AGP Executive Report

Circular Economy Skills: A new Erasmus+ project, Become, is training educators and company practitioners across Finland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Bulgaria to close circular-economy know-how gaps, as EU recycled-material use still lags targets. Ukraine War Supply Chain: Ukrainian FP-1 drones hit Russia’s Wildberries logistics hub in Tambov and a major oil refinery, marking another blow to storage and energy operations. Open-Source Infrastructure: Linux turns 35, underscoring how the Helsinki-born kernel powers global internet and critical systems. Energy Storage Deal: Alpiq buys the 103.5MW/238MWh Bollingstedt battery from ECO STOR, adding Germany’s first operating large-scale BESS to its flexibility portfolio. AI Compute Expansion: AMI orders 9,000 Nvidia Vera Rubin chips for a planned compute-as-a-service buildout, with Finland slated for later rollout. Finnish Nuclear Readiness: An IAEA EPREV peer review mission is assessing Finland’s radiation emergency preparedness nationwide. EV Charging Utilisation: Kempower finds more charging plugs drive higher site use than simply adding power. Streaming Costs: Finland’s hybrid, ad-supported streaming share rises as households seek cheaper options. Defence Procurement Politics: France pushes EU rules to limit Ukraine’s non-EU defence purchases under the support loan.

Hybrid Security: Finland’s PM Petteri Orpo warned Russia is escalating hybrid attacks across Europe, probing critical infrastructure and defence-linked sites to intimidate Ukraine supporters. Defence & Drones: Finland’s Defence Forces signed a €14m contract for FPV combat drones from Insta Group, with systems manufactured in Finland and training rolled out to brigade-level units. Ukraine War Economy: Ukraine hit Russia’s Afipsky oil refinery in Krasnodar with drones, killing two and injuring others, while Russia says it shot down 148 drones overnight. EU Procurement Rules: France is pushing to tighten how long Ukraine can use non-EU sourcing under the EU’s €90bn Ukraine Support Loan, where exemptions are capped unless no suitable EU alternative exists. EV Charging Use-Case: Kempower says public charging sites get better utilization when they add more plugs, not just more power—an operational lesson for Finland’s charging rollouts. AI Infrastructure: AM Intelligence ordered 9,000 NVIDIA Vera Rubin GPUs for a Hyderabad AI factory, with planned compute capacity also targeting Finland. Metals for Clean Tech: Aalto’s Mari Lundström won the Faraday Medal for electrochemical methods to recover critical metals with lower environmental cost.

Aviation & Trade: Qatar Airways Cargo launched its first scheduled freighter service from Helsinki to Doha (via Budapest) from 2 September, adding 100 tonnes weekly export capacity and lifting Helsinki’s total weekly cargo capacity to over 170 tonnes. EU Enlargement: Commissioner Marta Kos previewed a revamped EU enlargement process dubbed a new “Helsinki Moment,” with gradual integration, tougher candidate vetting and a revived pre-enlargement review ahead of October talks. Construction & Energy Infrastructure: Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre completed the first phase of its €20m Solar extension, with the new southern entrance and event space ready for SSIEM 2026 and Habitare, while full completion is set for autumn 2027. Space & Defence Tech (Finland): ICEYE formally established ICEYE India in New Delhi, aiming to serve Indian defence and intelligence customers and build local satellite manufacturing capability. AI Compute (Finland-linked): AM Intelligence ordered 9,000 Nvidia Vera Rubin systems for a Hyderabad AI factory, part of a wider compute-as-a-service plan spanning India, the US, Finland and Malaysia. Defence Industry (Finland): Finnish drone and ground-robot production deals for Ukraine moved forward as General Cherry and Tencore signed agreements with Finnish partners to scale output in Finland. Metals & Decarbonisation: Outokumpu inaugurated a biocoke agglomeration plant in Tornio to replace fossil coke in ferrochrome production, targeting up to 82,000 tonnes of annual CO2 cuts. Maritime Industry: Canada awarded Quebec’s biggest shipbuilding contract—C$11.3bn—for six Arctic Coast Guard icebreakers, with Finnish icebreaker expertise tied to Davie’s group. Environment & Compliance: The EU proposed 2027 Baltic fishing quotas, including higher TACs for herring and sprat and sharp by-catch reductions for cod and western Baltic herring. Research & Sustainability: Finnish researchers reported a mushroom “leather” prototype made from mycelium that biodegrades far faster than cow leather and vinyl textiles.

Defense & Drones: Finland’s President Alexander Stubb says an agreement on drone cooperation with Ukraine is imminent, with Finland planning to send 90% of its drone production to Ukraine (10% staying in Finland), while Patria and Ukrainian General Cherry move toward joint drone development and production in Finland. Ukraine Support: At Kyiv’s Coalition of the Willing summit on Ukraine’s Independence Day, leaders pushed for more air defense, winter energy support, and funding to scale long-range strike and drone output; Zelenskyy stressed Ukraine’s bottleneck is financing, not industrial capacity. Sanctions Push: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called for tougher Russia sanctions in autumn 2026, targeting the “shadow fleet” to cut war funding. Industry Decarbonisation: Outokumpu inaugurated a Tornio biocoke agglomeration plant to replace fossil coke in ferrochrome production, aiming to cut direct CO2 emissions by up to 82,000 tonnes annually. Finland Finance: Revolut applied for a licensed banking branch in Finland as it shifts from cross-border accounts toward local banking services. Energy & Industry Tech: Metso will rebrand Flowrox pump tech after acquiring Valmet’s hose and progressive cavity pumps business, with production moving to Metso facilities in Lappeenranta. Shipping & Logistics: Port of Hamburg reported 56.1m tonnes in H1 2026 (down 3.1% y/y) as container volumes softened but some routes, including Finland, grew.

Defense & Drones (Finland-Ukraine): Finland and Ukraine have signed documents to jointly produce drones in Finland, with Zelensky saying the deal will also expand maritime drone capabilities and set up ground-robot production. Industrial Delivery Scale: Finnish President Alexander Stubb says Finland will send 90% of jointly produced drones to Ukraine, keeping 10% in Finland, framing it as a way to speed battlefield supply while strengthening European production capacity. Ground Robotics JV: Tencore and Finnish Insta will form a joint venture to manufacture TERMIT 2.0 unmanned ground vehicles for Ukraine, targeting 320 systems for the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Air Defense & Winter Aid: Stubb says Finland is preparing a new air-defense package and energy support for Ukraine ahead of winter, bringing seven Finnish defense firms to Kyiv for closer cooperation. Regional Support: Norway pledged about $9bn for Ukraine in 2027 and signed drone-cooperation and broader strategic partnership agreements with Kyiv. Industrial Pumps (Metso-Valmet): Metso agreed to acquire Valmet’s slurry-handling pump technologies (including Flowrox-branded hose and progressive cavity pumps), with production moving to Metso facilities in Lappeenranta and closing expected Oct 1, 2026. Russia’s Pushback: Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Finland of complicity in international terrorism over the drone-production cooperation.

Drone Deal for Ukraine & Europe: Zelensky and Finnish President Alexander Stubb announced agreements to develop and manufacture drones in Finland, expand maritime unmanned systems, and set up ground-robot production—backed by Finnish defence firms including Patria and partners tied to Ukrainian tech. Patria-General Cherry push: Patria signed a letter of intent with Ukrainian General Cherry to localize unmanned technologies in Finland and build drone and ground-systems capacity, with Zelensky attending the signing. NB8 winter and port protection: Nordic-Baltic leaders in Kyiv pledged continuous support for Ukraine, including winter preparations and protection and repair of critical energy and port infrastructure. Air-defense focus: Denmark’s PM Mette Frederiksen said support will include stronger air defence, linking protection of Ukrainian cities to Helsinki, Riga and Copenhagen. Cyber risk to energy: Reports say Iran-linked hackers shut down a UK power plant for four days, highlighting how state-linked groups can disrupt critical infrastructure—at the same time as attacks hit US water systems. Clean hydrogen to transport: Finland’s P2X Solutions signed a long-term clean hydrogen offtake for synthetic methane from Harjavalta to Germany’s heavy-duty transport network REEFUEL starting Q4 2026. Finnish homelessness spotlight: A Helsinki story highlights how Finland’s housing efforts can help people rebuild lives, while also pointing to ongoing gaps.

Nordic-Baltic Air Defence Push: Denmark, Finland and other NB-8 leaders met Zelensky in Kyiv to lock in a coordinated air defence plan, with a focus on cutting production times for interception and drone combat capabilities. Cybersecurity for Energy: Iran-linked hackers reportedly forced a UK power plant offline for four days, prompting UK guidance to power firms and raising alarms about attacks on critical infrastructure. Finland–India Industrial Ties: Finland is urging deeper cooperation with Indian businesses on circular economy, green energy, construction, maritime tech and resource efficiency after the EU-India FTA, with more than 100 Finnish firms already active in India. Arctic Logistics Research: Canada and Manitoba welcomed new studies backing year-round shipping from Churchill using ice-class vessels as sea-ice conditions improve. Defence Procurement in the High North: The US approved a potential $2.3bn sale of 21 UH-60M Black Hawks to Norway, boosting Arctic-ready troop mobility. Energy Storage Deal: Korkia sold a 125MW Finnish battery storage project to Enlight, signalling continued investment in grid flexibility. AI Infrastructure Costs: Nvidia customers were warned of server price rises of 15%+ from early next year due to DRAM shortages. Russian Naval Shift: Russia reportedly has no warships in the Mediterranean for the first time in over a decade, reallocating assets to protect its shadow fleet.

Finland–India Trade Push: Finland is stepping up business ties with India after the EU FTA, pitching circular economy and green industry partnerships at ICEF 2026, with more than 100 Finnish firms already active across clean energy, waste and recycling, digital solutions and sustainable design. Space and Industrial Collaboration: Finland’s trade counsellor says the post-FTA window could unlock major joint ventures, especially in Finland’s space sector, plus construction, maritime tech, telecoms and industrial resource efficiency. AI Energy and Water Debate: A new look at AI’s water and power footprint argues that single-query estimates are too fuzzy, while total data-centre demand is the more meaningful lens for Finland’s energy and sustainability planning. Arctic Shipping Feasibility: Canada and Manitoba welcomed research backing year-round shipping from Churchill, using ice-class vessels as sea-ice conditions shift—an Arctic logistics signal for Nordic trade routes. Defence Mobility Deal: The US approved a potential $2.3bn sale of 21 UH-60M Black Hawks to Norway, underlining how Arctic-ready air mobility is becoming a core regional capability. Circular Value Chains Forum: Finland also used the forum to stress traceability, resource efficiency and responsible supply chains as the practical backbone of the next India–EU trade era. Renewables and Batteries: Finland’s battery storage and renewables deal flow continues, with new project ownership and expansion moves pointing to faster scaling of grid flexibility.

Finland–India Circular Economy Push: Finland invited deeper business ties with India at the India Circular Economy Forum 2026, pointing to 100+ Finnish firms already active in clean energy, waste management, recycling, digital solutions and sustainable design, with talks focused on circularity, traceability and resilient value chains. Energy & Industry Signals: Finland’s nuclear debate is back in focus via Ireland’s study of Olkiluoto 3 as a real-world reference for decarbonisation and the possible role of small modular reactors. Renewables Leadership: BELECTRIC UK appointed Daniel Kiremidjian to lead its solar and battery projects, citing experience across the UK, Sweden and Finland. Battery Storage Deal: Korkia divested a 125MW Finnish battery project to Enlight, adding to Finland’s growing storage pipeline. Economy Watch: Statistics Finland reported 243 bankruptcy proceedings initiated in July, down year-on-year, while new enterprise registrations fell 10% in Q2. Fuel Costs: Eurostat data showed Finland’s diesel up 20.5% year-on-year in July 2026. Security & Logistics: Finland closed its border with Russia as part of preparations for potential conflict, while Posti workers staged a walkout at a Helsinki logistics hub.

Ukraine Support & Fundraising: President Volodymyr Zelensky says United24 has raised nearly $4bn from donors in 145 countries since 2022, underscoring how global backers are tying money to long-term support. Finnish Defence Manufacturing: Innokas plans to produce drones for Ukraine in Finland using technology from Ukrainian Airlogix, aiming to scale supplies via the Build with Ukraine initiative. UAV Rules & Trade: The US eased export controls on certain civilian UAVs while also adding tariffs on imported unmanned aircraft systems, a double move that could reshape global drone supply chains. Nordic Transport Connectivity: VR has restarted passenger rail across the Finland–Sweden border after decades, with more Swedish connections planned from December—part of a wider Nordic push for easier cross-border travel. Circular Economy Link: Finland is pitching deeper circular economy ties with India at ICEF2026, pointing to 100+ Finnish firms already active in areas like recycling, clean energy and waste management. Energy & Industry Costs: Eurostat reports EU fuel and lubricant prices up 16.9% year-on-year in July, with Finland among the biggest risers (+20.5%). Food Access Research: University of Oulu-led work says global food supply still fails to reach people due to transport costs and economic inequality. Agrifood Restructuring: Finland’s Närpes Grönsaker buys tomato brand NAMS after Agrifutura’s bankruptcy, keeping production and marketing alive in Närpes and Pori. Cybersecurity Risk: Google Cloud warns Russian-linked groups are increasingly hijacking real sign-in flows via device-linking and OAuth-style lures.

Finland–India Business Push: Finnish firms are using ICEF2026 to line up circular economy and resource-efficiency partnerships in India, with the Embassy noting 100+ Finnish companies already active across clean energy, waste management, recycling, digital solutions and sustainable design. US Navy Procurement Shockwave: A new US route lets foreign shipbuilders build initial Navy vessels only if they invest in US shipyard capacity, train US workers, transfer shipbuilding know-how, and build follow-on ships domestically—an approach linked to the “Finland model” for icebreakers. Electronics Manufacturing Upgrade: Incap commissioned a SEHO SelectLine-C 500 selective soldering system at its Karlsfeld site, adding automated handling, inspection and AI-supported programming for high-mix through-hole assembly. Offshore Wind Policy Doubts: Finland’s offshore wind targets face friction over subsidies, multiple sea-area regimes and unclear tendering details, with only a 42MW near-shore farm currently operating. Customs Rule Changes Hit Online Shopping: Finland saw low-value imports from outside the EU drop sharply in July after new per-item customs duty rules for online purchases. Aviation Safety Export: Finland is funding a Vaisala-led project with the Finnish Meteorological Institute to improve Indonesia’s aviation weather services across 14 airports. Job Market Signal: Statistics Finland reports vacancies rose 2% year-on-year in Q2, with construction showing the biggest increase.

Energy & transport: Suomen Lantakaasu inaugurated a Nurmo biogas plant for bio-LNG, targeting about 100 GWh/year and a wider 1 TWh/y renewable energy ecosystem, using farm manure and food-industry by-products. Power & industry leadership: Valmet named Max Luedtke executive vice-president for Pulp, Energy and Circularity, starting Sept 1 in Vantaa, as Sami Riekkola supports the transition. Digital finance & regulation: Finland’s gambling reform moves toward a licensed private market from July 2027, potentially reshaping cross-border competition with Estonia. Consumer pressure: Danske Bank’s survey shows Nordic financial confidence slipping, with Finland the weakest (index 5.8), weighed down by inflation and energy costs. AI infrastructure push: Nvidia is “matchmaking” in the Nordics, linking GPU suppliers with data-center operators as AI demand for land and power accelerates. Business & jobs signals: Finland’s job vacancies rose slightly in Q2, while the wider labor recovery remains uncertain. Market watch: Norilsk Nickel’s board meets Aug 25 to recommend dividends for H1 2026.

UAV Manufacturing Push: Ukrainian Airlogix and Finnish Innokas have signed a letter of intent to set up UAV production capacity in Finland under the “Build with Ukraine” initiative, with Innokas handling scaling and localization while Airlogix brings the technology—next steps include legal and production frameworks and possible joint venture talks. Maritime Industry: Helsinki Shipyard has been selected to build Finland’s next-generation icebreaker Aino for the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, with construction starting next year and delivery targeted for 2029 to keep Baltic and Finnish coastal shipping moving year-round. Labour & Logistics: Posti workers at Helsinki’s Pasila Postal Center staged a walkout over a second round of workforce reduction talks, warning of slower mail and parcel deliveries nationwide. Jobs Market: Statistics Finland reports 29,600 open vacancies in Q2 2026, up 2% year-on-year—the first such quarterly rise since 2022, led by construction. Food Supply Risk: African swine fever restrictions are tightening in southeastern Finland as wild boar cases rise, with no infections detected in domestic pigs so far. Corruption Watch: A Police University College study says most suspected corruption cases reported in Finland involve misuse of funds and information, not bribery.

Telecom Reshuffle: Nokia is shutting down virtually all mainland China operations, closing sites across Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Qingdao and cutting most of its ~7,200-person Greater China workforce by end-2026, as competitive pressure and geopolitics make further investment uneconomic. AI Infrastructure Push: Nvidia is “matchmaking” Nordic GPU buyers with certified data-center operators via its DGX-Ready colocation program, aiming to lock in compute demand for heavy AI workloads. Defense & Drones: Finland will help produce Ukrainian Airlogix-designed drones under the Build with Ukraine program, with Finnish partners scaling local manufacturing while keeping Ukrainian tech and engineering. Maritime Industry: Davie’s Helsinki Shipyard won a contract to build Finland’s newest icebreaker, the 96m Aino, starting 2027 and delivering in 2029 to replace the 70-year-old Voima. Rail Freight Pressure: North Rail cuts its workforce in half as Russian tariff hikes and weak industrial demand squeeze cross-border and domestic freight, while VR volumes fall 7.2%. Energy & Biofuels: Suomen Lantakaasu inaugurated its Nurmo biogas plant, moving toward ~100GWh/year liquefied-biogas capacity as liquefaction commissioning ramps up. Industrial Fire Safety: Sentinel Capital Partners sold Marioff, a Vantaa-based high-pressure water mist fire suppression unit, to Inflexion, as Spectrum Safety Solutions narrows focus.

Telecom Restructuring: Nokia plans to cut most mainland China sites by year-end, citing a shrinking business and aligning its footprint with global operations, a move that could reshape jobs and supply chains tied to Finland’s telecom hardware base. Mobile Core Leadership: Nokia also topped Omdia’s 2026 “core vendors” ranking for mobile core portfolio competitiveness, highlighting cloud-native 5G core, automation and AI/ML capabilities—an unusual double signal of growth in product standing while trimming China operations. Defense & Industrial Scaling: Hanwha Aerospace won a US Army contract for K9 self-propelled howitzer prototypes under the Mobile Tactical Cannon program, with six prototypes plus an option for more, and potential US localization via Alabama—watch how this intersects with Finland-linked NATO procurement and industrial partnerships. Rare Earth Processing in Finland: European Resources says ANSTO test work lifted Korsnas magnet rare earth extraction to 92% after calcite removal, pointing to a clearer path toward mixed rare earth carbonate output. Aalto Physics Breakthrough: Aalto University reported the world’s first cyclic superconducting quantum heat engine, a step that could matter for future quantum computing engineering. Digital Health Trust: A study on trust in digital healthcare for diabetes management underscores how adoption hinges on perceived reliability, not just new tools.

Arctic Connectivity & Aviation: Brussels Airlines adds winter scheduled flights to Evenes and new Finland routes (Kemi, Kittilä), betting on growing demand for arctic holidays and northern lights. Energy & Industry Risk: Finland’s electricity prices are forecast to rise this autumn as hydro resources weaken and OL3 maintenance hits supply, while households are advised to choose contracts based on usage timing. Trade & Customs: A new EU customs fee is already cutting Finland’s low-value online imports from outside the bloc—July saw low-value item lines down 76% year-on-year, with Chinese platforms dominating. Power Market & LNG Security: Elenger says it will bring 11 LNG cargoes to the Finland-Baltic region in 2026, including 7 to Inkoo, to keep heating-season gas supply covered. Mining & JV: Geomorphic AI is offering its Ritakallionmaa gold project in southwest Finland for a joint venture, targeting follow-up exploration near Jokisivu. Manufacturing Incident: Stora Enso reports an explosion at its Imatra plant near the Russian border, with tall oil spill response underway. Policy for Eastern Finland: Finland appoints a working group to design a fixed-term special economic zone experiment in eastern Finland to speed investment and skilled labour availability. Tech in Living Rooms: Viaplay/Allente rolls out an AI-accelerated set-top box across ~840,000 Nordic subscribers, raising questions about Chinese-incorporated hardware legal obligations. Mobility Tech: Volkswagen EV drivers in Europe gain Digital Key access via Samsung Wallet for select ID models. Regulated Work Rules: Migri lists job categories foreigners can do in Finland without a residence permit for up to 90 days under defined conditions. Gambling Leadership Change: Veikkaus deputy CEO Velipekka Nummikoski will leave Aug 31 ahead of the 2027 opening to private online operators.