At Vegvisir, the real strength behind our technology comes from the people who build it. Developing situational awareness systems for the battlefield demands more than just technical know-how — it requires a deep understanding of what soldiers truly need. That’s why we’re proud to have veterans from the British Royal Marines Commandos and the Estonian Defense Forces as part of our team. Their experience ensures our innovations are grounded in real-world challenges and can truly make a difference where it matters most. One of those veterans is Kaarel Tasa, our Project Manager, who served in the Estonian Defense Forces. In this interview, Kaarel shares his journey from military service to the tech industry and his thoughts on the future of defense technology.
Kaarel, you have a background in the Estonian Defense Forces. How did your experiences in the military shape your approach to project management at Vegvisir?
The Army environment tends to be more stressful than the current project management environment I work in. Quite often teams had to work together without sufficient hours of sleep, fulfilling physically demanding tasks while being 24/7 together with the same people. This really teaches you the importance of teamwork. I think this experience has taught me that remarkable things can be achieved with great teamwork even if projects do have hideous deadlines, unrealistic scope and budget.
What skills or lessons from your military service do you find most valuable in your work at Vegvisir?
Military background gives me a better understanding of how end users would potentially use the technology that we are developing. It is also very easy to find common ground with the people who are still in the military service. I think the most valuable skill from the military is the mission command principle. In a really simplified way that means explaining the bigger picture and the desired end goal and then trusting the people with the execution and decision making to deliver the set goals.
How did you transition from military service to the civilian world and eventually into the tech and defense industry? What were some challenges in making that shift?
The biggest challenge was to overcome the lack of technical knowledge and the knowledge about methodology of how complex developments are made. As my first project had already started, when I made the switch from the military, I had to catch the train that was already driving and constantly increasing the pace. In the beginning it was quite tricky to set the priorities in the project because everything seemed super important. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to have the most epic project team, who supported me. Aaaand also long hours in the office.
What excites you most about the defense tech sector now, compared to your time in active service?
While in the army, I was not aware of how much useful technology and innovation there is available. Even if looking only the Estonian Defence Industry there are numerous companies that provide cutting edge solutions to increase the effectiveness in the battlefield. Being part of the bright minds, who develop all of this excites me the most.
In your opinion, how is the role of technology in the defense sector evolving, and what do you believe will be the next big breakthrough in defense technologies?
I believe that more and more complex technology shall be part of the everyday life of soldiers. This means that the training of the soldiers shall be even more challenging and must be really thought out.
In my opinion the next big breakthrough will be unmanned and optionally manned platforms together with the supporting systems such as situational awareness technology and decision-making systems. In order to efficiently operate with multiple unmanned platforms, the control system becomes the key element.
Can you walk us through some of the most recent advancements at Vegvisir, especially around the mixed-reality goggles for armored vehicles? How have user feedback and testing shaped the product?
Our latest product is the Virtual Command Station, which helps military leaders to have more data in front of them while operating in congested spaces. Our mixed reality goggles provide virtual monitors, where different feeds and data can be visualized. Our current setup allows users to have up to 6 different feeds and also enables them to collaborate in the same environment. Virtual Command Station can be also used for fleet management and getting information from different payloads to one location. We are excited to test this system with the Estonian Defence Forces in the exercise “Hedgehog”. All and all, end users have been satisfied with our products, but they have always provided us with valuable feedback to further improve.
What sets Vegvisir’s situational awareness technology apart from others in the market? Are there any unique features you’re particularly excited about?
As Estonia is a relatively small country, then working and testing together with end users and rapidly implementing their feedback to our design is something that differentiates us from others. Our product development cycle is kept as short as possible.
How do veterans influence innovation in defense technology?
Veterans bring real battlefield experience, helping development teams focus on features that truly matter — not just creating “cool” functionalities, but building tools that are practical, necessary, and effective in real operations.
What advice would you give to veterans considering a move into tech or defense startups?
First, I would highlight that the Estonian Defence Forces is a fantastic employer, so it’s important to be sure that making the switch is truly the right decision. If it is, then I highly recommend taking some courses to gain a better understanding of engineering and development processes — it will make the transition much smoother.
What can we expect from Vegvisir in the near future?
We have several exciting new projects underway in collaboration with leading military companies. Our system is constantly being integrated into a growing range of platforms, and we’re committed to expanding our impact even further.
