Kyiv Independent reporter moderates a panel on Ukraine’s defense industry at IT Arena 2025
The Kyiv Independent’s defense industry reporter Kollen Post took part in the IT Arena conference in Lviv on Sept. 25–26.
Post moderated the panel, ‘Ukrainian Defense Tiger: Why Invest Now,’ which aimed to cut through the hype and focus on tangible opportunities, risks, and returns in Ukraine’s defense tech and dual-use innovation. The discussion emphasized not whether to invest, but how quickly investors should move to enter this rapidly evolving market.
IT Arena is one of the largest tech events in Ukraine, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers from across the country and abroad. The event often serves as a platform for discussion on how Ukrainian technology can drive resilience and growth during the ongoing full-scale war with Russia.
The panel featured investors and thought leaders, including Tisho Jenkut of Presto Tech Horizons, Cristobal Alonso of Wolver Ventures and NewFrontier Fund, Justin Zeefe of Green Flag Ventures, and Daria Yaniieva of Sigma Software Labs.
The speakers noted that Russia's war against Ukraine has accelerated innovation, created dual-use technologies with commercial and military applications, and established a more structured ecosystem of startups capable of attracting international investment.
"When we started to invest when the war started… it was rather chaotic — but now it’s a fully developed ecosystem with rules, approaches, and processes," said Yaniieva, investment director at Sigma Software Labs.
"Now, we see a lot of internal M&As, internal joint ventures… the market is consolidating and maturing rapidly," she said.
While challenges remain — such as export restrictions, legal complexities, and limited capital — mechanisms like NATO co-production, Defense City initiatives, and dual-use technology expansion are mitigating risks, the speakers said.
"I think we're going to see a wave of category-defining (major companies) coming from Ukraine and their integration with the NATO system, which will allow a much bigger scale," said Jenkut, a partner at Presto Tech Horizons.
Kyiv Independent’s participation in IT Arena underscores the Kyiv Independent’s mission to amplify Ukraine’s voice in key international and domestic conversations, which you can support by becoming a member or making a one-time donation.
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