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Defence Builder Adds Venture Fund, Advisory Services to Its Accelerator

The Ukrainian defense-tech platform founded by Sigma Software, KSE, and Buntar Aerospace will now position itself as an end-to-end ecosystem for startups and investors.

Kyiv Post

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१ अप्रैल, 2026

3 min read

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Defence Builder, the Ukrainian defense-tech accelerator founded by Sigma Software, Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), and Buntar Aerospace, has announced the addition of a venture fund, market intelligence, and advisory capabilities to its existing accelerator program.

The restructuring makes Defence Builder a platform covering the full company lifecycle, from early-stage validation to investment readiness and market expansion, and another defense tech investment player on the market in Ukraine.

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“Our long-term goal is to build infrastructure that enables the market to scale faster and operate more predictably for all participants,” the press release says, quoting Daria Yaniieva, who has been named president of the Defence Builder Ecosystem. Yaniieva is investment director at Sigma Software Labs.

The portfolio comprises roughly 45% in unmanned systems, 30% in artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and counter-drone technologies, and 25% in maritime solutions and demining.

The newly launched $5 million venture fund targets early-stage defense and dual-use companies from pre-seed through Series A, with tickets of up to $300,000 per company.

Founding partners have committed an initial $1.5 million. Four companies are already in the portfolio: sine.engineering, focused on communications and navigation; Falcons, working on electronic warfare and control systems; MaXon Systems, developing interception systems; and Huless, offering UAV-based communication solutions.

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Additional deals are expected to close before the end of the quarter. A second, larger fund is under consideration for launch within a year.

Beyond the accelerator and fund, Defence Builder is creating capabilities in venture deal advisory – covering market entry, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures – as well as due diligence tailored to defense-tech specifics and corporate governance aligned with international institutional investor standards.

The accelerator, launched in 2024, has completed two cohorts, with a third currently underway. More than 25 companies have passed through the program, with average product readiness at technology readiness level (TRL) 6-7. The combined valuation of portfolio companies from the first two cohorts exceeds $40 million, with several raising funding within their first year after graduating.

A sector intelligence track is being developed in partnership with KSE Institute, covering market structure, key technology segments, and the investment landscape.

The expansion comes as the sector scales rapidly. Joint research by Defence Builder, KSE Institute, and Brave1 puts the conservative market size of just three segments – unmanned aerial vehicles, ground robotics, and electronic warfare – at $4.8 billion. Investment volume in the sector grew from $10 million in 2023 to $129 million in 2025.