VentureOne Expands into Europe with Finnish Autonomy Tech Partnership

Editorial Team

Last updated 7-01-2026

3 min

VentureOne partners with Finnish firms Unikie and Solita to enhance Finland’s critical infrastructure.

The collaboration includes high-security systems like Saluki, and GNSS-Less navigation for unstable environments.

Unikie and Solita will incorporate these technologies into existing autonomous mobility and infrastructure projects.

This partnership aligns with broader UAE-Finland R&D cooperation aimed at boosting innovation.

The initiative could pave the way for more international collaborations involving UAE-developed technologies.

VentureOne has taken a confident step into Europe, teaming up with Finnish firms Unikie and Solita to explore how secure UAE-built autonomy technologies can be woven into critical infrastructure across Finland and the wider northern region. The agreements were signed during a recent state visit from Finland to the UAE, and from what’s been shared publicly, the collaboration could touch everything from public safety systems to next‑generation mobility networks.

Both partners will be incorporating several of VentureOne’s systems into their portfolios. That includes Saluki, a high‑security flight control and mission computing platform, along with a mesh‑networking setup designed to keep communications stable even when conditions get tricky. There’s also interest in the GNSS‑Less navigation tech—essentially a way for drones or vehicles to find their way without relying on GPS. I reckon that’s spot on for environments where signals can be patchy or outright jammed, which, as many startups across MENA often tell us at Arageek, is a bit of a faff to work around.

Chris Walton, Senior Director at VentureOne, highlighted how the organisation aims to put UAE-developed deep tech into real‑world use internationally. He described Unikie and Solita as “ideal European deployment partners” thanks to their experience with smart systems and autonomy projects. And believe it or not, both companies are already knee‑deep in autonomous mobility and infrastructure innovation across the region.

Unikie’s CEO, Juha Ala-Laurila, noted the company’s strong background in intelligent autonomous systems for vehicles and drones. He pointed out that by tapping into VentureOne’s secure technologies, they’ll be better positioned to support safer operations across Europe. On the flip side, Solita’s CEO, Ossi Lindroos, framed the partnership as part of a broader mission to strengthen Europe’s critical infrastructure. He emphasised how the blend of data expertise, AI capability, and secure software can help build more resilient societies.

These agreements follow a wider partnership between ATRC—VentureOne’s parent ecosystem—and Business Finland, aimed at boosting joint R&D and accelerating innovation between the two countries. It feels like one of those moments when two ecosystems realise they’re oddly complementary, and suddenly the pieces fall into place.

From my own time speaking with founders in the region, I’ve seen how hard it can be for deep‑tech teams to break into European markets, so seeing UAE‑born systems being adopted at this level is, well… encouraging. I’m not a fan of overhyping things, but if the rollout goes smoothly, it could open the door for more cross‑border collaboration in areas that really matter.

Unikie and Solita both have sizable operations across Europe, with teams specialising in embedded software, AI, data analytics, and cloud systems. That gives them the scale to actually deploy what VentureOne has been building, rather than leaving the tech on the shelf. And that’s often the real test—turning promising research into something that works on the ground, in the cold Finnish winters no less.

All in all, it’s the kind of partnership that shows how quickly the region’s tech ambitions are maturing. And for startups watching from the sidelines, chuffed to bits or not, it’s a reminder that global markets aren’t as far away as they once seemed—even if breaking in is still definately not simple.

🚀 Got exciting news to share?

If you're a startup founder, VC, or PR agency with big updates—funding rounds, product launches 📢, or company milestones 🎉 — AraGeek English wants to hear from you!