Innovators in defense and security technologies will gather in Prague from June 3 to 8 for the debut edition of Prague Defense Tech Week (PDTW). Organized by VC fund Presto Tech Horizons, the Invest in Bravery initiative, and the European Defense Tech Hub, this marks the first event of its kind in the Czech Republic. The week will focus on connecting technologies, talent, and partnerships shaping the future of defense.
PDTW aims to connect defense tech startups, investors, technology leaders, and the public sector, while underscoring the necessity of investing in resilience and defense capabilities. The week’s key events include the Invest in Bravery Summit at the Czernin Palace and the European Defense Tech Hackathon, where early builders and top European innovators in defense and security will gather to create prototypes with immediate real-world applications. The full Prague Defense Tech Week program is available at pdtw.cz.
“We’re here for what gets built. PDTW is about turning potential and ideas into impact. Presto supports hands-on formats like the Hackathon because that’s where momentum starts – when people roll up their sleeves and tackle real-world problems. Within 48 hours, you see what’s worth the code, what should be scrapped, and critical know-how gets shared with everyone,” explains Vojta Roček, Partner at Presto Tech Horizons, one of the event’s organizers. “They say that when the winds of change blow, some build walls, others build windmills. We’re here to help the windmill builders run at full speed.”
PDTW partners and co-organizers include the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the newly launched Defence Hub by CzechInvest, defense tech accelerators like NATO DIANA, Defence Builder, or AB3 Tech, as well as UAC, a leading Czech-Ukrainian developer of advanced military drones, and other partners from the innovation and investment landscape, such as international law firm Pierstone, venture tech builder Creative Dock, and community platform Startup Disrupt. The Recursive will also be reporting from the defense tech week, with our editor Teodora Atanasova joining onsite.
Building The Future of Defense Tech
“The future of defense is being shaped by agile startups, not legacy contractors. Ukrainian founders are building and deploying on the front lines, creating tech with real-world impact,” says Lola Onipko, co-founder of the Invest in Bravery initiative, who is bringing a 40-member Ukrainian delegation to Prague. “Prague Defense Tech Week is where that experience meets opportunity, connecting them with international partners to scale impact and strengthen collective security.”
High-profile guests will include Joel Noutere from the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), Ihor Fedirko, CEO of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry (UCDI), and a range of battle-tested Ukrainian founders and mentors, such as Serhii Kupriienko of Swarmer, an AI-based mission control center for coordinated drones, or Denys Nikolayenko from Oko Camera, a startup that builds thermal imaging cameras for unmanned systems.
Also traveling to Prague will be former investment banker turned combat medic Viktoriia Honcharuk from the 3rd Assault Brigade, one of the most effective units in the Ukrainian military, as well as Olha Prudka, representing Diia City, a breakthrough project from Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation.
Speakers at the Invest in Bravery Summit will include Tomáš Kopečný, Czech Government Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, Vasyl Zvarych, Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, and Jan Kavalírek, Czech Government Envoy for AI.
All PDTW events and partners share a common mission: moving defense innovation from vision to action. The lack of investor willingness to enter the defense space remains as one of the key challenges – often due to stigma or perceived reputational and regulatory risks. But the geopolitical reality has shifted: investment in defense and security tech is now a strategic necessity. The focus must be on targeted support for startups working in cybersecurity, AI, satellite tech, or autonomous systems – and on the realization that defense innovation isn’t just about weapons, but about protecting critical infrastructure and digital sovereignty.
“Peace needs more than good intentions – that’s why we’re bringing the European Defense Tech Hackathon to Prague on June 6-8. We’ll gather 100+ builders from across Europe to prototype solutions to urgent security challenges like drone defense or demining,” says Benjamin Wolba, co-founder of the European Defense Tech Hub and the successful EDTH hackathon series.
“The full-scale invasion of Ukraine has shown that warfare has fundamentally changed, new threats like FPV kamikaze drones have emerged, and Europe needs to be ready. Policy papers won’t defend us against drones. These hackathons are about action – we bring new talent into defense, help them form teams, and prototype solutions they can continue to build post-hackathon, all with one mission: to save lives and deter future conflicts,” concludes Wolba.
PDTW partners also include Finnish-Ukrainian investors Double Tap Investments, deep tech fund Inflection, German prototyping and pre-production firm nFrontier, as well as tech-driven projects like The Foundry and AMSO. Nonprofit organizations such as DroneAid Collective and Dignitas are also actively involved.
The full list of Prague Defense Tech Week events
Invest in Bravery Summit | June 5
The Invest in Bravery conference will take place at the Czernin Palace, supported by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Speakers will include Tomas Kopecny, Government Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, Vasyl Zvarych, Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, and many others. The summit will host Ukrainian tech startups, international investors, innovation hubs and accelerators, NGOs, and representatives of the Czech, Ukrainian, and allied governments and armed forces.
Panels will explore why global investment in defense tech is a strategic imperative and how to scale innovation through cross-border ecosystems. The program will also feature pitches and demos of battle-tested Ukrainian startups.
European Defense Tech Hackathon | June 6-8
The Prague edition is part of the popular ongoing EDTH hackathon series that takes place across European innovation hubs, including Munich, Paris, and Copenhagen. In 2025, the organizers plan to host 15+ hackathons in cities like Amsterdam, Warsaw, or Vilnius – now joined by Prague. They expect to welcome over 100 hackers from across Europe, along with dozens of mentors and partners.
The hackathons aim to bring fresh talent into defense innovation by enabling collaboration on real-world challenges. They engage participants – often students, researchers, or early stage founders – in solving urgent, real-world problems faced by soldiers in Ukraine, NATO countries, and their allies. The events are designed to generate practical solutions and products. Hackers are supported by experienced mentors from tech companies, VC funds, government, armed forces, and NGO partners. The Next Zone facility will provide top-tier infrastructure for both hardware and software development, including 3D printing, drone testing, welding, and more.
Each previous hackathon has produced 10 to 12 tech startups. The EDTH team expects to support over 100 projects by the end of 2025 – helping them launch, scale, and bring their solutions to market to help protect lives and strategic assets.
DEFSEC25: Defense & Security Conference | June 3
The DEFSEC25 Conference, organized by Startup Disrupt, is held at the Martinic Palace at Prague Castle. The event will focus on the future of defense innovation and bring together startup founders, industry leaders, defense experts, and government representatives.
NATO DIANA Challenge 2026 | June 4
Startup founders and investors will get to meet representatives of NATO’s DIANA program (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic). The DIANA Challenge 2026 event is organized by the recently launched CzechInvest Defence Hub. Attendees will learn about the DIANA application process and connect with experts and other innovative startups.
