Ukraine Defence Tech Innovation award

Since February 2022, Ukraine has done more to reshape modern warfare than any conflict since World War II. Faced with an existential threat, Ukraine turned necessity into innovation at a pace no defence establishment has matched - drones went from garage workshops to frontline decisive weapons in months; electronic warfare and battlefield data platforms evolved on weekly iteration cycles under live fire; and domestic manufacturing scaled from cottage industry to a wartime economy producing millions of units a year, all while regulatory frameworks were rewritten in real time to keep pace with the innovation itself. From maritime drones that neutralised a conventional navy to AI-enabled targeting systems and rapid-fire FPV drone production, Ukraine has proven that agility and iteration can outpace scale and legacy doctrine.

The Award recognises the technology category that has had the single greatest impact on the war to date - and has most effectively navigated the path from battlefield need to regulatory approval to mass deployment.

Reflecting the ingenuity and innovation it recognises, the Award has been designed and handcrafted by our partner and sponsor, LASVIT—a renowned Czech design and glassmaking house that unites centuries-old Bohemian craftsmanship with contemporary design and technology. The partnership between the CERGE-EI Foundation and LASVIT also underscores Central and Eastern Europe’s vital role as a source of innovation, industrial capability and strategic resilience for Europe’s future.