Finnish representative appointed for the first time to the leadership of the Council of the European Space Agency

Release 16.09.2026
Finnish Kimmo Kanto, who works at Business Finland, has been appointed as Vice-Chair of the Council of the European Space Agency in Interlaken, Switzerland, on March 19, 2026.  Kanto will begin his term on July 1. The ESA Council is the organization’s highest strategic decision-making body, and Kanto is the first Finnish representative to hold the position.  At Business Finland, Kanto is the Director of the Space, Defence and Connectivity unit.
Europe is investing in space.

The leadership of the ESA Council is responsible for the Council’s work, the preparation of decisions, coordination among the Member States, and the alignment of ESA’s bodies. In addition, the leadership provides strategic support to the ESA Director General.

The upcoming term will include preparations for the next meeting of the Ministerial Council (2028) and determining the scope of cooperation with the European Competitiveness Fund. Juan-Carlos Cortés Pulido from Spain was elected as President of the ESA Council while Tanja Permozer from Slovenia  was elected as second Vice-Chair.

Europe is investing in space

Last year, the ESA Member States committed to a larger budget at the Ministerial Meeting. The Member States are now funding the organization’s operations at a record level, with more than €22 billion allocated for the next five-year funding period. During the same funding period, Finland will contribute €233 million to ESA programs. Finland joined ESA in 1995 and became its 14th Member State.

“ESA programs support Europe’s ability to develop its own critical space and data solutions and strengthen its technological autonomy. ESA’s role in strengthening Europe's overall security, supply security, and crisis resilience is growing. "
— Kimmo Kanto

These themes align with the security, resilience, and competitiveness priorities of both the EU and Kimmo Kanto’s home country, Finland. The election of Kanto as Vice-Chair shows the wide appreciation towards Finland’s concept of comprehensive security and expertise in space technology.

“Over the past 10 years, a significant and rapidly growing cluster of space companies has emerged in Finland. Business Finland has played a key role in fostering this growth by supporting companies in the sector. It is great to see that Business Finland’s role and expertise in the sector is being recognized through Kimmo Kanto’s appointment. This will help intensify cooperation with ESA and also support the growth of the sector in the future."
— Sakari Puisto, Minister of Economic Affairs.

Finnish companies and research groups are innovative partners 

The Finnish organizations ICEYE, Kuva Space, ReOrbit, Technical Research Centre VTT, and the University of Helsinki as well as the Finnish Meteorological Institute are globally sought-after partners. 

Finland offers a wide array of opportunities, expertise, and networks to promote the space business. The Finnish New Space Economy program (2018–2022) made Finland one of the most advanced space and defense ecosystems in the world. Last year, Business Finland granted an exceptionally large funding allocation to ICEYE’s investment in growth and product development.