Defence Ministry launches investment portal for weapons manufacturers

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has launched the ‘ZBROYA.Investments’ portal, designed to assist defence technology manufacturers and startups in securing funding to expand and scale production. The announcement was made by Hanna Hvozdiar, adviser to the Minister of Defence.

The platform serves as a centralised hub for aggregating investment projects from across the defence-industrial sector. Through the portal, businesses can apply for financial backing for their developments and present them to prospective investors.

The process entails submitting a brief application via the website, followed by a review by the platform’s team to determine the project’s priority. Projects deemed promising may subsequently be presented to investors through an established network of partners.

The portal is tailored for defence equipment manufacturers, defence tech startups, dual-use technology firms, software developers, engineering R&D teams, and manufacturers of defence-system components.

Eligible submissions include projects related to various unmanned systems, ammunition, communication suites, sensor and optical technologies, autonomous platforms, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, and drone control systems, among other defence technologies.

In addition to seeking capital, participants can access expert feedback, receive recommendations on commercialising their technologies, and gain guidance on investment readiness. The platform also offers opportunities to pitch to investors and industry experts.

Earlier, Defender Media reported on the launch of the inaugural competition for defence tech companies under the ‘UNITE – Brave NATO’ programme, featuring a first-round budget of $10 million.