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Countering guided aerial bombs: Ukrainian developers invited to the NATO Innovation Challenge for the first time

For the first time, NATO has invited developers and scientists from Ukraine to participate in a hackathon focused on addressing shared threats.

The event will take place on March 27, 2025, in Bydgoszcz (Poland), with the option to participate online. This year's topic centers on countering guided aerial bombs (GAB). Applications can be submitted until March 13.

The NATO Innovation Challenge is a hackathon organized by the NATO Innovation Hub (NATO's Allied Command Transformation) and NATO member states. Aiming to enhance NATO's cooperation with industry representatives, the competition offers a platform for scientific organizations, individual innovators, and start-ups to showcase their innovations.

“Enemy GABs are one of the most significant threats to the Ukrainian military on the front line and to Ukrainian cities. Notably, this topic is the key focus of the upcoming NATO hackathon. This demonstrates that we share the same security context as the Alliance,” noted Deputy Defence Minister of Ukraine Valerii Churkin.

Previously, participation in the NATO Innovation Challenge was limited to representatives of NATO member states. This year, representatives from Ukraine were permitted to participate. 

To participate in the hackathon, applications must meet specific criteria, which can be found on the event's website. The key requirement is that the proposed solution must be innovative, feasible, and relevant to the specified problem.

Each proposed solution will be evaluated based on the judges' criteria: 

  • Relevance to the specified problem;
  • Innovative approach;
  • Usability;
  • Integration and interoperability;
  • Portability;
  • Scalability potential;
  • Reliability;
  • Cost and resource efficiency;
  • Security and data protection;
  • Evaluation of effects.

Ukraine has long struggled with the threat of enemy GABs at the front lines, and the problem persists despite specific solutions already developed. We invite Ukrainian inventors, innovators, scientists, and defense industry representatives to participate in NATO hackathons.

To register, follow the link.