内容摘要：This was going to be spent on EU-based defence firms. The fund also allows for the involvement of a number of non-EU countries and could now be opened up to UK defence companies too. This would potentially allow EU firms to use the fund to buy kit from the UK.

This was going to be spent on EU-based defence firms. The fund also allows for the involvement of a number of non-EU countries and could now be opened up to UK defence companies too. This would potentially allow EU firms to use the fund to buy kit from the UK.

Throughout the Ivors ceremony, U2's decades-long friendship is apparent - albeit through relentless, good-natured taunting.They try to goad The Edge into dancing for the BBC's TV crew. Mullen reminds his bandmates of their 1990s penchant for cross-dressing. Bono dredges up Paul Weller's scathing critique of their band.

"When asked, 'Why don't you like U2', he said, "Because they wear cowboy boots.'"'I rest my case.'"Thankfully, the cowboy boot era is ancient history (tonight Bono wears Cuban heels) and, Weller's opprobrium aside, U2 became one of rock's biggest bands, selling more than 175 milllion albums worldwide.

There were missteps along the way - Clayton famously disappeared on a drinking bender during the New Zealand leg of the colossal two-year Zoo TV tour (he's now sober and), while the band have repeatedly apologised for the misguided decision to pre-load their 2014 album, Songs of Innocence, on to people's iPhones.

"The free U2 album is overpriced," wrote one disgruntled user.

In his autobiography, Bono said he took "full responsibility" for the stunt."It was a very concrete, personal feeling that we need to also do something for the security situation," says Mr Hietala.

He highlights national surveys which suggest at least 80% of the Finnish population are prepared to fight for their country, and agrees with Mr Nelson that this "spirit to be ready to defend" has trickled into start-up and business strategies, and is likely to fuel the sector's continued growth.Defence tech companies launching in Finland have also been boosted by a strong general tech scene in the country.

Many of the country's tech alumni – including Mr Toikkanen at Varjo – honed their skills at Nokia, the former global mobile phone giant which has its roots in Finland.It ran into financial difficulties following the launch of Apple's iPhone in the mid-2000s, but this encouraged a sizable number of former employees to launch or invest in new companies.