Finnish company Patria, Ukrainian venture capital firm Double Tap Investments, and Ukraine-based IRON Cluster have signed an agreement to cooperate on defense technology development and testing.
The deal was signed during the Drone Autonomy conference in Lviv, western Ukraine, and sets up a framework for information sharing, joint testing, and future joint projects.
It connects Patria’s industrial and research activities with Ukraine’s defense technology ecosystem, where systems are being developed and tested under operational conditions.
IRON brings together more than 200 Ukrainian companies and startups working on robotics, electronics, communications, and unmanned systems, while Double Tap Investments focuses on funding and supporting defense-tech startups.
“This collaboration reflects the long-standing commitment to drive innovation and strengthen the defense capabilities of Ukraine and Finland,” said Kari Renko, Patria’s Executive VP of Strategic Programs.
“Both the Finnish government and the European Union have encouraged increased industrial cooperation with Ukraine’s defense sector.”
eALLIANCE Program
The collaboration is tied to eALLIANCE, a Finnish research and development program led by Patria and supported in part by Business Finland.
It brings together more than 50 companies, research institutions, and universities to integrate technologies from civilian and defense sectors and support access to international markets.
This structure enables direct engagement with companies within the IRON Cluster network and the Double Tap Investments portfolio, linking Finnish industrial capabilities with Ukrainian innovation and field-driven requirements.
Defense Ties
Finland has expanded defense cooperation with Ukraine through both equipment deliveries and industrial initiatives.
This includes the supply of Patria 6×6 armored personnel carriers, alongside broader efforts to link Finnish manufacturers with Ukrainian operational needs.
In December, Finnish company Summa Defence delivered an initial batch of Zeus first-person view drones to Ukraine.
Industrial production of the system was established in 2025 through cooperation with a Ukrainian partner, with the aim of scaling a platform already tested in operational conditions.
Earlier in 2025, Helsinki proposed a 660-million-euro (about $691 million) military support program for Kyiv, structured to source equipment from Finnish defense companies.
