Week of Oct. 4: Ukraine Seeks Chief AI Officer, Western Defense Firms Expand Operations Amid War

UKRAINE

Ukraine Seeks Chief AI Officer to Drive Innovation

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, is looking for a Chief AI Officer to lead its artificial intelligence initiatives, according to his LinkedIn post. The role, which would be an equivalent to a deputy minister, will oversee the country’s AI strategy and implementation. This move follows Ukraine’s digitalization of public services and represents its next step in technological advancement. Ukraine is not alone: governments across the globe are on the hunt for top AI talent to fill their federal agencies, with the U.S. government seeking 500 AI specialists by the end of FY 2025. [Source: LinkedIn]

Former Estonian Deputy Minister to Advise Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation 

Lukas Ilves, former Deputy Minister of Digital Development of Estonia, will join Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, advising on artificial intelligence and contributing to Ukraine’s ongoing digital transformation. Ilves, who previously collaborated with Ukrainian officials, will work under Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. He brings extensive experience from his roles in Estonia’s digital development, cybersecurity, and public IT sector.

Western Defense Companies Increase Presence in Ukraine Amid Ongoing War                    As the war in Ukraine continues, more US and European defense companies are establishing operations in the country. This week, French-German defense group KNDS opened a subsidiary in Kyiv to support the maintenance and repair of military systems like Leopard tanks and CAESAR artillery used by Ukraine’s military. Additionally, American defense contractor AeroVironment signed an agreement to produce the Switchblade 600 munition in Ukraine. These moves reflect a growing Western defense industry presence, with joint production agreements expanding since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Eric Schmidt-Backed D3 Fund Invests in 14 DefenseTech Startups

Launched in July 2023, the D3 venture fund, co-founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, has invested in 14 startups, including eight Ukrainian companies like Swarmer and Zvook. Focused on DefenseTech, D3’s 2024 investments include drone developers Flightmind and Guardian. The fund, which aims to raise $30 million, faces challenges in attracting cautious investors, especially from European institutions. Despite obstacles, D3 continues to prioritize supporting high-potential startups with global ambitions that will remain relevant post-war. [Source: Forbes Ukraine]

CZECH REPUBLIC

Czech Startup PARTORY Secures €1.25M to Enhance Industrial Software Platform

Czech industrial B2B startup PARTORY has raised €1.25 million from Jet Ventures, bringing its total funding to €4.65 million. Founded by brothers Milan and Jakub Málek, PARTORY specializes in streamlining supply chains for European industrial suppliers and buyers. The investment will support the development of its software platform, expansion into foreign markets, and the enhancement of AI-driven tools for pricing and procurement management. The company aims to strengthen the European industrial sector by modernizing small to mid-sized suppliers. [Source: EU Startups]

ESTONIA

Startup Wise Guys Leads Seed Round in Italian Delivery Startup Vado                             Estonian accelerator Startup Wise Guys has led a €440K seed round in Italian startup Vado, which specializes in automated delivery solutions for apps like Glovo and UberEats. Vado’s technology enables 24/7 vending machine integration for products such as snacks, cosmetics, and pet items. Milan-based VC Angels4Impact and Banca Sella also contributed to the funding, with Italian business angel Andrea T. Orlando joining Vado’s founding team. Founded in 2020, Vado aims to revolutionize automated delivery in multiple sectors.                                                                                                     

Plural Leads £17.5M Series A in LLM Technology Developer Oriole Networks                  Plural, co-founded by Estonian entrepreneurs Sten Tamkivi and Taavet Hinrikus, has invested in Oriole Networks, a startup developing technology to boost data transfer between GPUs using fiber optic light beams. The £17.5M Series A round aims to help Oriole Networks bring its technology, which could improve data transfer speeds by 100 times while cutting energy use, to market. Oriole was founded in 2023 and spun out of University College London. Plural partner Ian Hogarth joins the company’s board as part of the deal. [Source: BalticVC]

Estonian Startup BaseTrack Expands Automated Trucking Services to UAE

Estonian startup BaseTrack, founded in 2019, has raised $3 million and introduced its automated trucking services to the UAE. With a focus on reducing CO2 emissions and improving fuel efficiency, BaseTrack’s technology provides real-time driving recommendations. The company, which moved its R&D facilities to the UAE in 2023, aims for a gradual transition to fully automated fleets while seeking an additional $5.4 million for further expansion. [Source: Entrepreneur]

KAZAKHSTAN

Almaty Native Aims to Rival Neuralink with Neurotech Startup in London

Dauren Toleukhanov, originally from Almaty, left a decade-long career in diplomacy and government service to launch Brain Patch, a neurotech startup in London. Brain Patch develops a headset that helps reduce stress and combat burnout using neurotechnology. Toleukhanov, inspired by his interactions with Kazakh students while working at the embassy in the UK, co-founded the startup with the vision of revolutionizing the industry and potentially challenging giants like Neuralink. [Source: DigitalBusiness.kz]