Defense Tech Valley 2026

About

01/04

Brave1 Defense Tech Valley is a unique international event dedicated to investing in Ukrainian defense tech solutions, proven on the frontline.

02/04

Building on the success of 2025 — which saw record-breaking investments and over 5,000 global participants — this year promises even more high-stakes deals, strategic partnerships, and major announcements.

03/04

But more than the numbers, it is about the vibe. Defense Tech Valley captures the raw, "garage tech" energy reminiscent of early Silicon Valley. Many solutions here may lack the polished aesthetic, but they are combat-proven in real-time against the most sophisticated electronic and kinetic threats on Earth.

04/04

Join us this year to witness how the new global tech standard is forged from these prototypes. Defense Tech Valley is moving to the next stage — and we invite you with us.

DTV 2025 Highlights

For Ukrainians, tech is not just money, contracts and fancy exhibitions. It helps us protect our freedom and stop the Russian war machine.
 
That’s why our tech is not about looks, it’s about raw effectiveness. To win vs bigger opponents, everything is turned into data and measured. And that’s why our weapons are so effective.

5,000+

visitors

50+

countries

300

international investors

Biggest investment round in Ukraine’s defense tech to date announced

$100

million investments announced

1,000+

frontline end-users

SPEAKERS 2025

Defense Tech Valley features perhaps the most diverse crowd in the industry. From camouflage-clad commanders to geeky inventors to savvy investors in suits—our speakers are the visionaries forging new standards in defense.

Mykhailo Fedorov

Minister of Defence of Ukraine

Andrius Kubilius

EU Commissioner for Defence and Space

Andrii Lebedenko

Brigadier General, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Yurii Myronenko

Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine

Valeriya Ionan

Advisor to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine

Haluk Bayraktar

CEO Baykar Technology

Dr. Kimberly Kagan

President of the Institute for the Study of War

Pavlo Yelizarov

Colonel, Deputy Commander of the Air Force

Seppo Aaltonen

Vice President of Nordics and NATO at ICEYE

Kyrylo Veres

Lieutenant Colonel, Commander of 20th Separate Brigade of Unmanned Systems "K-2"

Mary Beth Long

Fmr. U.S Assistant Secretary of Defense

Oleg Guyt

Lieutenant Colonel, Commander of 427th Separate Brigade of Unmanned Systems "RAROG"

John Ridge

Chief Adoption Officer of Nato Innovation Fund

Andrii Hrytseniuk

CEO Brave1

Gene Keselman

Lecturer and Director at MIT and Colonel, United States Air Force Reserve

Taras Chmut

Director of "Come Back Alive" Foundation

Battle Proven

If you are a startup working in defense tech — this is your moment to shine. “Battle Proven” is the world’s most authentic startup competition, where winners are measured not by how well they can craft a presentation, but by the real-world potential their products bring to the battlefield.

3 categories

TRAILBLAZERS

The Visionaries

Got a breakthrough concept? Pitch it here. Winning this category is your fast track to proving your theory and securing the resources to move to the next stage.

GAMECHANGERS

The Builders

Already have a working prototype? Compete for direct access to real-world battlefield testing and unfiltered feedback from operators who know what works.

POWER PLAYERS

The Scalers

Your tech is already in combat. Now, it’s time to scale. Winning here is about bridging the gap between a successful prototype and mass production.

Investor

Become a verified investor to be part of the audience and attend pitches on the main stage.  Get early access to pitch presentations.

Become an Investor

Visit

Free Admission

If you belong to one of the following categories, you are eligible to attend Defense Tech Valley free of charge.

Military

- Ukraine military personnel
- Unit commanders
- General Staff officers

General (limited quota)

- Brave1 defense tech developers
- Government officials & foreign delegations

Media

- Ukrainian and global media outlets
- Accredited freelance journalists

Please note: free registration is subject to verification and availability. 
Your free pass is only valid after you receive a confirmation message from the Brave1 team.

//Registration starts soon//

Tickets

Not in the free admission categories? Choose your access level below and secure your spot at the heart of defense tech innovation.

Standard

- 2-day access to the event
- Event mobile app
- App messaging function
- Personalised schedule builder
- Searchable attendee list

Senior

- Everything in the Standard +
- Access to event materials and video-recordings (some limited part of materials might not be distributed due to the content sensitivity)
- Event merch

Executive

- Everything in the Senior +
- pre-event cocktail networking eve (exclusive event)
- access to the executive lounge with drinks and snacks
- Exclusive event merch
- Reserved front-row seating at the main stage
- Fast-track registration

Purchase tickets

Mobile App

For a seamless experience, we invite you to use the official mobile app of the event. Navigate Defense Tech Valley right from your phone. Use the app to see other participants, book meetings, get instant notifications, and follow the agenda in real time.

//The download link will be available soon//

Security

For Brave1, guest safety is paramount. To ensure this, the venue is securely protected, and a professional security team will provide comprehensive oversight 24/7. Focus on innovation — we’ll take care of the rest.

We will inform confirmed participants about the venue's exact place before the event.