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The primary mission of the new company will be to strengthen Ukraine.
It sparked nationwide protests in Ukraine when the popular minister of defense, Mykhailo Fedorov, was ousted from office.
Since then, he has been vocal about the need for innovation and thinking outside the box if Ukraine is to emerge from the war victorious.
He has reportedly been offered a position as special advisor to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which he has declined. Instead, Fedorov has accepted an invitation to advise the Italian defense ministry, but he is also launching independent ventures.
And he has now found a powerful ally to back one of these enterprises.
Silicon Valley backing
Alex Karp, chief executive of American software giant Palantir, has agreed to become the first major investor in a new defense technology company launched by Mykhailo Fedorov, according to reports from Reuters and the Kyiv Post.
The two leaders recently met at Palantir’s offices in Washington to cement the deal. They have worked together for five years, with Palantir supplying crucial software to support Ukrainian government operations during Russia’s invasion.
In a video published on Telegram, Karp voiced complete confidence in the venture. “You and your colleagues are launching a company that I think will be defining for the world,” Karp said.
New war tech
Fedorov’s team outlined the venture’s broad ambition in a statement on Tuesday.
“The new company will build on Fedorov’s experience in modern technological warfare, with its primary mission to strengthen Ukraine and develop defense technologies that can help build a safer future for the entire world,” the statement said according to Reuters.
The company will concentrate on three key areas. Engineers will build low-cost artificial intelligence missiles, jet-powered interceptor drones, and battlefield robotics.
Ukrainian troops already use ground robotic systems for dangerous supply missions and combat support. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, soldiers performed over 50,000 robotic logistics missions by early June.
Chasing foreign capital
To fund the project, Fedorov met with American investors from Cerberus Capital Management and Squadra Ventures. He stressed that attracting international funds is essential for maintaining an advantage over Russian forces.
“The more international investment and expertise we attract to Ukraine’s defense-tech sector, the faster we will be able to develop and scale technologies that give Ukraine an advantage on the battlefield,” Fedorov said.
Speed is the ultimate factor on the front line. Fedorov told Politico that Kyiv has a short window to expand its military edge before Moscow adapts to these new technological tools.
