A hands-free approach to warfare
Guest blog by Andriy Dovbenko, Investor and Founder at UK-Ukraine TechExchange and Daria Partas, Founder at Partas Global #DefTechWeek
War is rapidly changing and technology has advanced enormously due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Innovation and the unfortunate loss of lives are the only guarantees in war.
As a result of the war in Ukraine, electronic warfare (EW) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hardware and software innovations have irreversibly changed the battlefield and military tactics. Out of necessity, cheap, lightweight commercial drones have become as integral as their military-grade equivalents.
The weapon of choice
Drones have thrived in Ukraine due to the nation’s lush forests and expansive terrain, going where people can’t and seeing what the human eye alone cannot. In the nearly three years of war, drones have been adapted to ever-changing conditions. Surveillance, reconnaissance and targeted strikes - even at ground level - have been made easier with drones.
Buntar Aerospace is one such company redefining surveillance and reconnaissance. Not only is its technology greatly reducing the cost of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) but also significantly reducing drone losses and maximising mission effectiveness through smart software, Buntar Copilot.
Quality vs. quantity
The Ukrainian startup ecosystem has shifted heavily towards DefenceTech as Ukraine works to safeguard the nation and save lives. Nevertheless, fewer successful innovative companies are far more effective than many companies with failing technology. Focusing on getting the tech “right” will make the difference between Ukrainian lives saved or land recovered and mounting losses.
Skyeton has long since established itself as a key pillar of the drone industry. By manufacturing unmanned aerial systems (UAS), the aviation production business operates on two levels: civilian and defence. It monitors vast areas, extensive infrastructure, and hard-to-reach territories with high accuracy and precision in real-time. This enables it to intervene before significant loss. Its technology also identifies and locates targets in enemy territory and can overcome GPS jamming, link spoofing and ground-to-air attacks. A defining feature of Skyeton, and where it differs from competitors, is its ability to collect data and acquire targets under EW and without GPS; critical aspects for a country constantly experiencing blackouts and attacks on electrical infrastructure.
Innovation at its finest
Wartime innovation relies on responding at pace to new challenges. Ukrainian entrepreneurs now have first-hand experience of the frontline and direct communication with battalions to understand what’s needed, when, and how existing tech can be improved.
Such insight has saved countless lives and meant companies such as Kvertus have quickly become market leaders in the rapidly evolving EW space, iterating and learning from experiences on the frontline. It’s only a matter of time before this technology makes its way from the battlefield onto critical infrastructure worldwide, safeguarding it from potential UAV threats. Kvertus demonstrates the Ukrainian ability to pivot since it was founded in 2016. Its technology suppresses and detects enemy UAVs and drones, and its Ad Kraken devices act as a protective dome to establish both a safety corridor and block enemy electronic artillery.
Born directly out of the conflict, Huless saw the opportunity to develop more high-tech drones, as opposed to first-person-view (FPV) versions. Its tethered drones attached to a connection line has helped to (re-)establish communication lines so soldiers know what’s happening at all times - something brigades identified as a major issue on the battlefield, where a lack of communication can be the difference between life and death.
Future-proofing Ukraine
Beyond the battlefield, Ukraine is the most land-mined country on the planet. There’s a growing realisation that land will need to be demined for civilian life and agricultural production to return. Transimpex is making headway by using advanced technology to address the colossal challenge of land destroyed by Russian mines. Through its development of automated solutions and drones, Transimpex will reduce the current dependency on human labour in demining.
Any startup that can harness technology such as AI to help increase efficiency when surveying vast swathes of land will be vital in accelerating the demining process, supporting the nation’s rebuild, and restoring Ukraine’s status as the ‘breadbasket of the world’.
UK-Ukraine TechExchange would like to hear if you think your technology can be used to advance Ukraine’s war efforts.
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Fred Sugden
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Fred is responsible for techUK's activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working to provide members with access to key stakeholders across the Defence and National Security community. Before taking on the role of Associate Director for Defence and National Security, Fred joined techUK in 2018, working as the Programme Head for Defence at techUK, leading the organisation's engagement with the Ministry of Defence. Before joining techUK, he worked at ADS, the national trade association representing Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space companies in the UK.
Fred is responsible for techUK’s market engagement and policy development activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working closely with various organisations within the Ministry of Defence, and across the wider National Security and Intelligence community. Fred works closely with many techUK member companies that have an interest in these sectors, and is responsible for the activities of techUK's senior Defence & Security Board. Working closely with techUK's Programme Head for Cyber Security, Fred oversees a broad range of activities for techUK members.
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Raya Tsolova is a Programme Manager at techUK.
Prior to joining techUK, Raya worked in Business Development for an expert network firm within the institutional investment space. Before this Raya spent a year in industry working for a tech start-up in London as part of their Growth team which included the formation and development of a 'Let's Talk Tech' podcast and involvement in London Tech Week.
Raya has a degree in Politics and International Relations (Bsc Hons) from the University of Bath where she focused primarily on national security and counter-terrorism policies, centreing research on female-led terrorism and specific approaches to justice there.
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Jeremy Wimble
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Jeremy manages techUK's defence programme, helping the UK's defence technology sector align itself with the Ministry of Defence - including Defence Digital, DE&S, innovation units and Frontline Commands - through a broad range of activities including private briefings and early market engagement events. It also supports the MOD as it procures new digital technologies.
Prior to joining techUK, from 2016-2024 Jeremy was International Security Programme Manager at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) coordinating research and impact activities for funders including the FCDO and US Department of Defense, as well as business development and strategy.
Jeremy has a MA in International Relations from the University of Birmingham and a BA (Hons) in Politics & Social Policy from Swansea University.
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Authors
Andriy Dovbenko
Private Equity & Venture Investor, UK-Ukraine TechExchange
Andriy Dovbenko is a Ukrainian-born and UK-based early-stage investor focused on defence and agriculture solutions seeking to accelerate the commercial potential of the startups in those sectors. Via his non-profit startup support programme UK-Ukraine TechExchange, he hopes to help Ukrainian startups achieve global impact, initially through access to the UK market while also discovering UK tech startups offering solutions that may benefit Ukraine.
Following a degree in jurisprudence from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Andriy began his career as a lawyer at PwC before moving to E&Y. His career flourished and quickly he became a managing partner at an international law firm, later starting his own practice, Evris Law. He has also led technology investments in verticals such as fintech. The combination of his technology investments and previous experience in the agricultural sector, has enabled Andriy to develop a particular understanding of how digital tools can be used to transform this industry.
Outside of fostering startup collaboration between the UK and Ukraine, Andriy is a history buff, with a keen interest in modern literature, and an avid football fan.
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Daria Partas
Founder and Lead Communications Strategist, Partas Global
