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Artur Sanglepp: First-hand Experience from Ukraine Is Becoming Indispensable for a Defence Sector Legal Advisor
Artur Sanglepp: First-hand Experience from Ukraine Is Becoming Indispensable for a Defence Sector Legal Advisor
Artur Sanglepp, Attorney-at-Law at RASK, is one of those legal experts who does not observe the defence industry from a distance but engages with it daily. Over the past year, he has been closely involved with the defence ecosystem in both Estonia and Ukraine. Growing alongside the sector, he has advised early-stage companies, participated in bootcamps held in Ukraine, and tackled practical issues ranging from investments and production launches to permits and licenses.
What has been your exposure to the defence industry?
In recent years, the defence industry has emerged as a significant sector in Estonia, and it has also become a clear focus for RASK. In addition to daily client work with Estonian and Ukrainian defence companies, I would highlight RASK’s collaboration with Darkstar, a unique defence industry ecosystem in Estonia. As a legal mentor, I have participated in several Darkstar events that bring together defence companies with very diverse profiles. I would also emphasize my repeated trips to Ukraine. In July, I spent over a week in Kyiv at a Darkstar bootcamp, and in November, I participated in the same event for a second time. Additionally, throughout the year, I have repeatedly taken part in and spoken at events targeting the defence ecosystem, including Tallinn DefenceTech Meetups and Estonian Defence Week.
How would you describe the experience you gained from the Ukrainian bootcamps?
The bootcamps in Kyiv are highly unique and intensive events, primarily aimed at growth-stage companies whose solutions have the potential to reach actual use on the frontline. Approximately half of the participating companies have been from Ukraine, a quarter from Estonia, and the remainder from other parts of Europe, creating a very diverse and practical perspective. My role at the bootcamps has been to provide legal mentorship. The general knowledge needed by early-stage growth companies – covering company formation, transfer of intellectual property, and preparing for the first investment – is largely universal, regardless of the country of operation. There is also frequent interest in how to establish a company in Estonia or relocate operations to the European Union. Naturally, legal issues related to the cross-border transport of military goods and dual-use items are also a pressing topic.
How important is it that these meetings take place in Ukraine specifically?
Being on the ground in Ukraine is extremely important because the trends shaping the sector – and influencing national defence and the defence industry for decades to come – are undeniably emerging there. This firsthand experience helps identify real needs. I see that a lawyer advising technology companies must find ways not to act as a brake while quickly clarifying what is essential versus optional. In practice, a bootcamp lasts five days and brings together nearly twenty companies, potential buyers – by which I mean specific Ukrainian army units – as well as investors and mentors from various fields. The event also includes a testing day at a proving ground. Nowhere else is it possible to test solutions under such conditions, with such immediate and broad feedback, for systems capable of neutralizing the enemy.
To what extent has the experience from Ukraine been utilized in Estonia so far, and what are the obstacles?
The potential of skills and knowledge gained from Ukraine is far from fully realized. As usual, processes move slowly. For growth companies, a central question is what official channels exist for testing their products. If a solution in development has direct destructive potential, assembly for testing is possible only under a permit, which is a clear bottleneck. True, some steps have been taken and certain problems addressed, but there remains a need to analyse whether and how regulations could be made more flexible, while keeping in mind that various restrictions exist to protect our internal security. There is also continued uncertainty regarding handling sites: where and how we will produce, store, and manage ammunition and explosives. The Ukrainian experience shows that in a high-risk environment, the most viable solutions are those that are decentralized, dispersed, and difficult to detect.
Which topics have companies most frequently sought RASK’s advice on?
Companies at different growth stages face different challenges and seek our help in finding solutions. Growth-stage defence technology companies are looking for testing opportunities and preparing for financing, while more established companies and experienced investors aim to create conditions for large-scale production. Companies with very diverse profiles and origins compete in major tenders for new technological systems, and understandably, all entrepreneurs want the assurance that their activities comply with export control regulations.
What has been your exposure to the defence industry?
In recent years, the defence industry has emerged as a significant sector in Estonia, and it has also become a clear focus for RASK. In addition to daily client work with Estonian and Ukrainian defence companies, I would highlight RASK’s collaboration with Darkstar, a unique defence industry ecosystem in Estonia. As a legal mentor, I have participated in several Darkstar events that bring together defence companies with very diverse profiles. I would also emphasize my repeated trips to Ukraine. In July, I spent over a week in Kyiv at a Darkstar bootcamp, and in November, I participated in the same event for a second time. Additionally, throughout the year, I have repeatedly taken part in and spoken at events targeting the defence ecosystem, including Tallinn DefenceTech Meetups and Estonian Defence Week.
How would you describe the experience you gained from the Ukrainian bootcamps?
The bootcamps in Kyiv are highly unique and intensive events, primarily aimed at growth-stage companies whose solutions have the potential to reach actual use on the frontline. Approximately half of the participating companies have been from Ukraine, a quarter from Estonia, and the remainder from other parts of Europe, creating a very diverse and practical perspective. My role at the bootcamps has been to provide legal mentorship. The general knowledge needed by early-stage growth companies – covering company formation, transfer of intellectual property, and preparing for the first investment – is largely universal, regardless of the country of operation. There is also frequent interest in how to establish a company in Estonia or relocate operations to the European Union. Naturally, legal issues related to the cross-border transport of military goods and dual-use items are also a pressing topic.
How important is it that these meetings take place in Ukraine specifically?
Being on the ground in Ukraine is extremely important because the trends shaping the sector – and influencing national defence and the defence industry for decades to come – are undeniably emerging there. This firsthand experience helps identify real needs. I see that a lawyer advising technology companies must find ways not to act as a brake while quickly clarifying what is essential versus optional. In practice, a bootcamp lasts five days and brings together nearly twenty companies, potential buyers – by which I mean specific Ukrainian army units – as well as investors and mentors from various fields. The event also includes a testing day at a proving ground. Nowhere else is it possible to test solutions under such conditions, with such immediate and broad feedback, for systems capable of neutralizing the enemy.
To what extent has the experience from Ukraine been utilized in Estonia so far, and what are the obstacles?
The potential of skills and knowledge gained from Ukraine is far from fully realized. As usual, processes move slowly. For growth companies, a central question is what official channels exist for testing their products. If a solution in development has direct destructive potential, assembly for testing is possible only under a permit, which is a clear bottleneck. True, some steps have been taken and certain problems addressed, but there remains a need to analyse whether and how regulations could be made more flexible, while keeping in mind that various restrictions exist to protect our internal security. There is also continued uncertainty regarding handling sites: where and how we will produce, store, and manage ammunition and explosives. The Ukrainian experience shows that in a high-risk environment, the most viable solutions are those that are decentralized, dispersed, and difficult to detect.
Which topics have companies most frequently sought RASK’s advice on?
Companies at different growth stages face different challenges and seek our help in finding solutions. Growth-stage defence technology companies are looking for testing opportunities and preparing for financing, while more established companies and experienced investors aim to create conditions for large-scale production. Companies with very diverse profiles and origins compete in major tenders for new technological systems, and understandably, all entrepreneurs want the assurance that their activities comply with export control regulations.