The Nordic region has world-class space capabilities, but each country works alone, which weakens the region’s position in the global space economy. The Space Nordic project brings the Nordic countries together so the region can compete more effectively in the global space market.
A shared future for Nordic space
Today sees the launch of Space Nordic, a new initiative to unify the Nordic space sector and enhance its global competitiveness. Funded by Nordic Innovation and led by Space Denmark, Space Nordic brings together leading organisations from across the region to address fragmentation and unlock the full potential of Nordic space capabilities.
Over the next three years, Space Nordic will work to position the Nordics as a global leader in space research and technology, boosting collaboration within the region and enhancing awareness of the region in the rest of the world.
The project partners are Space Denmark and University of Southern Denmark (Denmark), Tampere University (Finland), Uppsala Innovation Centre and Innovatum Science Park (Sweden), and Norwegian Space Cluster (Norway).
Why this matters now
The global space sector is growing rapidly, and European resilience is a priority. The Nordic countries risk falling behind if they continue to operate in silos. Together, the region boasts top engineering universities, satellite capabilities, research facilities, and shared challenges related to climate change and Arctic security. By uniting these strengths, Space Nordic creates a compelling narrative of the Nordics as a global leader in space research and critical areas like climate monitoring, secure communications, and satellite technology.
“The Nordic region is already well-positioned to be a central space hub in Europe. We have the companies, universities, and collaborative and agile mindset needed to leverage the rapid growth in the space sector globally, but it requires us to coordinate and work together,” said Søren Gram Riisgaard, CEO of Space Denmark.
“Space is not only about presence and power. It is also about building competitiveness and resilience,” said Sindre Bornstein, Managing Director of Nordic Innovation. “Achieving this requires us to use our resources as effectively as possible. The Nordic countries are individually too small to build competitive space ecosystems on their own, but by combining our industries, resources, strengths and expertise, we can make a difference. Space Nordic brings together the best of the Nordic countries into one unified force, working to position the region as a world leader in space technology.”
What we will deliver
As part of this new project, Space Nordic will coordinate Nordic delegations to major global space events, replacing fragmented national presences with a unified “Nordic Pavilion” narrative. The partners will create a living catalogue of research, validation, and testing facilities in the region, develop a standardised framework for disseminating research, and facilitate brokerage between Nordic space actors and large international buyers.
Learn more about the project on the Nordic Innovation project page.
Get involved with Space Nordic
Organisations across the Nordic space ecosystem are invited to join us in shaping the future of the region’s space sector. Visit the Space Nordic website to sign up for the newsletter and learn about ways to get involved.
Get in touch
Søren Gram Riisgaard
CEO, Space Denmark
+45 60 54 48 81
sgr@spacedenmark.dk
Joonas Leppänen
Senior Innovation Adviser, Nordic Innovation
+47 476 83 623
joonas.leppanen@nordicinnovation.org