Brave1 unveils updates to grant programmes, allocating ₴2.7B to support Ukrainian missiles, defence AI, explosives, and more

The state defence tech cluster Brave1 has announced updated grant conditions for weapons manufacturers, as well as new financial support programmes for defence projects. Among them are so-called grant competitions, offering up to ₴150 million for the development of domestic ballistic missiles, AI-powered defence solutions, scaling up explosives production, and creating surface-to-air missile systems to counter UAVs.

The deadline for applications to the grant competitions is 9 September 2025. Details were presented by cluster head Andrii Hrytseniuk at a press conference in Kyiv attended by Defender Media.

What is changing

The first and most significant change to the Brave1 programmes is the simplification and acceleration of the grant procedures. The cluster has identified 70 priority technological areas in collaboration with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, for which a simplified and accelerated funding procedure will apply. The full list of these areas is available on the organisation’s website.

The average time for a grant decision is being reduced from three months to just one and a half months. In addition, developers will now have the flexibility to determine the grant amount based on their project’s needs, rather than being limited to fixed amounts previously offered by the cluster.

Another improvement is the simplified application process. Developers will only need to complete the full package of documents and a cost estimate after their project has received the “green light” for development.

Grant categories and new programmes

The updated grant programme provides for several levels of funding, which depend on the stage of development:

• For an idea (no concept yet): up to UAH 500,000.
• For a clear concept (a laboratory prototype): up to UAH 2 million.
• For a working prototype (a working product): up to UAH 4 million.
• For a working prototype ready to be transferred to military units: up to UAH 8 million.

The 70 priority areas have been grouped into 10 main categories, which include missile systems, artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicles, combat electronics, ground robotic systems, and unmanned boats, among others.

Special grants and grant competitions

In addition to the regular programme, Brave1 has also announced two new financial support instruments:

• A Special Grant Programme: This provides funding of up to ₴8 million for projects that will be taken from the prototype stage to a fully working model ready for deployment to the armed forces.
• Grant Competitions: These are the largest funding instruments, offering ₴100 million to ₴150 million, primarily for scaling existing production. Competitions are currently open for developments in artificial intelligence, missile programmes, and for explosives manufacturers.

A new mandatory co-financing condition has been introduced for the grant competitions: companies must invest at least 30% of the total budget, with Brave1 funding up to the remaining 70%.

Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has outlined the priority areas for grants in the development of artificial intelligence and explosives. In the AI sector, focus is expected on the advancement of autonomous drones, guidance modules for interceptor drones, and AI solutions for intercepting KABs, among other applications. In explosives production, the priorities include scaling up domestic manufacturing of high-explosive and initiating explosive materials, as well as nitrocellulose.

Fedorov had previously announced the expansion of the grant programme. Last week, the Verkhovna Rada approved funding for these initiatives.