The European Commission, in partnership with Ukraine, proudly announces BraveTech EU—a bold new initiative to accelerate defence innovation by building on battlefield-proven technologies and strengthening cooperation between the EU and Ukraine.
BraveTech EU aims to boost resilience, reinforce security, and drive strategic investment in Europe’s defence industrial base. It brings together the European Defence Fund (EDF), the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS), the European Defence Agency and Ukraine’s BRAVE1 defence tech platform to create a unified framework for joint development, testing, and deployment of cutting-edge defence solutions.
Ready to mobilise your local tech defence ecosystem? Apply to become a local organiser and host BraveTechEU DefTech Forges in March 2027.
Key dates ahead:
- Application opens: 14 September
- Applications close: 11 October
- Informative webinar: 23 September at 13:00 CET
- Selected organisers announced: end of October 2026
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DefTech Forges bootcamps: 15-22 March 2027
A Strategic Innovation Partnership
BraveTech EU is more than a technology initiative: it is a forward-looking alliance. By fostering direct collaboration between Ukrainian and European companies, including startups and SMEs, the initiative creates new opportunities for shared innovation and mutual growth. Some key objectives:
- Accelerate development of battlefield-tested defence technologies
- Facilitate matchmaking and cooperation between Ukrainian and EU firms
- Mobilise funding and support through EDF, EUDIS, and Ukraine’s innovation ecosystem
- Align regulatory practices and promote agile innovation and procurement
- Support resilience through joint investment and knowledge exchange
A Two-Phase Implementation
Phase 1: Seed phase
Launch of targeted activities to enhance collaboration and align innovation efforts, including:
- Ukraine-focused defence hackathons
- Matchmaking between Ukrainian and EU firms and investors
- R&D support and testing opportunities for startups
- Joint technology development for EU and Ukrainian defence needs
Phase 2: Scale Up phase
Expansion of pilot actions with additional support from the European Defence Industrial Programme (EDIP) and the Ukraine Support Instrument (USI), including:
- Full integration of Ukrainian companies into the EUDIS Business Accelerator
- Access to grants, equity instruments, and procurement pathways
- Larger-scale collaborative technology development initiatives
Anchored in our Shared Commitment
BraveTech EU contributes directly to the White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030 and supports the Joint EU-Ukraine Defence Innovation Task Force. It lays the groundwork for the forthcoming Roadmap for the Acceleration of Defence Transformation, to be published by end of 2025.
This initiative responds to Ukraine’s extraordinary wartime innovation and production growth—from €1 billion in 2022 to €35 billion in 2024—delivering agile, battlefield-ready technologies in record time. BraveTech EU channels this momentum into a shared European future of defence innovation.
Joint Funding and Support
Initial actions under BraveTech EU will be supported through existing EDF and EUDIS mechanisms. Up to €50 million in EU funding is proposed, matched by €50 million from the Ukrainian government, amplifying the impact of joint investments.
The European Union Defence Innovation Office (EUDIO) in Kyiv will coordinate implementation, ensuring seamless alignment between EU and Ukrainian efforts.
Quotes
Andrius Kubilius (Commissioner for Defence and Space) and Mykhailo Fedorov (Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology Development - Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine)
BraveTech EU is a new strategic step for development of EU’s and Ukraine’s defence industry cooperation. The EU, its Member States have an industrial capacity that can help Ukraine to develop new defence systems and to increase the European resilience. On the other hand, our defence industry will be able to learn a lot from a very innovative and dynamic Ukraine’s defence tech community, its industry and its ecosystem. We will deepen our integration – this is very much needed for both sides – for Ukraine and for the EU.
BraveTech EU is the first large-scale tech alliance between Ukraine and the EU. Ukraine’s wartime innovation is Europe’s new defence paradigm — and it must scale. Together, we build technologies that not only counter Russia but also redefine resilience. When Ukrainian and European minds unite, they shape history. I am grateful to the EU for its trust and vision. BraveTech EU proves that we no longer react to threats. We build a world strong enough to withstand them.