IAS Business Academy

Expected results

Tailored 12-month growth programme for Estonian, Finnish and Swedish companies of innovative aerial services (IAS). By IAS, we mean unmanned aerial services and systems in the wider sense, including companies offering services using UAS systems (e.g., forest monitoring using drones) and companies offering services or components for UAS companies.

As a result, the participating companies will demonstrate measurable growth in turnover, exports, and investment readiness, contributing directly to the Central Baltic Programme’s objective of fostering more new scaled-up growth companies.

IAS Business Academy

Academy programme (January – December 2027) consisting of:

• implementation of cross-border demo projects in cooperation with end-users;
• 1:1 business development and IAS expert support from international experts;
• study and trade missions in Sweden, Finland and Estonia;
• participation in IAS industry events and fairs in Europe;
• online thematic workshops;
• networking between Finnish, Swedish and Estonian IAS companies and stakeholders.

The programme will support the growth of each participating company with up to 15 000 EUR.

Each batch will include approximately 25 companies.

Who can apply?

IAS companies, which:

• Are registered in area of the Central Baltic Programme
• Are preferably founded in 2019 or later, in exceptional cases in 2016 or later*
• Operate in the IAS sector
• Focus on civil or dual-use solutions
• Are in the start-up or scale-up phase
• Have market-ready solutions
• Aim to expand to international markets
• Are ready to commit themselves to the 12-month programme
• Are ready to cover up to 20% of their direct costs (1:1 expert support, implementation of demo projects, participation at international events and study trips).

*10% of the Academy participants can be older than 7 years. 

Call timeline

Deadline for applications: 19 November 2026

Interviews with potential candidates: 30 Nov – 9 December 2026

Announcing successful candidates: 15 December 2026

Start of the Academy (Batch 2): January 2027

Calendar of the Academy in 2027

The participating companies can use their support funding for the following:

• Participation in the study trips in Finland (February), Estonia (March), and Sweden (October).

• Participation at fairs and IAS industry events. For example, Amsterdam Drone Week (March), UAS Forum Sweden (May), International Drone Show (Denmark, June), etc.

• Arrangement of cross-border demo projects in Estonia, Finland, Sweden or elsewhere: throughout the year. 
• Receiving 1:1 expert support: throughout the year.

In addition, the Academy will offer monthly online workshops on acute IAS business development topics.

Contacts:

Markku Niemi, Business Tampere
+358 50 5117341, markku.niemi@businesstampere.com
Dag Forsén, Norrköping Science Park
 +46 70 143 62 64, dag.forsen@nosp.se,
Peeter Unt, Tartu Science Park
+3725107807, peeter.unt@teaduspark.ee

Apply to the IAS Business Academy