New EU and Ukraine Initiative in Defense Technologies
The European Union and Ukraine have announced the launch of a new initiative in the field of defense technologies – BraveTech EU. This project will mobilize 100 million euros to seek innovative solutions that could change the course of the war, stated Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology Mykhailo Fedorov.
The initiative was announced alongside European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius.
The project will be coordinated in Ukraine by the Brave1 defense innovation cluster, while the EU side will be managed through the European Defense Innovation Office (EUDIO) based in Kyiv. Funding will be provided by the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS).
“This is the first major technological alliance between Ukraine and Europe. The partnership is equal – each side will contribute half of the funding,” emphasized Mykhailo Fedorov.
He explained that BraveTech EU includes:
- hackathons between Ukrainian and European companies to test results;
- grant support for defense startups;
- integration of Ukrainian defense tech into the European market;
- joint creation of solutions that will change the game on the battlefield.
The implementation of the initiative will occur in two phases:
1) Seed (autumn 2025)
Hackathons focused on frontline needs, fostering partnerships between startups, investors, and companies.
2) Scale up (2026)
Attracting additional resources for providing grants to startups, allowing for the scaling of breakthrough solutions developed during the hackathons.
Additionally, in June, Brave1 announced the launch of the Brave1 Club initiative, which simplifies the process for sustainable companies and manufacturers that do not require grants to join the ecosystem.
