Startups reinforce Ukraine's defense with maritime drones and robot trucks

How to prevent Russian drones from crossing the Black Sea undetected to attack the port city of Odesa, Ukraine? This was the problem facing the Ukrainian military that Charles Maher decided to help solve.

The former US submarine commander, founder of the maritime intelligence and security company BlueShadow, began working with Ukrainian defense units to develop a system capable of controlling maritime drones that would form a protective barrier along the coast of Ukraine.

"When fully deployed, there will be four squadrons of 12 vessels. And these squadrons will operate between 10 and 12 kilometers offshore," Maher told Reuters. The first squadron - armed with missiles and interceptor drones - could be operational by early 2027, he added.

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Denmark's BlueShadow was among eight startups that introduced new systems and products to military units over the weekend, as part of an ecosystem of small businesses and investment firms that emerged to bolster Ukraine's military effort.

Businesses in service of a "greater purpose"
All of these startups work with Defense Builder, a private sector accelerator that provides funding, mentoring and access to resources to transform defense technology startups into larger companies.

Line Rindvig, CEO of Defense Builder, said the accelerator offers companies $10,000 in seed funding and a four-month accelerator program that includes guidance on building solid business foundations that can attract investors, as well as military outreach to provide support and product reviews.

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In return, the military gains access to a potential low-cost weapon or system to use against a much better equipped adversary, while the accelerator gets a small stake in the startup.

"Business is business, but we all also serve a greater purpose," said Rindvig.

"And that purpose is to ensure that the solutions needed to win this war receive the financial support they need."

Defence Builder is part of the Investor Club of the Ukrainian Council of Defense Industries, a group of around 25 institutions that seeks to stimulate investment in Ukraine's defense industry and collaborate on business in the sector.

The group estimates that publicly disclosed defense investments in Ukraine jumped from just $1.1 million in 2023 to $105 million last year.

Drones are a priority
To speed up acquisitions, brigades can order products directly from manufacturers through the Brave1 Market website and the DOT-Chain platform - a kind of Amazon for armaments that offers 800 products from 200 manufacturers.

Just like regular consumers, military personnel can leave product reviews.

One of Defense Builder's priorities, according to Rindvig, are remote-controlled vehicles capable of operating in the so-called "Kill Zone" close to the front line, where thousands of drones make human presence increasingly dangerous.

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Estonian startup Telearmy has been installing remote control systems on frontline trucks since 2023, allowing them to be driven from hundreds of kilometers away, according to its founder, Enn Laansoo.

Alongside a modified BRDM-2M - a Soviet-era armored vehicle -, Laansoo stated that Telearmy can adapt practically any vehicle used on the battlefield.

"It's no longer possible to send more soldiers to the front line, and our technology provides that layer of protection so the soldier doesn't have to be there," said Laansoo, whose company is seeking capital to expand its operations.

In recent months, the Ukrainian military has used medium-range attack drones to target Russian logistics bases, air defense systems and important road links to the front line.

In response to the shortage of this type of equipment, startup Wingtech has developed a reusable fixed-wing bomber, called Haba, which, according to the company, can fly up to 300 km in a mission and is resistant to electronic interference.

After more than a year of use on the battlefield, Wingtech was looking for working capital to expand production and meet military demand. And it found that support, Rindvig said, when an established Ukrainian defense manufacturer stepped in with financing.

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Source: CNN