The European Commission and Ukraine are launching the BraveTech EU initiative aimed at accelerating defense innovation through closer cooperation. BraveTech EU strengthens the defense capabilities of the EU and Ukraine and promotes integration with Ukraines defense industry.

This is more than a tech partnership; it is a strategic investment in European security. It underscores the EUs commitment to learn from Ukraine while reinforcing its own defense industrial base. BraveTech EU represents a unified effort to elevate defense innovation, benefiting both Ukraines and the EUs security. The joint actions of BraveTech EU will support new defense technologies in the EU and Ukraine, in a spirit of equal partnership.

The announcement coincides with the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. The initiative connects the Ministry of Digital Transformation BRAVE 1 defense tech platform with EU programs like the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS). Its goal is to boost innovation by supporting joint actions, hackathons, rapid testing, and direct collaboration between European and Ukrainian companies, particularly startups and SMEs.

BraveTech EU supports the goals of the White Paper for European Defence - Readiness 2030 and the new EU-Ukraine Task Force on Defence Industrial Cooperation. It helps align the EU and Ukrainian defense ecosystems while leveraging the innovation potential of closer EU-Ukraine collaboration, focusing on defense industries and new tech ventures.
Since the start of Russias war of aggression, Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience and demonstrated an outstanding ability to transform groundbreaking innovation into combat capabilities. Ukraine has increased its defense production by 35 times since 2022 and built a fully integrated ecosystem of defense companies and government bodies in an agile innovation system with rapid development and battlefield deployment.

In parallel, the EUs EUDIS, launched in 2021, has supported defense innovation through measures like hackathons and tech challenges, and has encouraged startups and SMEs involvement.

Next steps

BraveTech EU will be implemented in two phases. A first ‘Seed’ phase, starting in autumn 2025, will build upon existing EDF activities and enhance collaboration with Ukraines defense innovation ecosystem.

Actions include Ukraine-focused defense hackathons, matchmaking between Ukrainian and European firms and investors, R&D funding for European and Ukrainian startups, and testing opportunities to support technology development in Ukraine for European defense companies.

A second ‘Scale Up’ phase will expand Seed Phase actions, using additional resources from the EDF and the Ukraine Support Instrument (USI) under the upcoming European Defence Industrial Programme (EDIP).

Activities involve integrating Ukrainian startups and scale-ups into the EUDIS Business Accelerator along with European companies, potential grants and equity support, and technology development.

Background

The BraveTech EU initiative builds on the success of the EDF-powered EUDIS to drive innovations in the European defense industry. Initial activities under BraveTech EU will receive support through EDF/EUDIS, with proposed adaptations to EDF work programs potentially mobilizing up to €50 million. This funding will match the €50 million earmarked by the Ukrainian government, creating a significant combined effect.

Further expansion of the initiative will occur through the Ukraine Support Instrument (USI) once EDIP is enacted.

The European Union Defence Innovation Office (EUDIO) in Kyiv will support implementation, aligning its resources with the initiatives activities.

BraveTech EU aims to accelerate the adoption of defense innovation across the EU and Ukraine, potentially offering new opportunities under the SAFE instrument. It will also contribute to the upcoming Roadmap for the Acceleration of Defence Transformation, due to be published by the end of 2025, establishing a framework for enhanced EU-Ukraine defense cooperation, incorporating new technology platforms and insights from Ukraine.

Focusing on small and medium-sized enterprises and startups in both regions, the initiative will promote the exchange of best regulatory practices. It will support innovation development, scaling, and fast-track procurement of new defense technologies.