The European Commission and Ukraine have launched the BraveTech EU initiative, which aims to accelerate defence innovation through closer cooperation, Report informs referring to a joint statement by the EC and Ukraine.
"Together with Ukraine, the European Commission is announcing the BraveTech EU initiative, aimed at accelerating defence innovation through closer cooperation. Building on battlefield-tested innovations from Ukraine, BraveTech EU will strengthen the EU's and Ukraine's defence capabilities and deepen integration with Ukraine's defence industry.
This is more than a tech partnership—it is a strategic investment in European security. It underlines the EU's commitment to learning from Ukraine while reinforcing its own defence industrial base. BraveTech EU represents a unified effort to elevate defence innovation, reinforcing both Ukraine's and the EU's security and technological prowess. The joint actions of BraveTech EU will support new defence technologies in the EU and Ukraine, in a spirit of equal partnership," reads the statement.
The announcement coincides with the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. The initiative connects the Ministry of Digital Transformation BRAVE 1 defence tech platform with EU programmes like the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS). It aims to boost innovation by supporting joint actions, hackathons, rapid testing, and direct collaboration between European and Ukrainian companies, especially start-ups and SMEs.
The BraveTech EU initiative builds on the success of the EDF-powered EUDIS to drive innovations in the European defence industry. Initial activities under BraveTech EU will receive support through EDF/EUDIS, with proposed adaptations to EDF work programmes potentially mobilising 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.
Since the start of Russia's war of aggression, Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience and demonstrated an outstanding ability to transform ground-breaking innovation into fighting capabilities. Indeed, Ukraine has increased its defence production by 35 times since 2022 and built a fully integrated ecosystem of defence companies and government bodies in an agile innovation system with fast development and battlefield deployment.
In parallel, the EU's EUDIS, launched in 2021, has supported defence innovation through measures like hackathons and tech challenges, and has encouraged startups and SMEs involvement.
BraveTech EU will be implemented in two phases. A first ‘Seed' Phase, starting in the autumn 2025, will build upon existing EDF activities, enhancing collaboration with Ukraine's defence innovation ecosystem.