Wartime CEOs at the European Defense Tech Summit in Madrid
Madrid, Spain — October 19, 2024 — Swarmer , a Ukrainian defense tech startup specializing in drone swarming and collaborative autonomy solutions, participated in the European Defense Tech Summit held in Madrid on October 17-18, 2024. The summit brought together key figures from the defense technology sector, government officials, and representatives from leading media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal , 纽约时报 , The New Yorker , Financial Times , and Bloomberg News .
Swarmer 's CEO, Serhii Kupriienko , joined a panel discussion on wartime innovation, including Alex Bornyakov , Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and Amos Lahav , CEO of Airis Labs , moderated by Dan Michaels of The Wall Street Journal .
The panel explored the realities of being a wartime CEO and examined how governments can support innovation efforts during conflict. The discussion used the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as a real-time, high-stakes example of technological innovation in warfare, drawing comparisons with wartime tech advancements in Israel.
Key Talking Points
Drone Procurement and Operational Challenges: The panel highlighted Ukraine's approach to drone procurement and the operational challenges faced during wartime. "In times of conflict, procurement processes must be agile and responsive," noted Kupriienko. "While various considerations like environmental impact and sustainability take extensive parts of the documentation packages for our Western partners, terrorists do not face the same bureaucratic hurdles and procurement requirements, which means we need to adapt our processes to remain competitive and effective. The immediate priority is to equip our forces effectively. "
Manufacturing Capabilities and Strategic Support: The discussion touched on Ukraine's increased drone manufacturing capabilities of more than 2 million drones yearly, amid the conflict, enabled by international support. "Our ability to scale up drone production is largely due to the support from our international partners," Kupriienko added. "This collaboration is crucial for maintaining our defense infrastructure. It's important to recognize that collective security efforts are indispensable in the face of broader threats. If aggression extends beyond our borders, the West may not have a second NATO or EU waiting in the wings to cover their back. This underscores the need for proactive cooperation and support among nations.”
The Realities of Wartime CEOs
Addressing the personal and professional challenges, Kupriienko shared insights into leading a company during wartime. "Being a wartime CEO presents unique challenges that differ greatly from peacetime leadership," he shared. "Work-life balance becomes a secondary concern when decisions have immediate impacts on people's lives. Rapid decision-making is essential, and burnout is a real risk for the team. We operate with a focus on reliability and efficiency, which means we prioritize hiring professionals who can perform under pressure." Kupriienko emphasized,? "In such an environment, there's no room for personal ego. We maintain a 'no-nonsense' policy to ensure that every action contributes to our objectives."?
Swarmer remains committed to contributing to technological advancements in defense, particularly during challenging times. The team values the opportunity to engage with international peers and stakeholders to strengthen collective security efforts: “We appreciate the platform for these critical issues, provided by the European Defense Tech Summit, a milestone event organized by Eric Slesinger Eric Slesinger, founder of the European Defence Investment Network and GP of 201 Ventures .” Kupriienko concluded, “Through continued collaboration and innovation, we aim to enhance defense capabilities and uphold democratic values.”