VDS, the international tech event organized by Startup Valencia, introduces VDS Defense, a European platform jointly driven by Spain and Finland to accelerate the development, validation and adoption of critical technologies for defense and security.
The initiative will connect military operators, startups, major industrial companies, specialized investors and public institutions to bridge the gap between needs identified in the field and solutions developed by the technology and industrial ecosystem.
VDS Defense will operate throughout the year and hold its first major activation on October 21-22 as part of the ninth edition of VDS at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. The program will focus on facilitating technology validation, investment, industrial collaboration and the identification of future procurement opportunities.
The Generalitat Valenciana will participate as VDS Defense Host Partner, connecting the initiative with the industrial, technological and institutional landscape of the Valencian Community. Its representatives will include Marian Cano, Regional Minister for Industry, Tourism, Innovation and Trade.
From innovation to operational capability
Europe is undergoing a profound transformation of its security and defense strategy. Rising investment, the need to strengthen its strategic autonomy and the growing importance of dual-use technologies have placed technological innovation at the heart of the European agenda.
However, having research, talent and technological capabilities does not guarantee that solutions will ultimately be deployed in the field. The late involvement of operators, slow procurement processes, a lack of sector-specific financing and the disconnect between operational needs and technology development continue to hinder the adoption of new capabilities.
VDS Defense has been created specifically to address this gap. The platform will connect operational expertise, technology, industrial capacity, specialized capital and institutions so that the most promising solutions can be tested, adapted and moved towards deployment more quickly.
“Europe has technology and talent, but it still takes too long to turn them into operational capabilities. VDS Defense aims to shorten that distance by bringing together those who understand the needs in the field with those who can develop, finance, industrialize and procure solutions. Valencia can become the place where those connections begin to translate into real projects,” says Nacho Mas, CEO of Startup Valencia and VDS.
A European network connected with strategic allies
VDS Defense will bring together representatives from all 27 European Union Member States and 14 strategic allies: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Türkiye, Iceland, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Switzerland.
This international network will enable participants to share operational knowledge, identify common needs and strengthen strategic supply chains, while helping technologies developed in Europe to be validated and scaled across different markets.
The platform will be aimed at armed forces and security professionals, defense and dual-use technology startups, major industrial companies, specialized funds, European institutions and public officials involved in strategy, innovation and procurement.
Confirmed participants include Teemu Seppälä, Director of Technology and Innovation at DEFINE Finland; Joel Noutere, of the NATO Innovation Fund; Vladyslav Chernetskiy, of the Digitalization Department at Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence; Timo Salonen, Technology Policy and Cybersecurity Adviser at Finland’s Permanent Representation to NATO and the European Union; and representatives from NATO DIANA.
The business and investment community will also include Nicholas Nelson and Jaan Kokk of Archangel; Marc Essig of EOS; and Heikki Aura of Sitra Fund.
Critical technologies for European security
VDS Defense will focus on technologies with a growing impact on Europe’s defense capabilities and technological autonomy.
These include drones and autonomous systems; artificial intelligence; electronic warfare; cyber defense; tactical communications; military logistics and mobility; deployable energy systems; space technologies, and the protection of critical minerals, infrastructure and supply chains.
Many of these technologies have both civilian and military applications. Their dual-use nature creates opportunities for startups and companies operating in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, energy, mobility, telecommunications, space and cybersecurity.
The initiative will also address the security, regulatory compliance, data protection, oversight and responsible-use requirements that must accompany the introduction of new technologies into operational environments.
A program designed to accelerate adoption
VDS Defense will go beyond a conventional series of conferences. Its program will combine strategic content with formats designed to facilitate collaboration, test technologies against real operational needs and accelerate their validation and adoption.
Command Briefs will provide insight into security priorities and emerging operational needs through defense leaders, public officials and institutional representatives.
Tactical Dialogues will bring together operators, entrepreneurs, investors and major companies to connect field experience with technology development and market opportunities.
Deployment Labs and Operator Feedback Sessions will enable teams to receive direct assessments of the readiness, usefulness and applicability of their solutions in demanding environments.
The platform will also feature a Deployathon, a hackathon designed to identify and evaluate technologies ready to move towards rapid adoption, alongside dedicated spaces focused on industrial scaling, investment, regulation and future procurement opportunities.
The goal is to involve operators from the earliest stages of development, help startups better understand sector requirements and enable industry, investors and institutions to identify projects with genuine potential to progress towards validation and operational adoption.
The program will also draw on the experience of military professionals, security specialists and veterans from different countries, reinforcing one of the core principles of VDS Defense: involving from the outset those with direct knowledge of conditions and needs in the field.
Valencia as a connection point for European defense innovation
With the launch of VDS Defense, VDS expands its role as an international platform connecting technology, investment, industry and institutions, while creating a new space from Valencia to address one of Europe’s key strategic challenges: reducing the time between the development of a technology and its transformation into a real operational capability.
The initiative aims to turn these connections into concrete collaboration: technologies that can be validated, startups that gain access to operators and industry, specialized capital that identifies new opportunities, and institutions capable of bringing innovation and strategic needs closer together.
