Ukrainian Tech Insider #3

Dear Friends and Colleagues, it’s the third issue of the Ukrainian Tech Insider newsletter covering industry news and focusing on defense tech & cybersecurity: news, investments,?reports, featured stories, podcasts.

Ukrainian Military-tech companies — the large guide by DOU

https://dou.ua/lenta/projects/ukrainian-miltech-guide/?from=recent_pinned?

Verhovna Rada Exempts Imports Of Security And Defense Goods From VAT And Duties

Also exempt from VAT taxation are operations for the supply of services related to military software, the international transfer of which is subject to state control.

https://ukranews.com/en/news/926236-rada-exempts-imports-of-security-and-defense-goods-from-vat-and-duties?

In person | I don't want to be prime minister, hope this will never happen, says Mykhailo Fedorov

• You are planning to launch a Military Tech cluster in the spring. What will it be about?

It will be a platform where any person, startup or company can apply if they have an idea for developing a project in terms of military innovation. Ready-made startups want to get grants, or established projects want to start working with the state and sell their project, or scientists have well-thought-out prototypes and want to integrate them into the Armed Forces. This cluster will bring together the Defence Forces and experts from the business community. This will be the only place where such cool military breakthrough projects appear in Ukraine, as they are now appearing in Israel or in the United States during World War II.

https://www.liga.net/en/politics/interview/mihail-fedorov-premerom-byt-ne-hochu-nadeyus-etogo-nikogda-ne-proizoydet?

Ukrainian army forms 3 new strike drone companies

"The Ukrainian army is undergoing active transformations and receiving unique new experience in this war, the most technologically advanced war in history. Earlier we have announced, together with the General Staff, the creation of the first ever strike drone companies. They will have a completely new approach to management, training and drone use doctrin

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/03/28/7395476/?

Ukraine’s Quest for Homegrown AI Drones to Take On Russia

Ukraine’s government is creating financial incentives to help domestic companies produce more drones themselves, with the goal of creating a thriving domestic drone-making industry. “And in a few weeks we will launch a separate Defense Tech Cluster.” That cluster will help military businesses with financing and other assistance, as Ukraine looks to parlay its war efforts into a nimble, high-tech defense industry. Since the start of the war, Ukraine has seen a tenfold increase in domestic military startups, Fedorov says—a new demonstration that necessity is the mother of invention

https://www.wired.com/story/fast-forward-ukraines-quest-for-homegrown-ai-drones-to-take-on-russia/?

Ukraine will produce demining equipment

The Ministry of Strategy and Industry of Ukraine will be responsible for launching the production of equipment for humanitarian demining. Alexander Kamyshin

https://mil.in.ua/uk/news/ukrayina-vypuskatyme-obladnannya-dlya-rozminuvannya/ ?

Institute of Cyber Warfare Research launched in Ukraine

The goal of the CWRI is to increase the level of cyber security of Ukraine: Dr. Yegor Aushev Mykyta Torubka

https://understandingcyberwar.org/?

New Ukrainian tech union kicked-off in Ukraine

Techosystem is an open union of the Ukrainian tech ecosystem for its development and promotion in the world, with a focus on supporting product companies. Oleksandr Yatsenko ???? Anton Melnyk Kateryna Hrechko Ievgeniia Bespalova ????

https://ain.ua/2023/04/21/v-ukrayini-zapustyly-techosystem/

FPV Demo Day was held in Kyiv

A meeting of Ukrainian manufacturers of strike drones with their direct customers — military personnel who will use these drones in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWvx4VETVG4?

System bug. The IT business complains about the long-awaited new procedure for booking employees. What is the problem

https://forbes.ua/innovations/bag-sistemi-it-biznes-skarzhitsya-na-dovgoochikuvanu-novu-protseduru-bronyuvannya-pratsivnikiv-u-chomu-problema-07042023-12915?

Serial production of hexacopters Vampire drones has been established in Ukraine

https://dev.ua/news/vampire-1681189914?

Serial production of Sirko drones will be established in Ukraine

https://sundries.com.ua/v-ukraini-bude-nalahodzheno-seriine-vyrobnytstvo-droniv-sirko/?

FPV drones — Fedorov — will be among the UAVs planned to be purchased for the Armed Forces

Among the drones, for the purchase of which at least 20 billion UAH will be allocated for Ukrainian soldiers this year, there will be FPV drones (First Person View — literally "from the first person"), which have a device that allows the operator to see the picture from the drone's camera using the glasses, not from the tablet display.

https://suspilne.media/435012-sered-bpla-aki-planuut-zakupiti-dla-zsu-budut-i-fpv-droni-fedorov/?fbclid=IwAR06KGDiiWybNoCdwn_wBD5aQXgJQusf975jpAJgVq_zMfbEIElzp_noHiE?

How realistic are 50-100 thousand FPV kamikaze drones for the Armed Forces, and why is it important for the front

https://defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tech/naskilki_realnimi_dlja_zsu_je_50_100_tisjach_fpv_droniv_kamikadze_i_chomu_tse_vazhlivo_dlja_frontu-11115.html?

Details for cyborgs. Esper Bionics ' robot is on the list of the best human inventions of 2022.

What are the chances of building a big business by the Ukrainian startup

https://forbes.ua/innovations/detali-dlya-kiborgiv-bionichna-roboruka-kompanii-esper-bionics-u-spisku-naykrashchikh-vinakhodiv-lyudstva-2022-roku-yaki-shansi-v-ukrainskogo-startapu-pobuduvati-velikiy-biznes-27032023-12641?

Foundation of competent assistance to Army Come Back Alive and OKKO network andcompleted raising of UAH 325 million for 25 SHARK by UKRSPECSYSTEMS intelligence complexes for the Armed forces of Ukraine.

https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/25-bpla-shark-dlya-vsu-povernis-zhivim-ta-okko-zsobirayut-325-mln-grn-na-bezpilotniki-50280983.html?

Ukrainian Messersmiths

Ukrainian designers produce light and fast reconnaissance drones printed on a 3D printer

https://dev.ua/news/ukrainskykh-mesershmitiv?

https://prostomob.com/uk/142262-ukrayinski-messershmity-nalagodyly-dribnoserijne-skladannya-bpla-bumerang?

mono co-founder Yatsenko announces UAH 20 million prize for manufacturers whose UAVs fly to Red Square

https://mind.ua/en/news/20255838-monobank-co-founder-yatsenko-announces-uah-20-million-prize-for-manufacturers-whose-uavs-fly-to-red

Investments & M&A

Ukrainian-founded Fintech Farm raises ＄22M, with the valuation possibly exceeding ＄100M

https://ain.capital/2023/04/20/fintech-farm-raises-22m/? Dmytro Dubilet

Ukrainian Zeely $1M for its SMB growth app?

https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/12/ukrainian-startup-zeely-raises-1m-for-smb-growth-app-aimed-at-us-uk-brazil-mexico/?

Ukrainian VC SMRK invests $500,000 in proptech Prengi ’s Seed round

https://tech.eu/2023/04/11/ukrainian-vc-smrk-invests-in-proptech-prengi-s-seed-round/?

Savvy Games buys DIGIT, a Scopely Studio with an office in Ukraine for $4.9B

https://ain.capital/2023/04/06/savvy-games-buys-scopely-for-4-9b/

Reports & analytics?

UK Defence Tech 2023: Advancing National Security through Innovation

Beauhurst report takes a look at 251 early-stage private companies in the UK, which are developing technologies and products with defence apps, or that have received funding from organisations with a focus on the security sector

https://www.beauhurst.com/research/uk-defence-tech-2023/?

Russia's War in Ukraine: Examining the Success of Ukrainian Cyber Defences

International Institute for Strategic Studies : ?Shattering concepts of offence dominance, Kyiv’s cyber-defensive effort has shown that a strong and layered cyber defence can be mounted against a well-resourced and highly capable adversary?

https://www.iiss.org/research-paper/2023/03/russias-war-in-ukraine-examining-the-success-of-ukrainian-cyber-defences/?

VC Transactions In CEE Report - 2022

Vestbee : The investment in European-based startups in 2022 exceeded €90B, indicating a YoY decline of more than 15% from the previous year. In 2022, the CEE ecosystem demonstrated resilience, surpassing €5.9B in deals and with over 1100 financial rounds taking place (a healthy 260% growth compared to 2020)

https://vestbee.com/blog/articles/vc-transactions-in-cee-report-2022?

Featured stories

DELFI: Ukraine's Defence Minister Reznikov: Russian offensive is failing amid immense losses and time is on Ukraine’s side

?Ukraine is the only country in the world that has such a unique experience of mastering military hardware and weapons,engaging in such military multitasking,and at the same time successfully containing and defeating the so-called second army in the world?

https://www.delfi.lt/en/politics/ukraines-defence-minister-reznikov-russian-offensive-is-failing-amid-immense-losses-and-time-is-on-ukraines-side.d?id=93040229?

Ukraine Business News : An American facial recognition software development company? Clearview AI plans to open an office in Ukraine.

https://ubn.news/an-american-facial-recognition-software-development-company-plans-to-open-an-office-in-ukraine/?

Forbes : The New Company Mass-Producing Attack Drones For Ukraine

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2023/04/11/the-new-company-mass-producing-attack-drones-for-ukraine/? Francisco Serra-Martins

Defense One : US Sending Experimental Anti-Drone Weapons to Ukraine?

The U.S. is sending anti-drone missiles as part of an experimental platform to help Ukraine down the Iranian-built drones that have devastated its energy infrastructure, according to representatives of government contracting company SAIC. The U.S. announced a large package of military aid to Ukraine focused on air defense, including what it called “10 mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems.”

https://www.defenseone.com/defense-systems/2023/04/us-sending-experimental-anti-drone-weapons-ukraine/384801/?

DefenseOne: How One Simulation Maker Is Adding AI, Drone Tactics

"The drone warfare employed in Ukraine has influenced the doctrine of military forces worldwide, and drones will be a standard part of warfare in the future."?

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2023/04/artificial-intelligence-and-drone-tactics-maneuver-advanced-military-simulations/385081/?

CNBC : Palantir CEO: Real value in A.I. will be intersection of business ethics and large language models

“The war in Ukraine, and large language models have fundamentally changed the world — and you can’t put this back in the box.”

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2023/04/13/palantir-ceo-real-value-in-ai-will-be-intersection-of-business-ethics-and-large-language-models.html?&qsearchterm=Palantir?

Emerging Europe : Ukraine’s tech warrior

“For over a year Ukraine has been fighting with a cruel aggressor in the largest war since World War II. It is also the most technologically advanced war in human history. The newest technologies have become the basis for our resilience and one of our key advantages on the battlefield.” - Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine the country’s Minister of Digital Transformation.

https://emerging-europe.com/news/ukraines-tech-warrior/?

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) : “Hackers Inc: Chasing the cybercrime syndicates attacking Australia”?

“The war has changed the cybercrime landscape, with many of the gangs now split between attacking Ukraine and extorting organisations across the world for ransom.”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-17/cybercrime-hacker-chats-about-medibank-revil-russia-ukraine/102179776? Robert Potter

ZDF: Combat drones for the planned major offensive

https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/heute-journal/drohnen-krieg-ukraine-100.html

The Wall Street Journal : Rocket Motor Shortage Curbs Weapons for Ukraine

https://www.wsj.com/articles/lockheed-martin-lmt-q1-earnings-report-2023-db3de58?

The Economist : Russian hackers are preparing for a new campaign in Ukraine

“The reality is that the war is not over. Interactions between offence and defence could still change as Russia continues to learn from its early shortcomings.”

https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/03/29/russian-hackers-are-preparing-for-a-new-campaign-in-ukraine?

The Guardian : ‘They’re starting to die’: fears Ukraine’s drone supremacy may soon be over

Frontline drone operators say Russia is close to countering their most popular models – setting off a race to find replacements

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/10/in-war-there-are-no-emotions-ukraine-drone-squads-bakhmut?

InCyber News : “In the war context, it’s better to keep everything in the Cloud”

"This war is ongoing even after it stops on the ground. We need to share experience between us, to provide more security to our government and our people," Yegor Aushev. Ukrainian cyber diplomacy at FIC 2023, Forum InCyber Europe (FIC)

https://incyber.org/en/yegor-aushev-in-war-context-its-better-keep-everything-in-cloud/?

The Washington Post : Secret trove offers rare look into Russian cyberwar ambitions

More than 5,000 pages of documents from a Moscow-based contractor offer unusual glimpses into planning and training for security services, including the notorious hacking group Sandworm

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/03/30/russian-cyberwarfare-documents-vulkan-files/?

Ukraine ‘Heavily Innovates’ To Use Civilian Drones To Attack Russian Military; Swarms Of DJI Mavics Keep Moscow On Its Toes

https://eurasiantimes.com/ukraine-heavily-innovates-to-use-civilian-drones-to-attack/?

Reuters: EU proposes $1.2 billion plan to counter growing cybersecurity threats

https://www.reuters.com/technology/eu-proposes-12-bln-plan-counter-growing-cybersecurity-threats-2023-04-18/?

Tech for peace: How NATO-Ukraine cooperation can make Europe more secure?

“We really need to streamline that process of procurement to the war fighters on the frontline so they have the technology now and not when it is already obsolete and the product is lost because we couldn’t get it there in time”

https://emerging-europe.com/news/tech-for-peace-how-nato-ukraine-cooperation-can-make-europe-more-secure/?

NATO Deputy Secretary General opens NATO DIANA ’s European Regional Office, welcomes Managing Director

Located in the White City Innovation District, the European office of DIANA, an independent NATO body, is hosted in the United Kingdom in partnership with Estonia and will be supported by a regional hub in Tallinn. A North America regional office will also open in Canada and complement the DIANA structure.

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_213288.htm

Video

CBS: Inside Ukraine's innovative weapons industry

https://youtu.be/YowDKKuVnn0?

До 36ро?! Military Tech projects in Ukraine with Yaroslav Azhnyuk

https://youtu.be/kuP1laioKIA?

MARIYA BERLINSKA: about "shaheds"BERLINSKA: about "shaheds", why is Russia not running out of weapons?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu7aan_3yvk&t=339s?

Forbes Ukraine Business Breakfast with Mykhailo Fedorov?

About drones and defense tech initiatives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrsWnmihwN8?

Unmanned aircraft systems: Lessons for Ukraine and NATO

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/unmanned-aircraft-systems/?

Supercar Blondie interview with Insane armored amphibious vehicle founded by Ukrainian

STORM-MPV is the first of its kind all-terrain amphibious high-performance electrical vehicle designed for military special operations, medical evacuations, peace-keeping and recreational activities.?

https://www.armored-cars.com/products-services/military-vehicles/storm-mpv/?

Ukraine will win!?#StandWithUkraine