold Weather, Real Lessons: Anssi Aikio on Arctic Testing and Defence Innovation in Finland

Too Small to Be a Target? Steve Mason and Dave Collins on Cyber Risk, Defence SMEs and Why Waiting Costs More

In this episode of DefTechPod, Erica Dill-Russell speaks with Steve Mason, founder and CEO of Nova Blue Technologies and former technical director at GCHQ, and Dave Collins OBE, senior director for cybersecurity at Nova Blue and former Royal Air Force officer. The conversation looks at what cybersecurity really means for companies working in and around UK and NATO defence. Steve and Dave explain why small and medium-sized companies are not too small to be targeted, how adversaries use supply chains and digital infrastructure as attack surfaces, and why cyber risk is now a business and operational issue, not just a technical one. They also discuss Cyber Essentials, the MOD cybersecurity model, the Defence Cyber Certification framework, and the gap between basic cyber hygiene and what defence customers may expect. For SMEs, the message is practical: start early, build cyber into your business roadmap, understand your cloud security settings, use multi-factor authentication, and treat cyber readiness as part of being credible in the defence market. This episode is for founders, SMEs, dual-use companies, defence suppliers and anyone trying to understand what cyber readiness means before it becomes a blocker to growth, contracts or survival.

Ukraine’s Defence Tech Ecosystem: Denys Demko on Brave1, Battlefield Iteration and Allied Innovation

In this episode of DefTechPod, Erica speaks with Denys Demko, Economic Secretary at the Embassy of Ukraine in the United Kingdom, about Ukraine’s defence technology ecosystem and what allied companies, investors and partners can learn from it. Denys explains how Ukraine’s defence sector has grown under wartime pressure, with thousands of companies now operating across drones, UGVs, electronic warfare, air defence, AI and battlefield data. The conversation looks at why Ukraine’s innovation cycle can move in weeks rather than years, how developers work directly with military users, and why operational feedback has become central to capability development. The episode also covers Brave1, Ukraine’s defence innovation platform, and how international companies can engage with testing, partnerships and investment routes. Denys discusses the importance of working with Ukrainian industry rather than simply trying to sell into Ukraine, the role of local presence and collaboration, and why investors should pay closer attention to battlefield-tested Ukrainian defence technologies. For companies, investors and ecosystem organisations trying to understand Ukraine beyond the headlines, this is a practical conversation about urgency, adaptation, procurement, partnership and the realities of building technology in wartime.

Cold Weather, Real Lessons: Anssi Aikio on Arctic Testing and Defence Innovation in Finland

In this episode of DefTechPod, Erica Dill-Russell speaks with Anssi Aikio of XD Solutions about Finnish defence innovation, Arctic testing, and why cold-weather experimentation matters far more than many companies realise. The conversation explores how XD Solutions works with the Finnish Defence Forces and the wider Finnish defence ecosystem to connect emerging technology with real operational needs. Anssi explains where Finland is making progress, where the system is still fragmented, and how companies can begin to engage, whether through ecosystems, innovation networks, or practical testing opportunities. A major focus of the episode is Griffin Tech Days, the large-scale Arctic event run on behalf of the Finnish Defence Forces and Finnish Special Operations Forces. Erica and Anssi discuss what companies actually learn when they test in extreme cold, from battery failure and de-icing issues to glove compatibility, brittle components, and the simple reality that laboratory testing is not the same as three days above the Arctic Circle. They also get into a point that more founders need to hear: failure in a demanding test environment is not always a negative outcome. Often it is the fastest way to understand what needs fixing before a technology reaches operators in the field. The episode looks at how companies should prepare for these events, why the right technical people need to be in the room long before demo day, and how much better performance tends to be when firms treat preparation seriously. The conversation closes with a look at the technologies currently catching attention in Finland, including battery innovation, Arctic mobility, sensor integration, GNSS-denied navigation, and practical solutions for harsh operational environments. It also highlights what is coming next through XD Solutions, SOF Week, and future Nordic testing opportunities.

From Hype to Capability: Nico Nelson on Defence-First Investing in Europe

In this episode of DefTechPod, Erica Dill-Russell speaks with Nico Nelson, founding general partner of Archangel Ventures, about what it really takes to build, back, and scale defence technology in Europe. Drawing on two decades across defence, intelligence, national security, corporate strategy, and investing, Nico brings a sharp view of where founders, investors, and institutions still get things wrong. The conversation tackles one of the biggest questions in defence tech right now: whether companies can genuinely succeed as dual-use businesses in the early stages. Nico explains why Archangel backs defence-first and defence-only companies, why trying to serve both commercial and defence markets too early often weakens focus, and why Europe still struggles with the underlying definitions and funding structures around defence. Erica and Nico also get into the practical reality of scaling across Europe. They discuss why defence markets cannot be treated as interchangeable, why country-to-country differences matter more than many founders expect, and how factors such as landed requirements, interoperability relationships, domestic capability priorities, and regional trust all shape whether a market is genuinely attractive. They then turn to venture capital itself: what defence-focused investors should actually be doing beyond writing cheques, how hype can distort the market, and why marketing that outruns real capability is dangerous not just for investors, but for governments and end users as well. Nico sets out Archangel’s view that capital must be paired with operational judgement, technical roadmapping, investor readiness, and access to credible defence pathways if early-stage companies are going to survive the journey from promise to adoption. The episode closes with a wider look at the future of European defence tech: which technologies are overhyped, where Nico sees real capability gaps, why open architectures and collaboration matter more than ever, and what a healthier long-term ecosystem could look like if Europe builds a stronger chain from angel capital through to growth and liquidity.

Sovereignty, Security, and Defence Software: Luca Leone on Kahootz and Building for the Real World

In this episode, Erica Dill-Russell speaks with Luca Leone, CEO of Kahootz, about secure collaboration in defence, what sovereignty actually means in practice, and why these questions matter far more than many early-stage companies realise. Luca brings a rare mix of experience across engineering, defence business development, innovation support, and software leadership, and the conversation gets into the less glamorous but very real layers that sit underneath effective defence work. They discuss how Kahootz grew from a healthcare-focused collaboration platform into a long-standing defence supplier, and why secure information-sharing is not a side issue but part of the architecture that allows defence, government, and industry to work together properly. The episode looks at sovereignty beyond the usual buzzwords, including not just where data sits, but who controls the platform, who supports it, where it is developed, and how far down the supply chain those questions need to be asked. The conversation also covers cyber risk, supply-chain vulnerability, and the practical tension between security and usability. Luca explains why organisations cannot just lock everything down and hope for the best, why people remain one of the biggest risks, and why resilience matters just as much as prevention. There is also a very useful discussion about the reality of secure-by-design approaches, the burden this places on smaller firms, and the trade-offs companies have to make when they cannot afford to build an entirely sovereign stack. The second half of the episode turns to Luca’s role with Constellation Software and the world of defence software M&A. They discuss what makes a software company attractive from an acquisition perspective, what investors and acquirers want to hear, and why understanding the customer properly is still one of the clearest signals of a serious company. For founders building in defence software, this is a very grounded conversation about growth, relevance, and long-term value. If you work in defence software, secure collaboration, cyber, government technology, or are trying to understand how sovereignty, resilience, and customer understanding fit together, this episode is well worth a listen.