According to a study by the KSE and Brave1, in 2023 Ukrainian defense startups attracted up to $5M in investment; in 2024 the amount may reach $50M. The average investment round size increased from $500,000 to $1-3M, which indicates the strengthening of investor confidence in Ukrainian developers.
The industry’s production capacity has significantly increased. About 300,000 drones were produced in 2023, and in 2024 Ukrainian manufacturers will be able to produce up to four million units. Today, the priority has shifted from UAV mass production to efficiency and use of the latest technologies.
Although investment is increasing, more is needed to achieve full production potential. In the first half of the year, the government financed the production of approximately one million units; therefore, attracting additional funds is essential for the industry’s further development.
More than 2,800 developments from more than 1,200 manufacturers are registered on the Brave1 platform. Among the key trends in the drone field are computer vision, swarm technologies, and innovations in navigation and communication.