Defence Builder Accelerator conducted a specialized workshop dedicated to the implementation of NATO AQAP (Allied Quality Assurance Publications) quality standards. The event was part of a systematic effort to prepare defence companies for integration into Alliance standards and entry into international markets.
The workshop brought together teams from Batch 3.0 of the Defence Builder Accelerator, representatives of the Finnish accelerator 17Tech, as well as alumni from previous accelerator cohorts. NATO experts also joined the event, sharing practical approaches to AQAP certification – the key requirements for quality management systems in the defence sector.
Opening the event, Line Rindvig, CEO Defence Builder Accelerator, emphasized the strategic role of standards as a foundation for scaling defence-tech companies:
“The goal of this workshop is to understand which specific metrics need to be embedded at an early stage of building a defence company in order to later obtain NATO AQAP certification. This workshop is part of the Defence Builder acceleration program. We included this module because we believe that the private sector bears responsibility for preparing the next generation of defence technology companies – particularly in terms of which metrics and approaches should be embedded from the very beginning.”
Partners also joined the workshop, including the Finnish accelerator 17 Tech, the Danish consulting company Vardian, as well as NATO's Kyiv office, and the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels.
NATO representatives presented key cooperation instruments with Ukraine, including the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) and the new Unite Brave NATO program – a joint innovation competition between companies from NATO member states and Ukraine.
“Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) is a trust fund managed by NATO Headquarters that supports Ukraine in non-lethal areas: enhancing interoperability and capability development,” said William Tonkins, Joint Support Advisor at the NATO Representation to Ukraine.
At the same time, he emphasized that interoperability is one of the central areas of cooperation:
“A few years ago, NATO and Ukraine agreed on an interoperability roadmap – 74 areas of cooperation to ensure our systems can work together more effectively.”
His colleague Steve Taylor, Land Domain Advisor at the NATO Representation to Ukraine, highlighted practical priorities:
“Three priority areas for the land domain are command and control, including communications; air defence, including counter-UAS; and ISTAR: intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. This relates to the kill chain – from sensor to shooter. This is what is happening right now on the line of contact.”
He also noted that NATO countries are actively adopting Ukraine’s combat experience.
Edward Shrimpton, Head of Innovation at NATO Headquarters, presented the Unite Brave NATO program, which provides funding for joint development:
“If there is no funding to launch programs and support activities, it is very difficult to get moving. That is why we decided to launch Unite Brave NATO.”
According to him, the initiative’s budget for 2026 amounts to €50 million, with a core principle of joint projects between Ukrainian and NATO companies.
Under the program, a company from a NATO member state and a company from Ukraine submit a joint application, develop a shared solution, and are jointly responsible for the outcome.
“The idea is that everything is equal from the very beginning. We focus on TRL7 and above solutions – companies that need the final step to scale and be ready for deployment,” Shrimpton explained.
Myroslav Popovych, representative of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry (UCDI), outlined the transformation of Ukraine’s defence-tech sector: before the full-scale invasion, private defence companies in Ukraine could be counted on the fingers of one hand, and the industry’s volume stood at around $1 billion.
As of now, the number of manufacturers has increased significantly — from large to small — with more than 30 certified private UAV operator schools, and a projected production volume of $50 billion for this year. Half a million people are directly employed in the defence sector.
He also emphasized the critical role of NATO standards in the transition to a modern model of warfare:
“Yes, all these standards, all these markings, all these compatible calibres, even battlefield medicine – it's unsexy. But that is what wins you a war. Trust me. It's all about communication. Thirty-two countries can each be tough on their own. But if they can't communicate with each other and they're fighting an enemy like Russia or China — that's a big problem.”
Summing up the discussion, Defence Builder Accelerator emphasized that Ukraine has already made a breakthrough in creating innovations under the pressure of war, but the next stage is building a systematic ecosystem compatible with NATO standards.
The workshop thus became another step toward integrating Ukrainian defence-tech companies into the Euro-Atlantic space – through standardization, interoperability, and joint innovation.
