Brave International: over €100M in defense grants

On 27 June 2026, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution that launches Brave International, a unified framework for defense innovation cooperation with international partners. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced it at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk. The combined budget of the first international programs already exceeds 100 million euros.

The idea is simple. Ukraine and partner countries will set up joint grant funds and award grants to the best defense-tech developers. Because the model is open, both Ukrainian companies and startups from other jurisdictions can apply. So let us break down how the model works, which programs are already announced, and what this means for defense technology developers.

What Brave International is and why it launched

Until this decision, every international defense initiative launched separately, with its own rules and its own paperwork. The government resolution now sets a single procedure for all such programs, both the ones already announced and the ones still to come. As a result, it cuts red tape and lets partners open joint grant competitions much faster.

The government set three goals for the initiative. First, to find new technologies and products for the current needs of the front. Second, to attract extra funding for Ukrainian defense startups. Third, to integrate Ukrainian defense tech more deeply into the global defense technology market.

On the Ukrainian side, the Brave1 cluster will coordinate the joint competitions. According to Svyrydenko, Brave1 will launch the first international competitions under the new framework very soon. Because no application dates have been announced yet, it makes sense to follow the announcements in advance.

The 50/50 model: how the joint funds will work

Brave International runs on four elements. Together they set the rules for every future joint program.

50/50 funding

Grants run on equal contributions: Ukraine covers half, and the partner country covers the other half. Each program gets its own joint grant fund, and both sides pay into it on a parity basis.

Joint governance

Joint supervisory boards and expert commissions evaluate the applications, and they include both Ukrainian and foreign specialists. So the format keeps the selection transparent and reduces the risk that one side alone decides the outcome.

Open access

Ukrainian developers and foreign companies and startups in the defense technology field can both compete for the grants. For Ukrainian teams, this opens access to partners and capital abroad, and for foreign developers, it gives access to a real battlefield market.

Battlefield validation

Every funded solution goes through testing in Ukraine via the Test in Ukraine platform. This step confirms that a technology meets real frontline needs and does not just look good on paper. In fact, this element is what sets Brave International apart from many foreign defense programs.

Partner programs and the first example: UNITE Brave NATO

Brave International covers five programs right away: Brave Norway, Brave France, Brave Germany, Brave Lithuania, and UNITE Brave NATO (directly with NATO). The resolution gives them a green light to open joint competitions quickly.

UNITE Brave NATO already shows how this works in practice. It is the first joint NATO-Ukraine program, launched back in November 2025. Its mechanics are worth a closer look, since the other programs will follow a similar path.

The first round of UNITE Brave NATO has a total budget of 10 million euros. The maximum grant per joint application is 1 million euros, of which up to 500,000 goes to each side. The competition focuses on counter-drone systems, air defense and navigation under electronic warfare conditions. Brave1 funds the Ukrainian participants, while companies from NATO countries receive support through the Comprehensive Assistance Package.

The competition uses a matchmaking format, so a Ukrainian company and a company from a NATO country combine their technologies into one joint product and submit it together. The goal is to move a development from TRL 7+ readiness (a working prototype) to full battlefield use. Organizers expect to announce the first-round winners in the summer of 2026.

Brave International at a glance: key parameters

What this means for Ukrainian defense-tech teams

For developers, this opens access to fresh capital and to partners from Norway, France, Germany, Lithuania and NATO countries. The money comes on top of Brave1 rather than in place of it, because the cluster keeps running its national grant programs while the international funds open a separate channel for joint projects.

Since the competitions are not open yet, the best move now is to prepare the ground. First, register on the Brave1 platform so you get the announcements early. Then think about which foreign company complements your technology, because joint products win in the matchmaking format. After that, assess your technology readiness level, since the NATO competition needs TRL 7+, meaning a working prototype rather than a concept. For current details and dates, check the official Ministry page and the Brave1 portal.

The launch of Brave International shows the general direction. Ukrainian defense tech becomes part of the global defense market, so it no longer stays a purely domestic story. For teams ready to work with international partners, the coming months will open new opportunities.