Portuguese Drone Unicorn Expands in Ukraine

Portuguese drone unicorn Tekever is deepening its footprint in Ukraine, betting on local engineers, local partnerships, and battlefield hardened AI systems to anchor its long term presence in the country’s defense tech ecosystem, as Kyiv Post reported.

The move signals more than symbolic support. It reflects a strategic shift toward embedding Western drone companies directly inside Ukraine’s rapidly evolving military innovation machine.

Tekever Builds Local Team and Infrastructure

Tekever, which surpassed a $1 billion valuation last year, opened its Ukrainian office in April 2025. Since then, two of its drone models have logged more than 50,000 flight hours in operational conditions inside the country.

According to Kateryna Bezsudna, director of Tekever’s Ukrainian office, the company has outlined three key objectives for 2026:

• Hire a core local engineering team
• Build technical and logistical infrastructure
• Develop partnerships with Ukrainian manufacturers to localize solutions

Rather than launching a full scale production line immediately, Tekever is focusing on integration. That includes working with Ukrainian partners on communications systems, field testing, maintenance, and operational support.

The company has opened seven positions for specialists in UAV integration, testing, maintenance, and training. The goal is not simply to deploy drones, but to embed capability on the ground.

AI, Edge Processing, and Electronic Warfare Resilience

Tekever’s systems are built around a proprietary AI platform that combines Edge AI, satellite communications, and cloud computing. In Ukraine’s battlespace, that architecture is not marketing language. It is survival logic.

Russian electronic warfare routinely disrupts GPS signals and communications links. Systems that rely heavily on centralized control or fragile data connections can quickly become blind.

By processing data closer to the edge and blending multiple communication layers, Tekever’s approach aims to maintain operational continuity even when traditional signals degrade. In a conflict defined by jamming and countermeasures, resilience is currency.

This battlefield validation is also part of Tekever’s broader pitch. The company is positioning itself as a provider of autonomous dual use systems shaped by real world deployment rather than laboratory theory.

Part of a Wider Defense Tech Shift

Tekever’s expansion mirrors a broader trend across Ukraine’s defense tech sector. International companies are not just exporting hardware. They are establishing offices, partnerships, and production capabilities inside the country.

Norway’s Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, known for NASAMS air defense systems, has opened a representative office.

Turkish drone maker Baykar has moved forward with plans for a facility in the Kyiv region. German defense giant Rheinmetall is finalizing plans for an ammunition factory in a secure region of Ukraine, with land already allocated.

The message is clear. Ukraine is no longer only a customer. It is becoming a development environment and industrial partner.

From AI Startup to European Unicorn

Founded 20 years ago by computer scientists and researchers in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and distributed systems, Tekever began as a bootstrapped venture focused on intelligent distributed technologies.

Ten years ago, the company identified the UAS market as a defining opportunity. The team anticipated that drones would become ubiquitous and that software driven capabilities would determine competitive advantage.

Five years ago, Tekever had become one of Europe’s leading unmanned aircraft providers, expanding into Digital Transformation services through Tekever Digital and satellite systems through Tekever Space.

Today, as Europe’s newest unicorn, the company is combining battlefield proven autonomy with significant investor backing to scale its defense and security ambitions.

DroneXL’s Take

Tekever’s expansion into Ukraine is not just about adding headcount or office space. It is about proximity to the most demanding drone operating environment in the world.

Companies that learn fastest under pressure tend to shape the next generation of doctrine and hardware. By embedding locally instead of operating at a distance, Tekever is positioning itself not only as a supplier, but as a co architect of Europe’s future autonomous defense landscape.

Photo credit: Tekever