Odense-based defence tech startup BlinkTroll has raised €1.5 million in a pre-seed round led by Nordic VC Final Frontier and a private Norwegian family office, marking a significant step forward for the Norway- and Denmark-based company. Founded by former Norwegian soldiers, BlinkTroll builds autonomous, wire-based moving target systems that simulate realistic combat scenarios — enhancing hit accuracy by up to 80% in training exercises. With the new capital, BlinkTroll plans to scale production, accelerate its product roadmap, and deploy its systems more widely across NATO allied forces. The funding also deepens strategic ties within the Nordic defence ecosystem, underscoring a shared mission to bring soldier-designed, combat-ready innovation to the front lines of Europe.
Backed by solid Nordic investors, BlinkTroll is entering a strategic partnership grounded in a shared vision for the future of European defence. The collaboration is driven by a mutual commitment to strengthening NATO allies and supporting Ukraine through accessible, high-impact training technology designed to meet the demands of modern defence operations.
“It’s inspiring to see Nordic defence startups like BlinkTroll develop technology that directly supports those on the front lines. This is exactly the kind of founder-driven innovation European defence needs, combining deep operational insight with the speed and focus we now see coming out of Ukraine,” says Esben Gadsbøll, Head of Defence Highway Innovation and Danish Tech Startups.
Founded in 2022 by two former Norwegian soldiers, BlinkTroll was born out of firsthand experience. Having served in the Norwegian Armed Forces, the founders witnessed critical gaps in existing training systems. Their goal was clear: create a better, simpler, and more accessible way for soldiers to prepare for the realities of combat.
“Our product is made by soldiers, for soldiers. We designed BlinkTroll to help our former coworkers — the people still serving on the front lines. Simplicity and realism were our top priorities. This is about democratizing access to high-quality, effective training across the defence sector,” states Kenneth Skorpen, CEO and Founder, BlinkTroll.
BlinkTroll’s autonomous, wire-based target systems simulate agile, unpredictable threats to create a more realistic and adaptive training environment. By moving beyond static targets, the system helps soldiers prepare for real-life combat scenarios, increasing their hit accuracy to 80% on high-speed moving targets and significantly enhancing their effectiveness against real-world threats (Data based on research from a live-fire exercise in Europe, measuring hit accuracy improvements in both trained and untrained soldiers after using the BlinkTroll system.)
“This investment allows us to scale faster and build the future of dynamic defence training,” Øystein Hatlestad Hovland, COO and co-founder, adds. “BlinkTroll is not just a robot — it’s a new standard in combat readiness and the first step in creating a full ecosystem of defence technology built for protecting the free world.”
With this new funding, BlinkTroll will scale production, advance its product roadmap, and expand deployment across European defence forces.
“Although the investment world has been slowly catching up to the growing capital needs of European defense tech companies, this truly Nordic syndicate investing in a Nordic company sends a clear signal of the growing willingness to support such technologies. With Odense’s expertise in robotics and drone technology, the local ecosystem offers fertile ground for the development of dual-use and defense applications,” says Martyna Waliszewska, Investment Manager, Invest in Odense.
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Read the orginal article: https://arcticstartup.com/blinktroll-raises-e1-5-million-pre-seed/
