European Defense Tech Hub to host hackathon in Lviv with a focus on AI

The European Defense Tech Hackathon will be held in Lviv from 22 to 25 May 2025. This is the first event of its kind organised in Ukraine by the European Defense Tech Hub. The organisers have invited over 150 engineers from across Europe and beyond to join Ukrainian military personnel in developing solutions to enhance combat effectiveness. The hackathon will place a strong focus on artificial intelligence-based technologies.

The event’s partners include Quantum Systems, the 3rd Assault Brigade, AB3 TECH, Women in Defense Tech, DroneAid, Inflection, D3 VC, NUNC Capital, and ARX Robotics. Defender Media is the hackathon’s media partner.

Participants will be able to choose from a set of real-world challenges identified in cooperation with the military or propose their own ideas. Under the guidance of mentors from the defence and technology sectors, these concepts will be transformed into prototypes.

On Sunday, 25 May, a demo day will be held where teams will present their achievements. To attend the demo day, please register via the link.

“This hackathon is not just about innovation, but about urgency. We are bringing engineers into direct contact with fighters in Ukraine to develop technologies that address real battlefield challenges,” said Viktoriia Honcharuk, a representative of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade.

The European Defense Tech Hub (EDTH) is a European network dedicated to fostering innovation in defence technologies. Since its launch in 2024, EDTH has brought together more than 1,000 participants and 80 teams, and has contributed to solving over 100 real defence challenges in cities including Munich, Paris, Copenhagen, Warsaw and Amsterdam. In 2025, EDTH plans to hold over 15 hackathons and 150 events across Europe.