FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Ottawa, ON – July 27, 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,” said Jens Michael Schaal, Vice President at 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.

“From day one, Invest Ottawa has made us feel welcome. Their expertise, local network, and hands-on support have been

invaluable in getting Kelluu’s Canadian operations off the ground,” said Niko Kuikka, Kelluu’s Head of Engineering.

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,” said Janne Hietala, CEO of 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.

About Kelluu

Kelluu is a Finnish technology company that delivers persistent aerial autonomy as a service to customers in the defence, critical infrastructure and environmental sectors. It operates the world’s largest fleet of autonomous airships and produces accurate real-time situational awareness and digital twins. The technology has been tested in Arctic conditions and in GNSS-denied environments.

CONTACT:
Janne Hietala, CEO
+358 40 831 4245
[email protected]

Randy Gaudreau
Manager, Communications and Public Relations
Invest Ottawa
613 828 6274
[email protected]