Andreas Wadström has a background as a military officer, entrepreneur and strategic advisor in defence, security and crisis preparedness. He now joins UIC, where he will lead UIC Defence and help innovative companies address critical challenges in defence and societal preparedness.
In his role, Andreas will work closely with startups and entrepreneurs while strengthening collaboration between industry, defence and the public sector. A key focus will be building bridges between civilian innovation and the needs of the defence sector.
“We see a tremendous need to connect the civilian and military systems much faster. Sweden has outstanding entrepreneurs and world-class research, but the surrounding systems need to move at a higher pace. We cannot afford for innovation to take too long,” says Andreas Wadström.
Experience from both Defence and Entrepreneurship
Andreas Wadström has a background as a professional officer in the Swedish Armed Forces, with experience from several branches of defence, international missions and operational-level assignments. His path there was not entirely straightforward. Before becoming an officer, he ran his own businesses and studied business administration with a focus on entrepreneurship.
He began his military career as a coastal ranger, an environment where the demands on people, equipment and leadership are exceptionally high. He later served in information operations, psychological operations and command-and-control systems, while also working with staff functions, training and capability development. As a trained command-and-control officer, he was responsible for educating command-and-control officers at the Swedish Armed Forces Command and Control Warfare School.
This combined experience has given him a practical understanding of how technology, leadership, influence operations and operational requirements interact in complex environments—perspectives that now shape his work with defence innovation and dual-use technologies at UIC.
After leaving the Armed Forces, Andreas worked with crisis management and total defence issues in the private sector. Among other roles, he was a co-owner of a SaaS company that developed digital decision-support tools for crisis management and societal disruptions—a company that also went through UIC’s business development programs.
In recent years, Andreas has worked as a strategic advisor in total defence, supporting clients in both the defence and energy sectors. He has also worked with strategic foresight related to the future battlefield, focusing on how rapid technological development, converging technologies, geopolitics, climate change and societal vulnerabilities may affect military capabilities and create new areas of conflict.
Andreas continues to serve as a Major in the Swedish Armed Forces Reserve within the Operational Communications Regiment.
“I see myself as a ‘boundary spanner’—someone who can move between different worlds and create understanding between them. I have experience from defence, entrepreneurship and the innovation ecosystem, and that combination is needed to build stronger collaborations,” says Andreas.
Strengthening Sweden’s innovation capacity in total defence
At UIC, Andreas will work with issues related to defence innovation, resilience and total defence. For him, this is not only about traditional defence technology—it is about society’s overall ability to withstand and recover from disruptions.
He points out that many technologies today are so-called dual-use solutions, meaning innovations that can be applied in both civilian and military contexts.
These may include everything from AI, energy systems and autonomous technologies to agricultural solutions, healthcare innovations and advanced materials.
“Many companies develop technologies for commercial purposes without realizing that their solutions may also be important for total defence. We need to improve understanding on both sides—the defence sector needs a better understanding of what is happening in the innovation market, and companies need a better understanding of the challenges and needs within defence,” says Andreas.
He sees significant opportunities for Uppsala to develop into an international hub for both societal resilience and defence innovation. The region benefits from strong triple-helix conditions, where academia, industry, public-sector stakeholders and strategic military capabilities come together.
“Everything is in place to build something truly exceptional. Uppsala has a unique combination of academic excellence, research, entrepreneurship and strategic defence capabilities. With air force, army, command-and-control, intelligence and logistics functions located nearby, the region offers a breadth that few others can match. This makes Uppsala a natural location for developing the future of defence innovation and societal resilience.”
Leadership, teamwork and the ability to adapt
Outside of work, Andreas has a strong interest in climbing, mountaineering and sailing—interests that have also shaped his views on leadership and teamwork.
He describes climbing as an environment where people get to know each other on a deeper level and where trust becomes essential.
“When you climb, you are literally connected by a rope. It is a powerful symbol of how a strong team or ecosystem works. You need to understand each other’s strengths, weaknesses and motivations in order to take on greater challenges together.”
For Andreas, entrepreneurship and defence share a common principle: the ability to adapt quickly in changing environments without losing direction.
“You need a clear vision, but at the same time you must be prepared to reassess your plan along the way. That applies whether you are climbing a mountain, building a startup or working with total defence.”
Through his combination of operational defence experience, entrepreneurship and strategic innovation work, Andreas will bring new perspectives and strong networks to both UIC and the companies supported by the incubator.
For more information:
Andreas Wadström, Business Developer, Defence innovations
UIC
Phone: 0733-058461
Email: andreas.wadstrom@uic.se