The European Union and Ukraine have announced the launch of a new defense initiative called BraveTech EU. According to Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, this program will mobilize 100 million euros to seek out innovative technologies that could change the course of the war.
The initiative was unveiled during a joint press conference with European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius.
The project will be coordinated from Ukraine by the Brave1 defense innovation cluster, while the EU will manage it 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).
Mykhailo Fedorov remarked, "This is the first major technological alliance between Ukraine and Europe, with both parties contributing equally to the funding."
He elaborated that BraveTech EU will involve:
- hackathons between Ukrainian and European companies to test innovations;
- grants for defense startups;
- integration of Ukrainian defense tech into the European market;
- joint development of solutions that will change the battlefield dynamics.
The initiative will be implemented in two phases:
1) Seed (Fall 2025)
Hackathons focusing on frontline needs, establishing partnerships between startups, investors, and companies.
2) Scale up (2026)
Attracting additional resources to provide grants for startups, enabling the scaling of breakthrough solutions developed during the hackathons.
Additionally, in June, Brave1 announced the launch of the Brave1 Club initiative, simplifying the process for stable companies and manufacturers seeking to join the ecosystem without requiring grants.