European Defense Tech

Fourth batch of drones from DroneAid Porto is ready. This weekend we've prepared +11 more drones (German Stelmakh 🇺🇦 :wink:). Next step is to do a flight tests and send a package to the frontlines. Many thanks to the 🇺🇦 and 🇵🇹 donators! We're also starting expanding series of drone-assembly workshops to Lisboa community, so stay tuned!

When Jonatan and I started to organize the first European Defense Tech Hackathon in April 2024, we were just two guys with a bold idea, a sense of urgency, and zero experience running a defense hackathon 🦾 When you’re building something from scratch, you need believers. Not the ones who wait until it’s obvious that you’ll succeed, but the ones who bet on you when you’re still a long shot. In mid-April, we got connected to Dr. Robert Fink, CTO at Helsing. We pitched our vision of empowering a new generation of defense innovators through a hackathon. Two weeks later, Helsing was in—and became one of our first and most significant supporters! In June 2024, we held the first European Defense Tech Hackathon in Munich, which brought together 150 people, 34 projects, and incredible momentum. One thing was obvious: this couldn’t stop at just one event! Even when we were still figuring out our own playbook, Helsing doubled down, becoming our first long-term supporter and committing to multiple hackathons through the end of 2025 🥳 Fast-forward to two weeks ago: We hosted Europe’s largest defense tech hackathon right alongside the Munich Security Conference. 200+ people. 46 teams. And to kick it all off, we welcomed Robert as our keynote speaker. He spoke about the values that set Helsing apart—for example, doing whatever it takes to succeed. And we’re proud to have Helsing as a key partner for many more hackathons this year. We'll do whatever it takes to build a stronger, more resilient Europe – whether it's organizing more hackathons, drone workshops, or something else!

🤝 Join the #NATO Innovation Challenge and make a real impact! Help advance capabilities to counter glide bombs - supporting #Ukraine in protecting vital infrastructure, defending its territory, and ensuring the safety of its people.   🎯 The #NATO Innovation Challenge, led by NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT), is focused on advancing solutions to counter glide bombs, supporting Ukraine in its ongoing efforts to defend its territory and safeguard civilian lives.   ❓ Why the focus on glide bombs? For months, Russia has terrorized Ukraine's frontline troops and cities with glide bombs. These cheap, satellite-navigated weapons, often attached to old Soviet munitions, are difficult to detect and counter. Fired in large numbers, they target Ukrainian infrastructure from behind the front lines, causing widespread damage and loss of life.   💥 The NATO Innovation Challenge, seeking to provide upgraded solutions to detect, intercept, and minimize the effects of glide bombs, is open now until March 1️⃣3️⃣.   🔗 Apply today and be part of the mission: https://lnkd.in/eni_eNzt #WeAreNATO #DefenseTech #SecuritySolutions #DefenseInnovation #Leadership #StandWithUkraine NATO in Ukraine

I am allocating $1,000,000—a resource I had set aside for “hard times.” But it seems those hard times are already here. We are forming mobile groups that will conduct reconnaissance and strikes in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces using our “Babka” UAVs. Operating range from the front line is 10-20 km, with a reconnaissance depth of 50-70 km—relatively “safe,” if such a word even applies in war. I am looking for veterans who still have a desire to “say” a few words to the enemy. Those who feel their mission is not yet complete. Those who may have left the military due to personal circumstances but understand that with quality equipment, decent pay, and honest treatment—they are ready to destroy the enemy with a “civilian” status. Our first group is already successfully operating, and we need to form three more. This is not just a job—it is an opportunity to do what we all believe is right. In a time when true values are overshadowed by political gain, and world leaders lose sight of honor and dignity, actions alone define who you truly are. We are not waiting for approval from those who have traded freedom for comfortable agreements. I know that dignity is not something that can be bought or lost under pressure. Dignity is about choice. And I choose to fight. Contacts and recommendations via direct messages. Thank you for sharing.

What I watched was infuriating. But the bigger letdown — why aren’t we, as Europeans, stepping up? Europe's passivity is becoming dangerous. Ukraine is fighting for European security, sovereignty, and our shared democratic values. How can we still stand on the sidelines, limiting ourselves to supportive tweets and symbolic gestures, while Ukrainians bleed defending the principles we claim to cherish? Trump, as usual, sidestepped responsibility, conveniently ignoring Russia's ongoing aggression during his presidency (2017-2021). He and Vance framed a false narrative, presenting diplomacy and conflict as mutually exclusive paths, while dismissing Russia’s violation of over 25 ceasefires. Diplomacy without strength isn't genuine diplomacy — it's appeasement. Ukrainians have learned this lesson the hardest way imaginable. I'll drop the comments about the costume, the blame for World War III, and the inability to identify the real dictator. Europe's response must go beyond sympathetic gestures and tweets. We need real action — meaningful diplomatic resolve, military readiness, and decisive economic commitment. Each one of us must honestly answer the question: what meaningful action am I personally taking to support Ukraine and safeguard Europe’s future? To those tempted to leave for the US in search of a better future — I urge you to reconsider. We cannot simply abandon our responsibility or escape to comfort elsewhere. We must build a strong, sovereign, and competitive European future. With our talents, resources, and ambitions, everything is possible. I hope we choose action over apathy, and responsibility over passivity.

We are the people that rule the world. Some say resilience comes from governments or allied nations. I say resilience comes from allied people those who understand the value of life and the responsibility to protect it. ASymmetry Club Club is more than a network; it’s a movement with one ultra goal: to inspire and empower those who share these values to strengthen our collective resilience. As part of this mission, we are setting out to launch the biggest hackathon Israel and Europe have ever seen—uniting the brightest minds to protect life. Kudos to Zhen Ming Ng babypro for the creation and making this message heard 🀄️you’re a true alchemist ! European Defense Tech x ASymmetry Club Tel Aviv here we come. Stay 👂 🤠

Women in Defense Tech are inviting you to join our debut meet-up on 19 March in Munich! We bring together women in the realms of defense tech, intelligence, cybersecurity, defense tech investment of various seniority levels, as well as female enthusiasts, curious about defense innovation. All to empower, engage and connect 🚀 Join us for an evening of inspirational keynotes, discussions and networking! Sign up here - https://lu.ma/6x2qgvcb   A big thank you goes to our partners, the European Defense Tech Hub and TUM Venture Labs.

When I left my previous role at Lunar Ventures at the end of 2023, I quickly realized there were three types of contacts: The ones who ghosted me and stopped answering emails The ones who stayed in touch professionally, just in case I might still come across some relevant deal flow And the ones who reached out to me to see how I was doing and offer their support whatever my next endeavor may be Jonatan and his colleagues at Inflection.xyz are clearly in the third camp They were among the most helpful offering support and intros when I flew to Silicon Valley in February 2024 to network, explore startup ideas, and meet potential co-founders And when Jonatan and I saw the El Segundo Defense Tech Hackathon go viral that February, we came up with a plan to bring something similar to Europe In June 2024, we organized the first European Defense Tech Hackathon in Munich, bringing together 150 people, 34 projects, and incredible momentum It sparked a movement and led us to build a network for defense tech innovation: the European Defense Tech Hub Ten days ago, alongside the Munich Security Conference, we hosted Europe’s largest defense tech hackathon once again in Munich, involving 200+ hackers across 46 teams, and one mission: to prototype solutions that will save lives! This was the start of a series of 12+ defense tech hackathons we'll organize this year all across Europe, together with a strong team, including Satyam Goel, Cyrus Hessabi, Dr. Larysa Visengeriyeva, and Dr. Eveline M. Beer, as well as many others who are supporting us The mission continues—to make Europe strong and resilient 🦾

Outcomes of the European Defense Tech Hackathon in Munich: Breakthrough solutions to protect Ukraine’s skies The hackathon, held alongside the Munich Security Conference, was the first local event in the Global Defense Tech Hackathon series. Over four days, nearly 350 top hackers from across Europe and beyond worked on innovative solutions to strengthen Ukraine’s and global security. Winning solutions: 1st place: Tiresias — an advanced system combining multiple sensors to detect enemy infantry and assess threats. 2nd place: hamilTUMian — search algorithms for drone swarms — and Odile.Vision, an AI-powered battlefield decision-support system. 3rd place: A real-time situational awareness system using drones to support close combat operations. Special awards were given to solutions for analyzing radar emission data and a quantum-based UAV identification and deterrence system. Next steps: testing and implementation! We’ll ensure expert testing of these and other promising developments, connecting them with the military for refinement and frontline adaptation. The ultimate goal is to gain a technological edge in the air and secure Ukraine’s skies. We'd like to express our gratitude to our partners from the European Defense Tech Hub for their longstanding and productive collaboration. Their reliability and support are key to our shared success. Global Defense Tech Hackathon is just getting started! Stay tuned for updates from Brave1 to find out where we’re heading next.