Chief Executive Officer,
ADS Group
Investment Director,
Sigma Software Labs
Chief Executive Officer,
Evolve Dynamics
Venture Partner,
Green Flag Ventures
CEO & Co-Founder,
Farsight Vision
Partner,
Presto Tech Horizons
Partner,
MD One
Associate, IQ Capital /
Co-Chair, UK Defence Investor Network
Head of Partnerships,
Osavul
Co-Owner,
Skyeton
Managing Director,
IQT International
Chief Executive Officer,
Swarmer
Co-Founder,
HIMERA
The war in Ukraine has totally redefined warfare and the defence industry's future. Since February 2022 Ukraine has become synonymous with defence innovation.
Ukrainian and international defence tech start-ups are developing their technologies, not least in UAVs, EW tools, communication devices and robots, and their effectiveness is being proven on the frontline. What is required now is to channel investment to enable rapid scaling-up and the advancement of these technologies in order to speed up their deployment.
The Ukrainian and international defence tech VC ecosystems have mobilised and are proactively investing in the most promising technologies and innovative companies. At the same time international investment funds’ exposure to defence and aerospace is steadily rising as investors recognise the need for a strong and technologically advanced defence industrial base.
The Forum has been convened to bring together all key stakeholders – government, technology developers and VCs – for a timely discussion on how to channel investment without delay to where it is most needed.
Background
In May 2024 we held the Ukrainian Drone Defence Forum at RUSI in London in cooperation with Kinstellar and with the support of D3 VC.
The Forum was convened to enhance the collaboration between Ukrainian and British drone manufacturers and technology firms to scale up drone and electronic warfare production – a top partnership priority.
We were pleased to cooperate with the UK Department for Business and Trade and the Ministry of Defence on the delivery of the event. The keynote speaker was the Chief of the UK Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. and Major General Anna-Lee Reilly and other senior MOD and DBT officials described the UK government’s efforts to supply Ukraine with equipment and funding for drone development, as well other areas. The forum was also supported by the Ukrainian government and military, with representatives from the Ministry of Strategic Industries and the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces - the drone sector’s ultimate client - clarifying Ukraine’s front line technology needs.
To produce tangible outcomes D3 VC brought 15 hand-picked leading Ukrainian drone producers to London to create partnerships with drone sector members of ADS Group.
We are grateful to the outstanding Sponsors of the Forum, namely Palantir, Helsing, Sigma Software Labs, Evolve Dynamics, Tetra Tech, FUIB and Red Hat.
The Forum attracted over 250 participants and registration had to be closed well in advance of the event.
08:30 Registration and morning refreshments
09:30 Session 1: Channelling Investment Into The Latest Defence Technologies To Enable Rapid Scaling-Up And Advance Cutting-Edge Technologies To Speed Up Their Deployment And Bring Victory Closer
11:00 Morning refreshments
11:30 Session 2: Financing Scalability: The Importance Of The VC Ecosystem For Ukrainian And International Defence Tech
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Session 3: Showcasing Case Studies From Fast-Growing Defence Tech Startups In Ukraine And The UK
15:30 Afternoon refreshments
16:00 Session 4: Practicalities Of Doing Business In The Ukrainian Defence Tech Sector For UK And International Business
17:30 Evening reception