The Ukrainian defense innovation industry is showing one of the fastest growth rates in the world. Currently, the Brave1 platform registers more than 3,000 unique Ukrainian developments from over 1,400 Ukrainian manufacturers. These results have been achieved in just 1.5 years of the cluster's existence.
This was shared by Brave1 CEO Nataliia Kushnerska during the panel discussion Ukrainian Defense Tech on the Global Market at the Kyiv International Economic Forum.
"Ukrainian developers create world-unique solutions with exceptional speed and significantly fewer resources than most countries. To maintain this pace and continuously improve the quality of developments, we at Brave1 are actively working to transform the Ukrainian defense innovation ecosystem into an economically powerful system. For this, we need support from the international community—both financial and technological, as well as advisory," emphasized Nataliia Kushnerska.
One measure of international interest in Ukraine's defense tech industry is the increase in investment in domestic companies. Since the beginning of the year, more than $25 million has been invested, the majority of which comes from foreign investors.
Ukrainian defense tech is attracting international investors for several key reasons:
- Ukrainian technologies have already been tested in real combat conditions.
- The pace of innovation in Ukrainian teams is extraordinarily fast (development cycles are significantly shorter than those of manufacturers in the US or Europe).
- Even with strong teams and high-quality products, Ukrainian companies remain economically accessible compared to American and European businesses.
"Investing in Ukrainian defense innovations is not just about strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities but also investing in the security of Europe and the world. We are open to collaborations that strengthen Ukraine and make Europe and the world safer," concluded Nataliia Kushnerska.
