Ukraine’s defense cluster Brave1, together with Agence de l’innovation de défense (AID) — France’s Defense Innovation Agency — has announced the launch of a new joint initiative to support defense technologies under the name Brave France. The announcement was made on February 25 during the signing of a letter of intent.
This new bilateral cooperation is expected to become an important platform for the development of defense startups, deeper integration of Ukrainian and French technologies, and their expansion into international markets.
What Is Brave France and How It Will Work
Brave France is a joint grant program designed to serve as a platform for supporting innovative defense technology solutions in both countries.
Key elements of the initiative include:
Joint grants for Ukrainian and French startups
The program provides for the allocation of funding for the development of practical technologies and solutions that can be rapidly integrated into the defense needs of both countries.
Hackathons and innovation challenges
The initiative plans to organize joint workshops and hackathons to identify the most promising technological projects and support their further development.
Technology testing through Test in Ukraine
One of the core components will be the opportunity to test developments in real combat conditions via the Test in Ukraine platform, which already operates within Brave1 and allows solutions to be validated in field conditions.
Launch in Q2 2026
The official launch of the program is scheduled for the second quarter of 2026, following the alignment of priority areas, the establishment of a joint coordination body, and the development of funding mechanisms.
Why the Brave France Program Matters
Strengthening strategic partnership
Brave France represents a logical continuation of the strengthening defense cooperation between Ukraine and France, encompassing both military assistance and the development of technologies and joint security projects. France is already recognized as one of Ukraine’s key defense partners in Europe.
Exchange of experience and technologies
Ukrainian developers will gain access to advanced technologies and expertise from French partners, while France will be able to leverage the practical experience of Ukrainian companies operating in a real wartime environment — experience that is difficult to replicate in peacetime conditions.
Access to international markets
The joint program is intended to serve as a springboard for startups seeking to enter broader European and NATO markets, particularly in the fields of unmanned systems, electronic warfare, cybersecurity, robotics, and intelligent systems.
Brave1 was established in 2023 as a state platform for defense innovation, bringing together government institutions, the military, researchers, and businesses. Its mission is to accelerate the creation and deployment of advanced technologies for defense needs.
According to the initiative:
- more than 3,500 developments have been registered through the platform;
- over 260 products have been codified in accordance with NATO standards;
- the cluster has allocated billions of hryvnias in grants to startups and technologies in drones, robotics, electronic warfare, artificial intelligence, and other key areas.
Brave1 also implements other international programs, including cooperation with the EU through EU4UA Defence Tech, which supports the development of defense technology startups in partnership with the European Union.
Previously, Brave1 launched the Test in Ukraine program, allowing foreign companies to test their prototypes in real conflict conditions, providing performance feedback and opportunities for partnerships with Ukrainian manufacturers.
This capability will become an important part of Brave France, as it provides access to a real validation environment for cutting-edge solutions.
Opportunities for Startups
The launch of Brave France opens new opportunities for:
- securing funding for early-stage developments;
- participating in international hackathons and demo events;
- partnering with leading EU defense companies;
- close cooperation with the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the context of operational technology integration.
