UK-Ukraine Defence Tech Forum

Speakers

Kevin Craven

Chief Executive Officer,
ADS Group

Daria Yaniieva

Investment Director,
Sigma Software Labs

Mike Dewhirst

Chief Executive Officer,
Evolve Dynamics

Enrique Oti

Venture Partner,
Green Flag Ventures

Viktoriia Yaremchuk

CEO & Co-Founder,
Farsight Vision

Vojta Rocek

Partner,
Presto Tech Horizons

Nicholas Nelson

Partner,
MD One

Dr Chris Magazzeni

Associate, IQ Capital /
Co-Chair, UK Defence Investor Network

Yevhen Popov

Head of Partnerships,
Osavul

Christopher Baxter

Co-Owner,
Skyeton

Clayton Williams

Managing Director,
IQT International

Serhii Kupriienko

Chief Executive Officer,
Swarmer

Misha Rudominski

Co-Founder,
HIMERA

Partners

Official Partner

Information partners and supporting organisations

Introduction

“Accessing financing to scale-up and accelerate the introduction of new technologies”

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.

Programme

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
- Charting the growth of UK-UA defence industrial and Defence Tech cooperation in the last 2 years – key milestones
- Status update on the rapidly evolving technology being employed on the frontline
- Can the controlled export of Ukrainian military production during the war be a viable option in order to raise additional tax revenues and allow the defence industry to invest in new technologies and expand production?
- Providing an insight into UK Government funding and procurement procedures
- How Government and Primes can drive innovation and a more agile and responsive defence sector through closer collaboration with VCs, startups and SMEs
11:00 Morning refreshments
11:30 Session 2: Financing Scalability: The Importance Of The VC Ecosystem For Ukrainian And International Defence Tech
- The critical role of Venture Capital in driving and accelerating technological advancements
- How securing investment is enabling Defence Tech startups to fulfil existing demand, scale operations, refine their technology and accelerate their impact
- Charting the growth of European sustainable investment funds’ exposure to defence stock
- Who is winning the debate on whether defence companies can be classified as an ESG investment? Are overcautious or misapplied ESG considerations still restricting the ability of the sector to attract the required financing?
- Developing dual-use projects as a means to alleviate investor concerns
- The impact Defence Tech clusters and accelerators are having on educating investors, identifying emerging technologies and channelling investment
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Session 3: Showcasing Case Studies From Fast-Growing Defence Tech Startups In Ukraine And The UK
- The importance of building integration and collaboration amongst companies and founders to grow the Defence Tech ecosystem
- The crucial nature of the rapid feedback loop from the frontline to achieve accelerated development cycles
- An overview of the latest tech solutions being developed and which are most urgently required, including:
- Advanced guidance systems, algorithms and machine learning models
- Sensor integration and real-time data analysis
- Smart munitions capable of adjusting trajectory in-flight
- Simulators and training software
- Autonomous and semi-autonomous systems with high-precision targeting capabilities
- Network-centric warfare tools to improve data exchange and enhance command and control systems
- Counter-drone and electronic warfare systems
- Secure and adaptable tactical communication systems
15:30 Afternoon refreshments
16:00 Session 4: Practicalities Of Doing Business In The Ukrainian Defence Tech Sector For UK And International Business
- Highlighting the range of investment incentives available and the importance of a single window investment agency
- The need for long-term planning to align investments with government procurement plans
- Streamlining, simplifying and digitalising import and export licencing processes to encourage FDI
- Progress report on the development of war risk insurance mechanisms to stimulate and protect investment flows
- Addressing the challenges of shortages in the workforce, the possibility for key workers to receive exemption from mobilisation and the importance of labour upskilling and reskilling. Simplifying work and residency permits for international staff
- Ensuring the necessary mechanisms and legislation are in place to protect international and domestic investors in disputes and arbitration
17:30 Evening reception