Ukrainian Defense Ministry launches program to stimulate military startups with AI
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine launches the K4 Startup Studio program – it brings together world-class developers, military experts and mentors and is aimed at the development of military startups with artificial intelligence, the Defense Ministry press service said.
"The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announces the launch of the K4 Startup Studio program, aimed at the development of military startups with artificial intelligence. Its goal is to create solutions capable of providing technological advantage on the battlefield. The initiative is being implemented with the support of the German Federal Ministry of Defense and the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO)," the Defense Ministry said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.
It is noted that K4 is a new format of state interaction: the program brings together developers, military experts and world-class mentors.
The Ministry of Defense has identified four key challenges that directly respond to the needs of the army. It is in these areas that teams will submit their solutions for participation in the program. At the same time, they can offer their own ideas for AI solutions for the defense sector. The full list of challenges can be found on the website: k4.mod.gov.ua.
The selection of program participants will take place in several stages. Up to ten teams will be selected from among the candidates to participate in the program, of which four will receive grants: $250,000 for each technological solution. The teams will be evaluated twice by a specially formed Grant Committee, which includes military experts and direct users of new technologies on the battlefield.
Each team will first undergo a four-month intensive development program: mentoring from leading Ukrainian and international experts, combat testing of their solutions, and feedback directly from the military. After that, six months of individual support, which should end with attracting investment and/or concluding a government procurement contract.
The K4 Startup Studio model is based on the best practices of accelerators. The main advantage for startups is direct contact with the end user and the ability to scale their solutions into a real defense system. For investors, quick access to technologies tested in war conditions.
"In Ukraine, artificial intelligence is already undergoing combat testing. We are not just adapting – we are setting trends. We have real examples of the effective use of AI in combat conditions – that is why we believe in this direction and attract partners to invest in Ukrainian developments. K4 is a program for those who are ready to turn their code into a weapon in the hands of our defenders," Deputy Minister of Defense for Digital Development, Transformations and Digitalization Kateryna Chernohorenko said.
