The Ministry of Defense held a large-scale technological hackathon, Machine Assault 2.0, which gathered over 50 teams of Ukrainian and foreign engineers and developers who presented innovative solutions for the country's defense.
The hackathon focused on two strategic challenges critical for the Armed Forces: countering guided aerial bombs (GABs), which are difficult to intercept with current air defense systems, and countering drones with fiber-optic control, resistant to electronic warfare.
During the first stage, participants worked on these challenges online for three weeks, supported by mentors from the Armed Forces. In the final round, held offline on December 7-8, the teams presented their solutions to a panel of judges.
The 12 winning teams will receive grants totaling $150,000 from the event's partners to further develop their projects. They will also receive support from the Ministry of Defense for rapid testing and implementation of their solutions.
"Our hackathon became a unique platform that brought together the brightest minds of Ukraine and our international partners. It is in such synergy that breakthrough ideas are born to ensure technological superiority, counter the enemy, and protect the lives of our military and civilians. The Ministry of Defense will ensure that the most promising solutions from 'Machine Assault 2.0' are quickly tested on the battlefield and strengthen our military," commented Kateryna Chernohoryenko, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitization.
The jury recognized the best projects from teams such as FENEK, ARES, GAV, Night Watch, Frontline, TechNari, Motorhouse, and Quadrature, among others. The prize fund for the teams was provided by sponsors including the tech companies Tekever and MyDefence, Uklon, the Nezlamni Fund, the D3 investment fund, the European Defence Tech Hub, and the Defense Alliance of Ukraine.
"With this hackathon, the Ministry of Defense is doing something important, as when military, state, and business expertise unite, Ukraine's defense industry grows rapidly. The development grants are just the first step on this path. Future success depends on the growth of the teams, attracting investment, efficient testing, and scaling solutions that can significantly strengthen Ukraine's defense forces," noted Kateryna Bezsudna, co-founder and CEO of the defense accelerator Defence Builder.
Machine Assault 2.0 was organized by the Ministry of Defense in collaboration with the Defense Builder startup accelerator. Event partners included Uklon, Nezlamni, the European Defence Tech Hub, the Reform Support Foundation in Ukraine, the UK Government's SDA project, tech company Vyriy, and the State-Owned Enterprise Digital Army.
