Four companies to invest more than $100 million in Ukrainian defense technologies: Brave1 Defense Tech Valley 2025 results
Drone Industry
Four companies from Europe and the United States have announced plans to invest more than $100 million in Ukrainian defense technologies, along with the first closed funding rounds.
The announcement was made by Brave1, Ukraine’s Defense Tech development cluster, following the Defense Tech Valley 2025 event held in Lviv on September 16–17.
Organizers added that, separately during the event, the Ukrainian company Swarmer announced the largest public investment deal in the history of Ukrainian defense tech — it secured $15 million from U.S. investors.
"Ukraine is shaping the modern doctrine of war, where technology plays a decisive role. Our message to international investors and companies is simple: if you are not in Ukraine, you are not in the defense tech market. Since 2024, thanks to Brave1’s efforts, Ukrainian defense companies have already raised $90 million in investments, and the average ticket has grown from $300,000 to $1 million. At Defense Tech Valley 2025, we are reaching a new level — four investment funds announced plans to invest more than $100 million in Ukrainian defense tech, along with the first closed rounds," said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.
Details of the investment deals
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The Dutch company NUNC Capital allocated €20 million for the Venture Enterprise Initiative to boost Ukraine’s defense innovations. Its first priority is the development of a FOB for investment in the local defense industry. The company has prepared a specific business case in the field of "New Materials," aimed at reducing Ukraine’s dependence on foreign support, creating jobs, and contributing to the national economy.
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The German-Luxembourg venture fund Verne Capital, which specializes in European defense, security, and cybersecurity companies, announced its intention to invest up to €25 million in Ukrainian defense innovations.
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The Swedish fund Varangians unveiled a large-scale investment plan for Ukraine and has already closed its first deal, with details to be disclosed soon.
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Oedipus Inc. announced its launch as the first permanent-capital fund in Europe focused exclusively on defense technologies. The founding team has years of experience investing in autonomous technologies developed in Ukraine. The company is expected to announce ambitious plans for cooperation in Ukraine’s defense sector soon.
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The Ukrainian company Swarmer, which develops "swarm drone" technologies, announced that it raised $15 million in a Series A round from U.S. investment funds led by Broadband Capital Investments.
"It is time for Europe not only to support Ukraine but also to learn from Ukraine. The question before us is not simply how to create a certain technology; it is how to build an entire ecosystem of defense innovation. That is why our task now is to integrate Ukraine’s defense industry into Europe’s, so that we can support and learn from each other to strengthen the security of not only Ukraine but the entire European continent," said EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius.
The EU Commissioner noted that the recent incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace served as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of Europe’s defense capabilities in confronting modern threats such as drones. He stressed that European companies must adopt Ukraine’s advanced experience in air defense.
Overall, the event was attended by more than 300 investors from Europe and North America — twice as many as at Brave1’s previous major event in February 2025, the Defense Tech Innovation Forum. In total, Defense Tech Valley 2025 brought together over 5,000 participants from more than 50 countries.
