€20 million for innovation: Ukraine and the Netherlands launch a joint grant programme for defence tech companies
The Brave1 cluster and the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands are launching the large-scale Brave Netherlands initiative.
The joint grant fund will finance advanced projects by Ukrainian and Dutch defence tech companies that address the current needs of the frontline while strengthening European security.
Equal funding from both countries
The programme establishes a joint fund with an expected budget of €20 million.
Developers from Ukraine and the Netherlands working on innovative solutions in the following areas are invited to apply:
- unmanned technologies;
- robotic systems;
- missiles;
- AI technologies;
- electronic warfare (EW) and signals/electronic intelligence (SIGINT/ELINT), communications, and other advanced defence technologies.
The programme will be funded by both countries on a 50/50 basis.
Transparent selection and expert evaluation
To ensure transparent and balanced project evaluation, joint international bodies will be established:
1. Executive Boards – responsible for making final decisions on the allocation of funding.
2. Expert Panels – comprising representatives of both countries to conduct expert assessments of applications.
The programme's principal stakeholders and implementing partners are Ukraine's defence technology cluster Brave1 (through its new Brave International initiative) and the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands.
Focus on the frontline and technological advantage
The Brave Netherlands programme will invest exclusively in technologies capable of demonstrating their effectiveness under real combat conditions on the Ukrainian frontline while strengthening the long-term defence capabilities of partner countries.
This marks another step towards integrating Ukraine's defence tech sector into the global defence innovation network while accelerating technological victory.