Gapwaves granted Vinnova funding for civil-military innovation programme project
Göteborg, 30 October 2025: Gapwaves has been awarded funding by Vinnova to adapt and validate its MLW waveguide technology for applications in the military and defence sector. The project commences immediately and will run for nine months, with Vinnova providing a total of MSEK 0.9 in support.
Gapwaves’ waveguide antenna technology delivers superior performance at high frequencies, starting around 30 GHz and above. The company has already industrialised this technology for automotive radar solutions at 77 GHz. The aim of this project is to leverage the compact, cost-efficient solution developed for the automotive industry and apply it to defence applications.
Nils Dagås, VP R&D at Gapwaves, commented: “Our innovative technology has many areas of application, and it is very positive that we can now broaden the scope of our MLW technology within the framework of this project. Low-loss, high-frequency antenna solutions address critical needs in defence, such as radar and communications. For smaller, autonomous and networked systems, lighter and more cost-effective solutions with higher performance are essential compared to what is available today.”
The project is part of the Civil-Military Innovation Programme – a joint initiative by Vinnova and the Swedish Armed Forces aimed at strengthening Sweden’s military capability and fostering collaboration between civilian and military innovation ecosystems. Solutions developed under this programme align with NATO’s priority technology areas, known as Emerging and Disruptive Technologies. As part of the project, Gapwaves will also participate in an accelerator programme focused on developing a complementary business strategy for the military and defence market.
The need for high-frequency technology in defence
High-frequency systems have numerous applications in defence. Many of these will require smaller form factors and higher volumes, but the cost of current implementations limits their use. Since sensor resolution and antenna directivity are proportional to antenna size and frequency, higher frequencies are essential for sensors to operate effectively on smaller platforms such as drones, soldiers, or light vehicles.
For more information, please visit www.gapwaves.com or contact:
Jonas Ehinger, VD Gapwaves AB (publ)
Tel: +46 733 44 01 52
E-mail: jonas.ehinger@gapwaves.com
Nils Dagås, VP R&D
Tel: +46 701 49 09 26
E-mail: nils.dagas@gapwaves.com
Gapwaves Certified Adviser is G&W Fondkommission AB
www.gwkapital.se