During the year, members of the Defence Tech cluster Brave1 presented more than 1600 developments

During the year of its operation, the Ukrainian Defence Tech cluster Brave1 presented 1,671 developments, and 963 developers joined its program, according to the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

The cluster, established in April 2023, brought together the state, military, and technology businesses to develop defence innovations. Startups that have joined Brave1 emphasize the importance of simplifying bureaucracy, protecting supply chains, and access to finance, as their key customer is the state.

“After the full-scale invasion, it became obvious that we needed technological game changers at the front. That’s why we launched Brave1,” said Mykhailo Fedorov, Minister of Digital Transformation.

Brave1 operates in 12 areas, including:

• UAVs
• Intelligence
• Electronic warfare and navigation systems
• Ground robotic systems
• Military medicine

Particular attention is now being paid to electronic warfare, drones and artificial intelligence in defense.

Over the year of its operation, Brave1 has funded 173 grants worth $3 million, and the budget for 2024 provides for ₴1.5 billion to support developers. The maximum grant amount has been increased to $200,000.