On October 11, 2024, approximately 300 experts and entrepreneurs gathered for Ukrainian Defense Tech Night: Protect & Innovate, an event focused on defense technologies. It was part of the annual Tech Week innovation expo festival, supported by the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco, UkraineNow, and the IT Ukraine Association. This event marked the first-ever Ukrainian defense tech event in Silicon Valley.

Photo by Empat

"We see a growing interest in defense tech in Silicon Valley today. 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 to launch non-equity funds to support Ukrainian defense startups. It will help Ukrainian companies increase the actual production, fine-tune their products, grow in the domestic market, and support those with a potential for global growth", noted Dmytro Kushneruk, Consul General of Ukraine in San Francisco.

The event's main stage featured discussions on critical challenges facing the defense sector and the crucial role of international partnerships in strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities. With all participants actively engaged in supporting the country, the event focused on practical, actionable steps. Speakers included leading experts, such as diplomats, entrepreneurs, and veterans.

Photo by Empat

  • 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 — is a corporate attorney, founder of Nebo Legal, a venture capital company, and an M&A expert.

The event's organizers also announced the launch of Victoria, a venture studio that aims to drive innovation and strengthen 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.

Photo by Empat

Four startups pitched innovative solutions, including unmanned systems, anti-drone technologies, and other defense innovations. Venture capitalists, investors, and industry experts attended the event. 

"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 resulted from a 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.