Helsinki, Finland – 10.7.2026 – European Design Awards is one of Europe’s most prestigious visual communication and graphic design competitions, and has been rewarding European designers since 2007. The competition is a joint initiative of European design magazines, which aims to celebrate and highlight excellence in the field. The 2026 awards were presented in Sofia on 13 June. Great Apes won gold in the Emerging Tech & AI-Driven Experiences -category.

The competition annually brings together the top European design figures from dozens of countries, so a win places Great Apes and Finnish design expertise among the top European designers. The weight of the recognition is increased by the composition of the jury: the creations are evaluated by design journalists and critics, not the designers themselves.

“Design-driven thinking guides everything we do, and its goal is an excellent service and customer experience. Our design philosophy lives on throughout the organization, and it is not limited to service design or individual design actions. This victory is a testament to that culture. A winning design speaks to us, touches us, evokes emotions and is memorable,” says Minna Lindholm, CEO of HiQ Finland.

Artificial intelligence opened a 140-year archive in a new way

Arkivgalaxen was created for the 140th anniversary of SLS. The work opens the society’s archive – approximately 40,000 photographs and written artifacts – as a three-dimensional, real-time browseable entity directly in the browser. Artificial intelligence analyzes the content, mood and themes of each artifact and places them in relation to each other. This reveals connections and story threads in the archive that traditional search cannot reach.

The work premiered at the SLS gala at Finlandiatalo, where it was experienced as an immersive projection of almost 500 square meters and surround sound built from archive materials.

Great Apes is HiQ’s Helsinki-based creative studio and one of the most internationally awarded Finnish design agencies. In addition to Finnish competitions, the studio’s work has been awarded at European Design Awards, Webby Awards, Red Dot Design Award and D&AD competition, among others.

About HiQ

HiQ is a creative technology consultancy that solves complex challenges with intelligent and creative digital solutions. Great Apes is HiQ’s creative studio, specializing in experimental and innovative digital design and development.

Helsinki, Finland – 29 June 2026 – CSDM is NATO’s dynamic procurement arrangement through which the Alliance acquires cyber security services from pre-assessed suppliers. The selectionstrengthens HiQ’s position as a key technology partner to the Finnish defence and security sector. 

Selection for the cyber security–focused CSDM framework is a concrete next step following HiQ’s approval as a NATO technology supplier, and it provides direct access to a restricted pipeline of tenders. The selection does not in itself include orders; rather, it opens access to a long-term procurement channel and the opportunity to deepen HiQ’s relationship with NATO. 

“Selection for a NATO framework agreement is a recognition of Finnish expertise. It strengthens our position as one of Finland’s most significant technology partners in the defence and security sector and lays the foundation for a long-term partnership. Cyber security is an inseparable part of modern defence capability, and we want to be at the forefront of building it,” says Minna Lindholm, CEO of HiQ Finland. 

Cyber runs through every layer of defence capability

Defence capability is no longer built on hardware alone; it increasingly rests on software, data and cyber security. Finland’s NATO membership and Europe’s growing defence investments raise the bar for how quickly and reliably cyber security can be made part of operational capability. HiQ sees a growing need for partners that combine deep technical expertise with experience in security-critical operations. 

“A single solution is not enough if it cannot withstand cyber threats as part of a larger whole. Access to the framework is not a finish line, but a starting line — it opens the tenders in which the deciding factor is the ability to respond quickly and in compliance with requirements. With over thirty years of experience in security-critical software development, we have exactly the expertise that NATO expects from these suppliers,” says Sami Pippuri, Business Director, HiQ Public. 

HiQ’s goal is to grow into one of the Nordic region’s leading providers of digital defence and cyber security solutions. 

About HiQ

HiQ is a creative technology consultancy company that solves complex challenges with intelligent and creative digital solutions. In the defence and security sector, HiQ has over 30 years of experience working with the industry’s leading players. The company is an approved NATO technology supplier and a member of Finland’s Digital Defence Ecosystem, and works with areas including cyber security, advanced simulation environments and AI-based systems to safeguard the vital functions of society. 

Anders Spalding has a background as an intelligence officer in the Swedish Armed Forces and brings over 15 years of experience in intelligence operations and military security and counterintelligence. He has subsequently worked in protective security, both as a consultant and in a role responsible for personnel security at Bankgirot. 

– Requirements for protective security are increasing rapidly, while many organisations lack the experience and structure needed to meet them. With Anders, we are strengthening our ability to support clients in managing these demands, both operationally and strategically, says Pernilla Rönn, Head of Cybersecurity at HiQ. 

This initiative also reflects growing demand from existing clients, where security has become a more central part of operations. 

– Protective security is an area where many organisations are undergoing a shift. It is not enough to comply with regulations. Organisations also need to understand how threats emerge in practice. I look forward to contributing that perspective, says Anders Spalding. 

HiQ strengthens its position across the full security spectrum 

As total defence considerations become more prominent, an increasing number of organisations are subject to protective security legislation. This places greater demands on everything from security vetting and background checks to long-term efforts to identify and mitigate insider-related risks. 

With this appointment, HiQ strengthens its position across the full security spectrum, from cybersecurity to protective security and national security. 

– Security needs to be managed as a whole. With this initiative, we can support our clients across all areas, from information security to personnel security and physical security, says Pernilla Rönn.