London’s conference marathon, Kyiv Defence Tech Week, and Drone Autonomy in Lviv: key events of April

Among the key events in the defence tech industry this April are the London Defence Conference, Resilience Conference Warsaw, Counter UAS Technology Europe in London, the Drone Autonomy event in Lviv, a series of hackathons by the European Defense Tech Hub across allied countries, as well as the investor-focused Invest in Bravery Summit in Kyiv.

Explore these and other events in Defender Media’s April digest. The full lineup is available in our calendar.

London Defence Conference

Where: London, UK
When: April 10-11

London Defence Conference 2026 will take place on April 10–11.

Now in its fourth edition, LDC is an international geopolitical forum of partner nations, bringing together leaders, policymakers, military officials, defence industry representatives, researchers, and media.

Resilience Conference Варшава

Where: Warsaw, Poland
When: April 15

A flagship event for the defence and security innovation ecosystem. According to the organisers, it serves as a platform where breakthrough ideas connect with those capable of scaling and implementing them in real-world solutions.

Counter UAS Technology Europe

Where: London, UK
When: April 20-22

Event organisers emphasise that staying ahead of threats arising from the escalating situation in the Middle East requires faster innovation, stronger partnerships, and real combat experience. Counter UAS Technology Europe 2026 will bring together key decision-makers, programme leaders, and industry representatives shaping the next generation of counter-drone systems.

Against the backdrop of new initiatives and rapid market growth in the region, the event provides direct access to the latest technologies, pressing operational needs, and practical solutions essential for protecting personnel, infrastructure, and mission success.

Drone Autonomy 2026

Where: Lviv, Ukraine
When: April 22

An industry event focused on the practical development and implementation of autonomous drone systems and AI in defence.

The event will take place in Lviv on April 22 and will bring together defence tech companies, military personnel, investors, government representatives, and AI experts to explore how autonomy is transforming modern warfare.

Defender Media is the event’s media partner.

Серія хакатонів від European Defense Tech Hub

Where & when:

• The Netherlands, April 10-12
• Porto, Portugal, April 24-26
• Stockholm, Sweden, April 24-26

The European Defense Tech Hub team aims to bridge the gap between technologists, the public sector, investors, and operators in dual-use and defence technologies. EDTH hackathons have long been of the largest in Europe. This April, the organisers will visit Ukraine’s allied countries — the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden.

UK-Ukraine Defence Tech Forum

Where: London, UK
When: April 27

At the end of the month, another key event will take place in London — the UK-Ukraine Defence Tech Forum.

The forum will be the fifth in a series of conferences aimed at strengthening cooperation between Ukrainian, British, and international defence companies, as well as venture investors. Its goal is to expand production and accelerate R&D to implement innovations.

Defender Media will support this event. Our readers can get a 25% discount on tickets by completing the online form and entering Defender25 in the comments field.

Invest in Bravery Summit 2026

Where: Kyiv, Ukraine
When: April 30

A closed-door event for investors providing direct access to leading Ukrainian defence and dual-use startups. The event will focus on deals, market analysis, and networking.

Participants will gain access to top Ukrainian defence startups, insights on the market, geopolitics, and military technologies, as well as opportunities to connect directly with founders, investors, industry representatives, government officials, and military personnel. The programme includes startup pitches, expert talks on investment and defence technologies, tech scouting, VIP sessions, and informal networking with investors, founders, NATO partners, government, industry, and military representatives.

Kyiv Defense Tech Week

Where: Kyiv, Ukraine
When: April 27 – May 3

For the first time Kyiv will host a multi-day series of events dedicated to defence innovation. The organisers aim to bring together leading ecosystem players to tackle the most pressing security challenges of today.

The week will serve as a collaboration platform for engineers, startups, military personnel, government representatives, media, investors, and researchers working in the defence technology sector.

Programme highlights:

• University Defense Tech Forum
• Invest In Bravery Summit
• European Defense Tech Hackathon
• Field Testing
• Closed meetings of international investors and key ecosystem participants

Defender Media is the KDTW’s media partner.