Wayren is an Estonian dual-use startup that provides solutions for resilient communications and situational awareness to support decision-making in mission-critical scenarios. When networks fail, missions fail. In both tactical operations and various industries, the ability to make fast, informed decisions is key to success. Infrastructure breakdown, difficult terrain, and disruptions to communication flows require a new type of solution that can handle high data loss, which is what they provide.
The founding team, Henry Härm and Tarmo Aia, built the national Command & Control System at the Estonian Defence Forces Cyber Command to revolutionise how tactical operations are planned and executed. While fielding the system, they learned that industry-standard communication technologies are unable to handle the extremely high data loss that networks experience under demanding conditions. They founded Wayren to address the critical digitalisation challenge and to provide products for rapidly collecting, processing, and sharing data for improved situational awareness and command & control.
What inspired you to launch a space tech startup?
Our inspiration came from our personal experience of seeing how fragile communications become when networks degrade while fielding command & control systems at Estonian Defence Forces Cyber Command. We realised that new data-loss-tolerant solutions are needed, which combine proprietary protocols, hardware, and mission systems to keep information flowing when nothing else can. Initially, we focused on defence applications due to our experience and the urgent need from NATO. However, we quickly realised that space operations face similar challenges: long delays, signal disruptions, and limited bandwidth. In addition, we can utilise space technologies, such as satellite communications, to further enhance mission-critical terrestrial operations. We decided to apply for ESA BIC to further explore these use cases and to explore how to further pursue these opportunities as we go forward.
What have been your biggest challenges and failures so far, and what are your biggest wins?
Our biggest challenge has been the time and effort required compared to what we initially planned to get from technology to a product. This means a product that can be scalably delivered, is easy to use, reliable, and provides complete capability for the end-user. Our biggest wins have been successful field tests and pilot projects, such as for the Estonian Defence Forces’ HIMARS live-fire exercises and successful underground testing in the Estonian Oil-Shale Mine.
What drives you to keep going, even on tough days?
What drives us forward is knowing that we are solving a clear and urgent security need for Estonia and NATO allies. At the same time, knowing that our technology can help to save lives in various industries, such as remote industrial operations such as minging, public safety and support space operations.
What sets your startup apart from competitors in the space industry?
We work where others don’t. Our proprietary communication protocol remains operational even with over 85% data loss, whereas existing systems fail at 35%. We ensure a common operational picture by bridging multiple network types, including LTE, satellite, Bluetooth, and digital radios. We can be deployed in minutes. Our software-based solution is built to be deployed ad hoc, without central management. This makes our technology uniquely versatile for both terrestrial and orbital missions that require assets to be connected and integrated, even when networks are breaking down.
Why did you choose to apply to ESA BIC Estonia?
We joined ESA BIC Estonia to expand our technology’s reach beyond defence and explore its applications in the space sector. The program connected us with mentors, partners, and investors to help us explore various space-related use cases. The program has been key in supporting us to put together a Seed investment round last year and to do a successful field test in Estonia Mine as our first civil spin-off application.
What’s your vision for your startup in the next year? And where do you see it in five years?
In the coming year, our focus is to accelerate the adoption of our technology and support NATO allies in gaining an edge through superior situational awareness and decision-making. We have already tested our solution in remote industrial sectors such as mining and public safety, and plan to expand these dual-use applications further. By 2026, we aim to close our Series A funding round to scale globally. In five years, our goal is to be Europe’s leading provider of resilient communication and situational awareness solutions.
Who do you think is the next space tech unicorn?
Estonia has a small but high-impact space tech startup community that has the potential to scale globally. We see strong potential in companies like Spaceit and KappaZeta, among others. We will do our best to help Wayren join them soon as well.
Which books, podcasts, publications, and influencers in space technology or entrepreneurship do you follow and recommend to others?
When building a successful startup, especially in space-tech. It is extremely complex; I would suggest learning as much as you can from others. Some excellent resources for practical suggestions on what to do and what to avoid are Ben Horowitz’s “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” and Y Combinator’s “Startup School.” And of course, I would suggest joining ESA BIC to network with other founders in this space and the alumni network.
What do you suggest/what advice would you give for future candidates?
I would strongly encourage everyone to apply for the ESA BIC program; it’s an invaluable opportunity to accelerate your technology and business. Come well-prepared with clear goals, a solid activity plan, and a realistic budget to maximise your success. And, as with any great program, be ready to put in the hard work to engage actively with mentors, founders, and customers to make the most of the experience.
ESA BIC Estonia, led by Tartu Science Park in collaboration with Tehnopol, is part of the European Space Agency’s network of business incubators across Europe. It helps innovative Estonian startups bring space technologies to new markets, offering up to €60,000 in product development support, specialised mentoring, international network access, and business development loans.
