IRON Cluster

Autonomy without GPS is no longer a concept — it’s a working system. Farsight Vision is building a fully integrated ecosystem for navigation in environments where signals are absent or unstable. The company is a partner of Drone Autonomy 2026, where we’ll discuss what real navigation looks like in GNSS-denied environments — and how spatial awareness is evolving. See you in Lviv on April 22!

Farsight Vision долучиться до заходу Drone Autonomy, організованого IRON Cluster. Подія об’єднує учасників defense tech екосистеми навколо практичних аспектів розробки та впровадження автономних дрон-систем і штучного інтелекту. У фокусі — поєднання стратегічного бачення з практичним досвідом: від комп’ютерного зору та донаведення на фінальному етапі до повністю автономних місій і аналітики поля бою. CTO Farsight Vision Volodymyr Nepiuk візьме участь у панельній дискусії “Beyond Last Mile Targeting”, де розповість про напрацювання та плани Farsight Vision щодо автономної навігації роботизованих систем із використанням 3D-моделей та LiDAR. Дізнайтеся більше про захід та зареєструйтеся за посиланням: https://lnkd.in/eBy-Y8YV 

Frontline Robotics is already reducing the role of manual control today, bringing us closer to the moment when drones will independently carry out missions in highly complex environments. On April 22, together with our partner of Drone Autonomy 2026, Frontline Robotics , we’ll talk about how far we’ve come on this path and how autonomy is changing the rules of the game. See you in Lviv! https://lnkd.in/d-b9_Mww

April 22nd, Lviv will host the Drone Autonomy event, organised by the IRON Cluster and The Fourth Law. According to the organisers, the event will bring together manufacturers, military personnel, government officials, and investors to align efforts aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s asymmetric advantage on the battlefield. Defender Media is the event’s media partner. Participants will hear analyses of real battlefield cases demonstrating autonomous technologies, as well as candid discussions about successes and failures from Ukrainian developers of autonomous solutions. Attendees will also have the opportunity to see some of the most effective systems from Ukrainian manufacturers. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d-kXRB_s

Autonomy is fundamentally changing the logic of warfare. The speed of decision-making, system scalability, and the reduced role of the human factor are becoming key conditions for increasing effectiveness on the battlefield. And Ukraine is at the centre of this transformation. On April 22 in Lviv, IRON Cluster and The Fourth Law | Ярослав Ажнюк will bring together manufacturers, military personnel, government officials, and investors to discuss the real state of autonomous systems — from combat missions to practical experience of their deployment. Registration: https://lnkd.in/d-b9_Mww

💥 Working in defence tech and planning to enter international markets? Our friends at the communications agency Calibrated are launching an online programme designed to speed up that process significantly. Defence Tech Bootcamp: Go Global May 11–15, 2026 | 6:00–7:30 PM (Kyiv time) | online The programme focuses on how several European defence ecosystems actually operate — including Finland, Norway, Lithuania, and France — and what that means in practice for Ukrainian companies looking to engage there. IRON member companies are eligible for a 15% discount – DM us to get the promo code. Participation is free for Ukrainian veterans and active-duty military personnel – for verification, please contact: iryna.o@calibrated.agency Topics include: ✅ how defence ecosystems work in different countries; ✅ which programmes, initiatives, and collaboration formats are available for Ukrainian producers; ✅ how to identify market entry points and engage with key stakeholders what funding and support tools are available; ✅ which events, platforms, and professional communities provide visibility. In addition to live sessions and Q&A, the programme provides full access to recordings and materials, as well as a closed community where current and past bootcamp participants exchange ideas, insights, and experiences. Registration: https://lnkd.in/dTXCDvW8

🤝 Finland-Ukraine Tech Bridge 2026: synergy between Ukrainian and Finnish manufacturers in Tampere In March, 10 IRON member companies visited Tampere, Finland’s technology capital, for a large meeting with Finnish and Ukrainian defense industry representatives to accelerate cooperation in defense and dual-use innovations. The event brought together over 100 participants, including defense companies, research organizations, investors, and public sector representatives. We sincerely thank eALLIANCE Ecosystem, Business Tampere, Digital Defence Ecosystem, Patria, and Telia for organizing the event and for their consistent efforts in building a joint Ukrainian-Finnish defense ecosystem. We are proud of the IRON member companies — Frontline Robotics, Farsight Vision, DevDroid LLC, Sine engineering, Gyrolab Electronics, Angler, Besomar, and Techex — which are exploring pathways to global markets and are ready to share their expertise while engaging in new projects with partner countries. Special thanks also to our partners at Double Tap Investments Ltd, who shared with their Finnish colleagues insights on working in the Ukrainian market. “Finland is one of Ukraine’s most consistent and strategically driven partners,” says Andrii Makhnyk, Head of IRON Global. “The total volume of Finnish defense assistance to Ukraine has exceeded €3.2 billion, and this support is not incidental — it is driven by a shared understanding of the threat. Finland stands on the same edge of Europe as Ukraine and has its own extensive historical experience of confronting Russia. Finnish companies such as Patria, Nokia, Insta, and others are a strong example of Finland’s robust engineering base. Collaboration with Ukrainian defense companies enables both countries to strengthen their defense capabilities and jointly shape a new security architecture in Northern and Eastern Europe. IRON is visiting Finland for the third time together with Ukrainian companies. Previous visits focused on introductions and relationship-building. This visit marks the first in such a structured format, with dedicated negotiation tracks and targeted meetings. Our companies have diverse objectives — from identifying partners for joint ventures and manufacturing capacities to sourcing component suppliers and entering the Nordic markets. Several partnerships between Ukrainian and Finnish companies are currently in active negotiations.” Photo: Petri Kangas / Business Tampere. Non-commercial use.

⚙️ A significant milestone in supporting Ukraine’s component manufacturing ecosystem From now on, units on Brave1 Market can exchange e-Points not only for ready-made solutions, but also for components. Available components include communication equipment, video cameras, receivers, repeaters, navigation and power systems, release mechanisms, controllers, software, and other components. Additionally, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has announced the possibility of advance payments — up to 70% prepayment for goods purchased with e-Points. This will enable manufacturers to scale production and meet frontline needs faster. The average delivery time is around 10 days. “Of course, first of all, this is a major benefit for Defense Forces units, as they will be able to adapt systems to specific tasks. But Also, it is a strong boost for the market of components manufactured in Ukraine, making us even more technologically independent. This is a significant step for the industry, and we continue working to ensure that the component manufacturing ecosystem develops and has greater capacity to meet the needs of Ukraine’s defense industry,” — Volodymyr Cherniuk, CEO of IRON.

Battlefield autonomy is no longer the “next big thing” for Ukraine — it is already shaping the course of the war, with our AI solutions becoming a benchmark for other countries On April 22 in Lviv, IRON Cluster and The Fourth Law will bring together those shaping the future of autonomous solutions on the frontlines: engineers, manufacturers, military operators, investors, and government representatives. This year’s Drone Autonomy focuses on practice and real-world application across all domains of modern warfare. Last year we explored breakthrough solutions; this year, the focus is on systematic implementation and scaling. Together with Frontline Robotics, Skyeton, Sine engineering, and STARK, we are facilitating an open platform for honest dialogue between those who develop, operate, and scale autonomous solutions, and those who advocate for systems under full human control. Key sessions & activities: • 400+ participants from the defense industry • tech exhibition and company booths showcasing autonomous systems, AI, navigation, terminal guidance, and swarm technologies • demos and startup pitching • feedback from units already operating these systems on the frontlines • direct dialogue with military personnel • panel discussions with manufacturers and developers • discussions with government and international partners on the development of autonomous technologies More about the event + Registration: https://lnkd.in/d-b9_Mww Don’t miss the event where leaders in autonomous solutions will share insights on the new era of modern warfare! The Fourth Law (TFL) is an autonomous robotics company focused on scalable autonomy for defense. Founded in Kyiv in 2023 by serial entrepreneur Yaroslav Azhnyuk, together with a team of engineers, operators, and veterans, TFL operates across Ukraine, the EU, and the United States. IRON is a defense tech cluster founded in 2023, bringing together 100+ Ukrainian manufacturers of weapons and components, as well as 20 international defense companies. It serves as a platform for collaboration between manufacturers, military operators, investors, and government institutions, with the goal of accelerating the development of Ukraine’s defense industry.

IRON and Tech Force in UA Develop Legislative Proposals Two leading associations of private defence manufacturers, propose a phased removal of import exemptions for components that already have Ukrainian-made alternatives under specific Ukrainian Classifier of Goods for Foreign Economic Activity (UKT ZED) codes. These include products such as thermal imaging cameras, electric motors, propellers, rechargeable batteries, video transmitters, antennas, radio control systems, flight controllers, initiation boards, cables, and other components. The initiative seeks to ensure that import exemptions target components not yet manufactured in Ukraine, in line with economic feasibility, security, and domestic production capabilities. Anastasiia M. , Executive Director of Tech Force in UA: “The current system of exemptions in the defence industry no longer reflects the capabilities of the local market, as it did at the beginning of the full-scale war. Together, Tech Force in UA and IRON represent nearly 50 component manufacturers that are currently facing unequal market conditions. The proposed changes aim to stimulate the development of local component manufacturing, strengthen supply chain resilience, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, and enable faster adaptation of technologies to frontline requirements.” According to the associations, gradually revising import exemptions for certain products should maintain a balance between the defence industry's needs and the development of domestic manufacturing. This approach would create opportunities for broader localisation of unmanned systems production while ensuring continued access to critical components that are not yet produced in Ukraine. Yurii Lomikovskyi, co-founder and Head of Government Relations at the IRON cluster: “Ukraine has the potential to become a component manufacturing base not only for itself but also for Europe, which has long-term strategic plans for rearmament. Supporting local component manufacturers should be our priority. At the same time, changes to tax conditions must remain predictable for final manufacturers, as uninterrupted supplies to the frontline and the provision of necessary equipment for our military depend on this. IRON and Tech Force in UA believe that the removal of exemptions and preferences must be based on the real state of the market and that the government, together with industry associations, should analyse and take this into account.” The associations also support maintaining preferential conditions for components used for defence purposes that do not yet have Ukrainian production equivalents. This would ensure an uninterrupted supply and prevent shortages of critical components or disruptions in manufacturing.