{"id":5783,"date":"2025-06-25T18:47:18","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T15:47:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stage.thedefender.media\/?post_type=insights&p=5783"},"modified":"2025-12-11T15:11:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T13:11:07","slug":"doudays-why-it-leaders-go-to-defence-tech","status":"publish","type":"insights","link":"http:\/\/stage.thedefender.media\/en\/insights\/doudays-why-it-leaders-go-to-defence-tech\/","title":{"rendered":"From civilian to defence tech: Himera’s Misha Rudominsky, Roboneers’ Anton Skrypnyk and Oko Camera’s Yevhen Syvachenko"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Russian\u2013Ukrainian war has prompted many civilian entrepreneurs and IT company leaders to shift into the field of defence technologies. Among them are Himera co-founder Misha Rudominsky, Roboneers co-founder Anton Skrypnyk, and Oko Kamera CTO Yevhen Syvachenko. Speaking at a panel discussion during the DOU Day 2025 conference, they shared insights on their transition into the defence sector, compared civilian and military tech development, and challenged several popular myths around the industry. Defender Media highlights key takeaways from the discussion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How the transition happened<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For Himera co-founder Misha Rudominsky<\/a>, the turning point came at the start of the full-scale invasion. \u201cI looked around and thought, \u2018I need to do something,\u2019\u201d he recalls. He admits that he was looking for a way to contribute without mobilising, and this became the foundation of his new venture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Himera<\/summary>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Himera Radios specialises in the production of secure tactical radio communication systems<\/a> for Ukraine\u2019s Defence Forces. Its flagship product, the G1 Pro radio, employs a pseudo-random frequency-hopping system and AES-256 encryption, making it virtually impossible to intercept or decode conversations. HIMERA recently secured its first international contract<\/a> and is already supplying radios to the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Special Operations Forces.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Military
Himera radio | Photo \u0421ourtesy: Himera<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Anton Skrypnyk points to a personal loss: the day before the invasion, his father \u2013 the founder of the company that would later become Roboneers \u2013 passed away. Anton bought out the shares of the other co-owners and gave himself six months to determine whether the company could be of use to the military. Following early successes, he devoted himself fully to developing the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yevhen Syvachenko\u2019s transition took place over several years. Since 2004, he has moved from engineer to entrepreneur, with experience in high-precision computing, robotics and software architecture. His entry into defence tech, he says, was not a career change but a natural continuation of his education and experience: \u201cI think I just occupied a niche based on the results of my education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From product to frontline<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The approach to product development in defence tech differs significantly from that in B2B or B2C tech sectors. It requires full immersion in the environment of the end user \u2014 the frontline, dugouts, and the daily life of soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Roboneers, all products go through three stages<\/a>: working on the table, working in the field, and working on the frontline. The team refuses to leave the testing ground until a device functions properly under real conditions, says Skrypnyk. That is where hypotheses are tested and real needs emerge. For example, comfortable handles may prove more valuable than AI features, and damage is more often caused by trench mice chewing cables than by enemy fire or weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Roboneers<\/summary>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2014, Roboneers unites four teams of engineers, electronic engineers, ex-military and IT specialists developing UAVs, remote control modules, software and situational awareness programs, and remotely controlled platforms. Among the company\u2019s products are the Ironclad and Camel unmanned ground vehicles, the Shablya combat module, and the Outpost situational awareness system.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Ironclad UGV by Roboneers | Photo by manufacturer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Syvachenko adds that responsibility in defence tech is radically higher: \u201cIf the product doesn\u2019t work, someone dies.\u201d This makes the development, testing and documentation process subject to rigorous oversight. He cites Soviet-era engineering standards such as ESKD and ESPD as useful tools for ensuring that no critical details are overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing on his earlier work with Promin Aerospace, Rudominsky notes that while aerospace engineering experience is applicable, it must be adapted to new dynamics. For instance, highly skilled engineers may lack soft skills, which creates communication barriers between them and younger teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Management that works: between teal and drill<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Although all three operate in the same sector, their organisational models differ significantly<\/a>. Roboneers has over 400 employees, with roughly a third in R&D and the rest in production. The R&D team works under an adapted SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) model, allowing them to initiate new projects and manage budgets independently. The production unit operates as a separate system with a strict hierarchy and schedule, with work often starting at 6\u20137 a.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Syvachenko points out that while R&D is often seen as the more intellectually demanding domain, production is the most complex part of the company. It determines whether a product can scale, and its workflow must be segmented and highly disciplined \u2014 even one absent worker can halt the entire assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Oko Camera<\/summary>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oko Camera is a Ukrainian product company founded in 2022, specialising in the development and production of thermal imaging cameras for drones, including UAVs, UGVs, and navigation systems. The company\u2019s cameras have been tested in combat and are actively used on the frontline for reconnaissance and target designation in low-visibility or challenging weather conditions. Oko Kamera holds BRV1 status from Brave1 \u2014 awarded to technologies deemed a priority for the Defence Forces \u2014 and was the winner of the Defence track at the IT Arena Startup Competition 2024.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thermal
Thermal imaging optics by Oko Camera | Photo by manufacturer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At Himera, the production process is smaller, with many operations automated or not requiring heavy equipment. Still, structure is important. A welder who repeats the same task every day needs clarity on what is expected and when. Ambiguity is perceived as stress, not freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although agile management practices are common in start-ups, they do not always translate well to military technology. Rudominsky is blunt: \u201cTurquoise management definitely doesn\u2019t work in defence tech.\u201d Creativity is vital, but so are deadlines, responsibility and formal processes \u2014 especially when working with military stakeholders. The key is to strike a balance: teams must be free to innovate, but also maintain discipline and focus. In this environment, avoiding difficult colleagues is not an option \u2014 collaboration is essential, even with those you don\u2019t get along with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myths and fears around defence tech<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The speakers identified three common misconceptions about the defence tech sector:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. \u201cDefence tech is just an office job.\u201d <\/strong>Skrypnyk disagrees: \u201cIt\u2019s not an office. We send people into the field. Hoes, mud, frost.\u201d Roboneers employees have spent weeks at a time at training grounds, testing equipment in -17\u00b0C conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. \u201cWorking in defence tech leads directly to mobilisation.\u201d<\/strong> Rudominsky acknowledges this is a frequent fear among potential recruits. But in reality, he says, cooperation with military structures is a responsibility, not a trap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. \u201cMilitary culture is incompatible with creativity.\u201d<\/strong> All three panelists dispute this. In their experience, the most effective solutions arise precisely at the intersection of discipline and creative freedom.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Insights from panel discussion at DOU Day 2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":5708,"template":"","tags":[226,216,1728,1683,529,733],"class_list":["post-5783","insights","type-insights","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-himera","tag-industry","tag-investments","tag-misha-rudominsky","tag-oko-camera","tag-roboneers","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFrom civilian to defence tech: Himera's Misha Rudominsky, Roboneers' Anton Skrypnyk and Oko Camera's Yevhen Syvachenko - Defender Media<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Insights from panel discussion at DOU Day 2025 | Read more on Defender Media\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From civilian to defence tech: Himera's Misha Rudominsky, Roboneers' Anton Skrypnyk and Oko Camera's Yevhen Syvachenko - 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