“Tough Tech By The Tough Ten” is a first-of-its-kind overview of mission‑critical innovation ecosystems across defense, dual‑use, cyber, and space industry verticals in the countries situated in proximity to Russia, or 9+1 countries, and 9+1 technology innovation areas.

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The report aims to map investment activity, funding availability, ecosystem stakeholders, startups to watch, and key policy developments in a standardised, non‑sensitive format, emphasising cross-country cooperation, collaboration, and the sense of urgency.

The countries covered in this report include the so-called Bucharest Nine (B9) - Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, - with the addition of the 10th tough sovereign player - Finland, which joined NATO in April 2023.

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The startups covered in this report operate in NATO’s 9 innovation priority technology areas, with the addition of cybersecurity of critical infrastructure:

 

• Artificial intelligence (AI)

• Autonomous systems

• Quantum technologies

• Biotechnology and human enhancement technologies

• Space

• Hypersonic systems

• Novel materials and manufacturing

• Energy and propulsion

• Next-generation communications networks

• Cybersecurity of critical infrastructure (excluded from summary charts)