NATO Innovation Fund portfolio company Kelluu expands to Canada, bringing persistent airship surveillance to the Arctic

July 29, 2026

Kelluu, the Finnish company behind the world’s largest autonomous airship fleet, is expanding into Canada. The new location is at Area X.O in Ottawa, Canada’s national hub for defence innovation. It brings together world-class industry, government, the Canadian Armed Forces, and research institutions to accelerate the development and adoption of next-generation capabilities.

“We are pleased to welcome Kelluu to Canada’s defence and security ecosystem and look forward to strengthening collaboration between Canada and Finland as we advance innovation for Arctic security, resilience, and operational readiness.”

Jens Michael Schaal

Vice President, Invest Ottawa

In a country where distances are vast and the climate is unforgiving, Kelluu’s lighter-than-air technology is a natural fit. The company aims to advance Canadian Arctic autonomy with technology built and tested for cold conditions.

The expansion deepens the partnership between two Arctic nations. The move draws the countries’ technology and defence ties closer together as both face new security challenges and Canada’s role as a guardian of the Arctic grows.

“Canada and Area X.O in Ottawa offer an ideal platform for growing a company like Kelluu. There’s a ready-made ecosystem to step into here, and the right people to start building with quickly. Finland and Canada share a deep understanding of what it takes to operate in Arctic conditions. Our vision of persistent autonomy in Canada begins right here.”

Janne Hietala

CEO, Kelluu

Canada is investing in security. At NATO’s Hague summit, the country committed to raising its defence spending to five percent of GDP by 2035. Billions of that are earmarked for Arctic infrastructure and northern operations.

Kelluu’s technology has been tested in multiple NATO exercises. These have confirmed Kelluu’s interoperability with NATO systems, its ability to build accurate situational awareness in GNSS-jammed areas, its operational capability in Arctic and highly demanding conditions, and functions such as serving as a mobile 5G base station. Kelluu was one of 15 companies selected from 2,600 applicants for the second phase of NATO’s DIANA program, and is the only Finnish company funded by the NATO Innovation Fund.

“Kelluu’s path – from participating in DIANA’s cohort, to being backed by the NATO Innovation Fund, and now to scaling adoption in Canada – is exactly the innovation trajectory we want to see more of. As we stated during the NATO Summit in Ankara two weeks ago, when early-stage innovation is matched with the right capital at each stage, promising technology turns into a real-world capability. This is also a true milestone for Canada. Its strategic geography and increasingly strong innovation ecosystem make it a natural next home for Kelluu.” said Ari Jonsson, president of the NATO Innovation Fund.

Ari Jonsson

President, NATO Innovation Fund.