More than 1,500 politicians, military experts, scientists and defence industry representatives joined the Drone Summit in Riga on May 28.
With 41 Dutch companies and some 60 participants, it was also one of the biggest Dutch trade missions for drone technology. Groningen based startup QDI Systems was one of the participating companies. ‘As a dual-use technology company, we also have a responsibility to look at how our imaging technology can help to protect us.’
The Drone Summit in Latvia was an invitation-only event for government officials, entrepreneurs and researchers, with a shared ambition to use their technology, expertise and networks to help create a safer and more resilient Europe in times of increasing uncertainty and geopolitical instability. ‘It’s an important summit and also a great opportunity for Dutch companies with international ambitions’, says Anco van der Bijl, NOM Trainee Trade.
‘Dual-use technology companies in particular can play a big role in European defense and security applications, van der Bijl continues. ‘These are companies that use existing technologies for civilian applications, but also have potential military applications, like drones in this case. And QDI Systems, a company in our investment portfolio, is the perfect example of that. Their quantum dot imaging technology for shortwave infrared can also be used to help drones spot things more clearly under challenging circumstances. So of course they were on top of our list of Northern Dutch companies for this trade mission.’
Successful summit
‘Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, we were only looking at civilian applications for our image sensor technology, such as the medical sector and consumer electronics. And we were also looking at applications such as crop inspection or to help firefighters see through smoke’, says Artem Shulga, CEO of QDI Systems. ‘I’m Ukrainian myself and I’m still in touch with a lot of people there, also people in the military, so when the war broke out, we also started looking at how our technology could be integrated with drones to make them more effective. When we were invited to join the Dutch delegation, it was the perfect opportunity to follow up on the conversations we already had and to better understand what is most relevant right now for Ukraine.’
‘We were also one of four companies selected for a meeting with the Dutch Minister of Defence, so that’s also a great opportunity to demonstrate our technology, since we’re a relatively small company from Groningen. But for me, the biggest reason to join the trade mission was to learn about what the end-users actually want and need to get a tactical advantage and how we can accommodate these needs with our shortwave infrared quantum dot technology. That was the goal and we had a lot of conversations with different people and got some good feedback, so all in all I think the summit was quite successful for us.’
Sense of urgency
‘Both the Drone Summit and the Drone Coalition are great initiatives’, Shulga continues. Not just to help Ukraine, but also for European security, because my main concern is that the rate of technological development is slower than it should be. A cohesive ecosystem of different countries, entrepreneurs, scientists and Defence Ministries working together is a good step in the right direction. But most of all, a sense of urgency is what’s really important. And that’s something you really see in Latvia, because they are much closer to the war and they know that they could be next.’
‘But for many people in Western Europe and the Netherlands, the war feels far away. And it’s difficult to believe or accept that war can happen here, until it actually happens’, Shulga continues. ‘I’m originally from the Luhansk region and I never believed Russia would invade Ukraine. But then in 2014, they invaded Eastern Ukraine and my family had to move. Even in early 2022, I still didn’t believe Russia would actually start a full scale military invasion of my country. But they did and they’re not going to stop if Ukraine falls.’
‘We live in a different world now where we have to accept the possibility of war in Europe’, Shulga continues. ‘We’ve neglected our security for a long time and we may not be able to count on the US to help us out, like we once did. As a dual-use technology company, that means we also have a responsibility to look at how our imaging technology can help to protect us. And for that, we also need strong ecosystems and strategic collaborations to speed up the development and make sure we’re not dependent on other countries for production. For our company, it means working together with local and national partners, so getting to know the rest of the Dutch delegation was definitely very helpful.’
National and international collaborations and ambitions
‘Internationalization is a two-way street’, says Wim A.B., NOM Project Manager Internationalization. ‘It’s not just about making sure that international companies find their way to the Northern Netherlands, but also giving companies in the region the right tools, information and expertise to help them with their national and international ambitions. Trade missions are a great way to do that, because entrepreneurs can showcase their technology abroad, but you also really get to know your fellow Dutch entrepreneurs when you’re traveling together for a full week, which can lead to interesting and new collaborations when you get back home.
"Right now, we're also looking into longer-term partnerships with Northern Germany and Scandinavia," A.B. and Van der Bijl continue. "We recently joined a partnership focused on developing the maritime manufacturing industry and offshore energy across the entire North Sea region, and that's a big step toward more cross-border collaboration."