Last week American University Kyiv and its partner Arizona State University announced the launch of “Military Innovation Technology Solutions,” an acceleration program designed for defense startups. The acronym ‘MITS’ is inspired by the Ukrainian word for ‘might.’
Military institutions usually work with large defense manufacturers and solution providers, rather than with startups. But “Ukraine’s resistance and creative approach to warfare” has triggered “significant transformations” in this industry, believe MITS.
When fast and bold decisions are required, “the solution is to cooperate with startups – small technology companies – whose fast and innovative proposals influence the course and outcome of combat operations here and now. All this allows us to significantly contribute to the development of the Ukrainian and global defense ecosystem and accelerate the development of technologies.”
MITS aims to become “a driver of Ukraine’s defense tech,” assisting startups in their development and “helping the Armed Forces of Ukraine get the best defense technology products into use as soon as possible.”
The six-month MITS program addresses a wide range of topics, from “entrepreneurial thinking,” to business efficiency, to business strategy. Participants will also learn about the “life cycle of defense development,” including the geopolitical factors, the peculiarities of attracting investors and partners in this field, and more.
Startup teams are invited to apply for the accelerator until March 14, 2024 via the MITS website. The selected ones will receive “an investment of $200,000,” including $100,000 in direct investment and $100,000 in “unique expertise.”
MITS focuses on such fields as unmanned aerial, ground and underwater vehicles; terrestrial robotic systems; communication, optical and acoustic reconnaissance means, military transport; ammunition; mine action and de-mining; soldier equipment; electronic warfare equipment; defense-related software and artificial intelligence.
MITS is partnering with Ukrainian ministries as well as Brave1, an online platform launched by the authorities last year to streamline and support innovation in defense technologies.
Another international military startup accelerator operates in Ukraine. Dubbed D3 (Dare to Defend Democracy), it has secured $10 million from high-profile foreign investors, including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Time magazine reported earlier this month.
