Brave1 and KSE Institute launch a study on what slows down defence innovations on their way to the front

Ukrainian state defence tech cluster Brave1 and KSE Institute have announced the launch of a joint research titled “Bottlenecks of Defence Innovations on the Way to the Front.” Defence tech developers are invited to take part in an anonymous survey running until 4 February.

What the research is about and why it matters

The organisers note that dozens of new defence technology solutions emerge in Ukraine every month. Hundreds of teams are working on technologies for the battlefield, while the state and its partners are investing significant resources in defence tech.

However, far from all innovations make it from concept to real combat use. The “Bottlenecks of Defence Innovations on the Way to the Front” study aims to identify where and why defence developments get stuck along this path.

According to the initiators, an in-depth, data-driven study will help pinpoint where state support and Brave1’s involvement can be most effective, and turn developers’ real-world experience into practical solutions.

“Analysts will be able to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the innovation roadmap — from idea to combat deployment — identify typical barriers at each stage (R&D, testing, certification, delivery), and compare the experiences of large companies with those of small teams and sole proprietors,” Brave1 and KSE Institute said in a joint statement. The organisers expect the study to result in clear recommendations on how Brave1 can remove key barriers through support programmes, advocacy, and policy changes.

Brave1 is encouraging defence tech developers to take part in the survey. “If you are working on defence technologies, have already gone through the path from idea to testing or combat use, or have encountered barriers along the way, your experience is critically important,” the statement says.