KasperDefence

Founding team

Meet the people building Kasper Defence: a multidisciplinary team working across software, systems, operations, capability development, and product engineering for European security.

Co-founder · Software and Systems

Miika

I'm Miika, a Software Engineer and a Systems Designer at Kasper Defence. My mission at Kasper is to solve and systematize the usage of decoys in the modern battlefield in order to protect and preserve the security of my home country, and Europe as a whole.

I currently work on hands-on testing of our products, building the software stack that will run our deception suite, and ancillary start-up work in general. I believe in Kasper Defence because of our great, multitalented team, no-nonsense, engineer-centric attitude, and our uncompromising vision founded on common understanding of military, economic, and technological aspects of the modern battlefield.

I have broad expertise in software development from Ericsson, expertise in building holistic ML pipelines from data collection to productionalization at Sanoma Media Finland, and defence technology expertise from Nest AI. My academic background comprises CS and Data Science, split between the University of Helsinki, Aalto University, and The University of Toronto.

Co-founder · Software and Systems

Daniel

I am Daniel, one of the co-founders of Kasper Defence, working on all aspects related to the software and systems needed for Kasper.

Given the current geopolitical situation(s) I felt the drive to ensure the protection of my loved ones, country and Europe by working on meaningful national security and defence challenges. One can achieve this by hope and taking the issue into their own hands. For more than a year I've been navigating the European defence space, investigating needs and cracks in our multi billion dollar projects and I believe through the multi-talented team at Kasper we will provide an edge in a space not that well explored which can be winning-decisive.

Professionally, in short, I've been working on high scale critical infrastructure network management software within Ericsson, high-energy plasma simulations for Space Physics research within University of Helsinki and I have been programming for around 8 years.

Co-founder · Operations and Product Development

Auguste

I'm Auguste, a Co-founder and Operations an Product development at Kasper Defence. I work across the company's day-to-day operations, communications and brand development, while also supporting prototype testing, experimental planning and data analysis. My role is often to connect different parts of the work and make sure ideas move from discussion into practical action.

I have always been curious about how the world works and how scientific ideas can be turned into useful technology. I studied physics at Queen Mary University of London and later instrumentation and particle physics at the University of Helsinki, where I worked with detectors for CMS experiment at CERN. I then worked in research and development, contributing to industrial product development and an ESA project. I am currently pursuing a doctorate at Aalto University focused on optical semiconductor detectors.

I am most interested in building: turning ideas into practical products, testing what works, solving problems and creating the structures needed to move a company forward. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I wanted to apply my technical background to work that could contribute more directly to European security. At Kasper Defence, I help build both the company and the technology around that goal.

Co-founder · Systems Engineer

Martin

I’m Martin, co-founder and systems engineer at Kasper Defence. I work across the technical stack: software, hardware, radios, and the systems-level questions of how our decoys behave in the field. I help shape the products and concepts from early ideas to deployment.

I have built computer vision and geospatial systems used in industry and in defence. My experience is also in software and hardware product development, signal processing, robotics and geospatial intelligence. I like to move between levels: holding the whole system and the user's experience of it in view, while being willing to go down to the register level when that's where the problem is. My academic background is in mathematics, ICT, software engineering and robotics, studied in Prague and Helsinki.

After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I wanted my technical work to contribute to European security more directly than before. Kasper Defence is a direct way to do that: deception is one of the defensive measures that scales affordably and protects both equipment and the people operating it.

Co-founder · Capability and Business Development

Petri

I'm Petri, the Executive Chair of Kasper Defence and heavily focused on the Capability and Business Development. My focus is to turn the technology Kasper is developing into usable military capabilities for the end-users and create solutions to protect our soldiers on the battlefield. I'm also creating connections towards the industry and the armed forces.

My experience lies in safety critical systems across defence and aerospace industries. I have worked with systems in space, air, maritime, land and IT domains. I've lately been focused in creating large scale complex systems and tying the threads of military needs and emerging technologies. My main strength lies in capability to understand military speak and translate that into system development. My experiences include systems auditing, R&D and applied research. Previously I've also worked as a researcher in the Finnish Navy.

I'm also a very active reservist and a reserve instructor in the Finnish Defence Force reserves currently holding a rank of 1st Lieutenant. My initial training is for mechanized infantry. I have been developing the training programme for Host Nation Support and recently courses to train reservists to operate under a drone threat and be capable to operate at night. My training portfolio spans from RSOM courses to EOD and emissions control. One of the courses that I train includes deception and decoys.

My academic background is from Aalto University in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with a strong focus in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics. Part of these studies I completed an exchange year at TU Delft. I've also completed a master's degree in Computer Science from University of Helsinki and I am currently pursuing a doctorate from Aalto University in aerodynamic icing of UAVs.