{"id":4514,"date":"2025-06-02T18:57:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T15:57:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/?post_type=insights&p=4514"},"modified":"2025-12-11T15:12:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T13:12:17","slug":"piotrovski-defence-tech-go-abroad","status":"publish","type":"insights","link":"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/insights\/piotrovski-defence-tech-go-abroad\/","title":{"rendered":"Dwarf Engineering CEO Vladyslav Piotrovskyi on the importance of arms exports and drone standardisation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At the DOU Day conference, Dwarf Engineering CEO Vladyslav Piotrovsky shared his thoughts on the strategic challenges and opportunities for Ukrainian defence tech. His speech was a call to action for the entire industry \u2013 to develop simple, effective solutions that can be quickly scaled and to expand into international markets to maintain Ukraine\u2019s technical and market advantage. Defender Media highlights the key takeaways from his speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0421ooperation with European and American companies<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Foreign defence tech is many times slower than ours. In Ukraine, you can develop a product, complete codification, and approach a contract in three months. Abroad, the contracting process often stretches to a year and a half. A developer must stay in constant contact with partners, present developments, persuade them to test, and gather feedback. As a result, entering foreign markets is extremely difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One way to speed up this process is to become a subcontractor to a foreign company that holds the contract, or to establish joint ventures. It\u2019s a common arrangement: you create a legal entity together \u2014 they handle the legal side, and you handle the product. Most such collaborations are simply tools for expanding market reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t just \u2018walk into\u2019 the American or, say, German market. It\u2019s not possible. The quickest way is to build a relationship with a local company, give them a percentage, and use them as your legal representative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why foreign defence companies are entering Ukraine<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The decision by international companies to open offices in Ukraine is strategic. The current military context is changing global standards in the defence industry. Many players realise that without operating in Ukraine, they may lose competitiveness within five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi, 90% of the weapons on display were already obsolete from the perspective of our war. Tanks without active protection systems can be destroyed by drones costing a thousand dollars, yet they cost millions. Their EW and counter-EW systems no longer function in our conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u0412\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u0441\u043b\u0430\u0432
Vladyslav, together with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiga \/ Abu Dhabi, UAE, 17 February 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian solutions are both cheaper and more effective \u2014 they have the potential to radically reshape the global market. It\u2019s also logistically challenging for a foreign company to move operations to Ukraine, especially during wartime. Instead, they often acquire Ukrainian companies to gain legal presence, access to defence technologies, Ukrainian engineers, and field testing \u2014 which remains difficult to obtain, even for domestic firms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scaling as a strength factor<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Russia\u2019s defence industry benefits from a centralised structure and lack of regulatory barriers. While many of its developments are technically crude, mass production makes them effective in combat. Even drone guidance systems assembled from Chinese components and glued together with hot glue are deployed against Ukrainian forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Russian Federation can push equipment into production without regard for quality or cost-effectiveness. This approach contrasts sharply with Ukraine\u2019s system, where contracts are subject to competitive tendering, inspections, and efficiency justifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Read more: <\/strong>Ukraine is the gateway to the future of the French defence sector. Op-ed by Arnoud Dassier and Mat Hauser<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re very good at stealing designs, then using their totalitarian system to scale production. We\u2019ve learned how to build tech solutions quickly \u2014 but we\u2019ve yet to master scaling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Betting on software flexibility<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the key priorities in Ukrainian defence tech is the standardisation of drones with updatable software. This means integrating onboard computers that allow changes in functionality without physical alterations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All drones must be built on a platform where various software can be uploaded. That way, any update can be implemented within a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to upgrade quickly, process new signals, add detection systems, and adapt to battlefield changes should become a decisive advantage over Russian \u201cdisposable tech\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If any change can be rolled out to all drones in a day, we can outpace Russia\u2019s mass production through the rapid deployment of intelligent solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Ukrainian defence tech should learn from the West<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the main differences between Ukrainian and Western defence-tech startups lies in how they approach sales and investment. Western startups often sell an idea first and only build a product afterwards. Ukrainian engineers typically spend their own resources to create a working prototype before seeking investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u0412\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u0441\u043b\u0430\u0432
Vladyslav on stage during his performance at DOU DAY 2025 \/ Photo: DOU<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another contrast is the boldness of Western firms. It\u2019s normal for them to claim a solution is \u201cunique\u201d \u2014 even if it doesn\u2019t yet work. They then refine the product once contracts are signed. Ukrainian startups, by contrast, often hesitate to go public until they\u2019ve achieved tangible results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, Ukrainian developers are not technically inferior \u2014 and often win on cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Read more:<\/strong> Ukrainian and European defence tech through the eyes of an Austrian at the London forum<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Western firms focus on long-term threats, from hypersonic weapons to future rearmament. In contrast, Ukraine\u2019s experience offers a rare example of real-world combat testing. But despite growing interest, international partners often don\u2019t know how to engage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will there be a Ukrainian unicorn?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian defence companies have the potential to become unicorns \u2014 but only if they enter foreign markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relocating a company abroad immediately increases its valuation, even without product changes. This is due to improved access to capital, partnerships, and markets. Foreign players are already showing interest in Ukrainian innovations, especially in drones and software \u2014 and may acquire companies or poach talent in future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To preserve their technological edge, Ukrainian firms should not only go global but also partner with promising international players. This will help them retain control over intellectual property and strengthen their position in the global defence value chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foreign defence companies are doing the same things we do here in Ukraine \u2014 except they have off-the-shelf solutions. Meanwhile, we have an incredible number of ideas, and every day we\u2019re achieving what once seemed impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian businesses must act proactively \u2014 selling their products first, rather than waiting to be acquired.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What Ukrainian defence tech is teaching foreign companies \u2014 and when to expect a home-grown unicorn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4482,"template":"","tags":[669,670,308,642,216,1728,229,671],"class_list":["post-4514","insights","type-insights","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-dou-day","tag-dwarf-engineering","tag-ecosystem","tag-export","tag-industry","tag-investments","tag-startups","tag-vlad-piotrovsky","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDwarf Engineering CEO Vladyslav Piotrovskyi on the importance of arms exports and drone standardisation - Defender Media<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What Ukrainian defence tech is teaching foreign companies \u2014 and when to expect a home-grown unicorn\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thedefender.media\/en\/insights\/piotrovski-defence-tech-go-abroad\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dwarf Engineering CEO Vladyslav Piotrovskyi on the importance of arms exports and drone standardisation - 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