Ukraine, together with the European Union, is launching a new grant program — EU4UA Defence Tech — aimed at developing technologies for intercepting hostile drones and advancing modern radar systems. Companies can receive up to €150,000 for building and testing prototypes, the Ministry of Digital Transformation announced on December 1.

The program is implemented by Brave1 and the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) in partnership with the EU.

In the first phase, funding will target solutions in two priority areas:

• high-speed drone interceptors (450+ km/h);
• radar systems for early detection and airspace protection.

The maximum grant is €150,000 — twice the size of standard Brave1 grants. Funds may be used for:

• technology validation,
• prototype development and refinement,
• field testing in real-world conditions.

Participation requirements and selection process

Applications are open from December 1, 2025 to January 14, 2026.

Teams with technological readiness levels TRL 5–6 are eligible.

The selection process will include three stages:

1. compliance check,
2. defence expertise review,
3. final pitch before a joint committee representing Brave1, BRDO, the Ministry of Defence, the General Staff, and the EU.

The program is funded by the European Union and will run from September 2025 to February 2027. Its objective is to strengthen Ukraine’s technological and industrial defence base and deepen integration with the European defence sector.

In 2026, two additional grant rounds are planned, along with hackathons, expanded regulatory support, and the opening of a Brave1 Expo Room.

Ukraine’s drone sector is expanding rapidly

The full-scale war has transformed Ukraine into one of the world’s leading producers of drones and robotic systems. Driven by private innovation, competition, and government support, the sector is growing at record speed:

• In 2024, Ukrainian companies produced more than 2 million drones of various types.
• Drones accounted for 85% of all strikes on the frontline, compensating for shortages of traditional weapons.
• In 2025, production doubled, and the Ministry of Defence plans to procure 4.5 million units worth $2.7 billion — 96% of which will be domestically produced.

More than 2,000 developers and 4,600 defence products are already active on the Brave1 platform, which continues to scale with additional funding.

In parallel, the government is expanding support for defence-tech startups: at the end of November, the Ukrainian Startup Fund announced a dedicated grant program for producers of firefighting drones and ground robotic systems.

Source: https://inventure.com.ua