New Defense Initiative: BraveTech EU
The European Union and Ukraine are launching a new initiative in the defense sector called BraveTech EU. This initiative aims to mobilize 100 million euros to seek technological solutions that can significantly impact the war, announced Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
The initiative was announced during a joint press conference with European Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius.
The project will be coordinated in Ukraine by the defense innovation cluster Brave1, while the European side will manage it through the European Defense Innovation Office (EUDIO), based in Kyiv. Funding will come from the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS).
“This is the first major technological alliance between Ukraine and Europe. Each side will contribute equally,” emphasized Mykhailo Fedorov.
He explained that BraveTech EU includes:
- hackathons between Ukrainian and European companies to test solutions;
- grant support for defense startups;
- integration of Ukrainian defense tech into the European market;
- joint development of solutions that will change the game on the battlefield.
The initiative will be implemented in two phases:
1) Seed (autumn 2025)
Hackathons focusing on frontline needs, establishing partnerships among startups, investors, and companies.
2) Scale up (2026)
Attracting additional resources to provide grants to startups, enabling 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 to join the ecosystem without needing grants.
