Ukrainian Defence Tech Night: the first Ukrainian defence technology event held as part of Tech Week by a16z

On October 11, a16z held the “Ukrainian Defense Tech Night: Protect & Innovate,” the first Ukrainian event dedicated to defence technology, which was attended by about 300 experts and entrepreneurs. The event was supported by the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco, UkraineNow and the IT Ukraine Association. It was the first time in history that Silicon Valley hosted a Ukrainian defence tech event.

 

We see a growing interest in defense tech in Silicon Valley these days. VC firms are hiring special teams focusing on defense only. However, only in Ukraine are real-time defense innovations possible. Our domestic defense production has significantly increased since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. We have hundreds of teams of talented engineers working on these innovations on the battlefield. However, further growth requires foreign expertise, access to supply chains, and technology.  And the main problem is the lack of capital. The answer from Silicon Valley could be in the launching of non-equity funds to support Ukrainian defense startups. It will help Ukrainian companies to increase the actual production, fine-tune their products, grow in the domestic market, and support those who have a potential for global growth,

– noted Dmytro Kushneruk, Consul General of Ukraine in San Francisco.

   

The event’s main stage featured discussions on the key challenges facing the defense sector and the vital role of international partnerships in enhancing Ukraine’s defense capabilities. With all participants actively working to support the country, the event focused on practical, actionable steps. Speakers included top experts, such as diplomats, entrepreneurs, and veterans:

• Dmytro Kushneruk — Consul General of Ukraine in San Francisco;
• Gauthier Vasseur — Executive Director at the Berkeley Fisher Center for Business Analytics and UN Global Compact Ukraine;
• Anton Borzov is a Ukrainian entrepreneur, partner at StratMinds VC, former lead designer at WhatsApp and Neeva, and an angel investor focusing on Ukrainian startups.
• Junaid Islam — OODA expert with 35 years of experience in secure communications and developing network protocols adopted by the U.S. Department of Defense;
• Steve Taub — DARPA and VC expert who invests in startups in energy, robotics, and aerospace industries;
• Artur Kiulian — Ukrainian entrepreneur leading AI/ML at Victoria, with 65 startups launched, 7 of which have been successfully sold;
• Kostyantyn Shysh — Founder & CEO of Traces, a company specializing in AI for the security sector;
• Alexander Ravski — Corporate attorney and founder of Nebo Legal, venture capital, and M&A expert.

   

The event’s organizers also announced the launch of Victoria, a venture studio aimed at driving innovation and strengthening the defense sector.

 

The top priority right now is building bridges between Ukraine and Silicon Valley,

said Nazar Gulyk, founder of Empat and co-founder of the Victoria venture studio, explaining the event’s purpose.

 

Four startups pitched their innovative solutions, including unmanned systems, anti-drone technologies, and other defense innovations. Among the attendees were VCs, investors, and industry experts. 

 

We’ve received incredible support from the international community, and this is just the beginning. We plan to keep organizing events like this to strengthen the connection between global innovation and Ukraine’s defense sector,

said Artur Kiulian, organizer and co-founder of Victoria.

 

“Ukrainian Defense Tech Night: Protect & Innovate” was the result of collaboration between the Victoria studio, UkraineNow, and other Ukrainian partners, including the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco, IT Ukraine Association, BRAVE1, and the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.