About the Project
The project envisages the establishment of a modern Prototyping Laboratory in Ternopil as a shared-use facility for developers of UAVs and electronic warfare (EW) systems, aimed at accelerating the development, testing, and refinement of unmanned solutions and strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities. It addresses the issue of regional imbalance and limited access for small enterprises in Western Ukraine to high-cost R&D equipment by introducing a cluster-based shared infrastructure model that provides access to high-precision equipment, standardized testing, and certified engineering expertise.
Expected results include halving the development cycle for new equipment (from 6 to 3 months), conducting over 30 tests in the first year, training five test engineers, and creating prerequisites for scaling the model to other regions of Ukraine through a replication manual with standardized solutions and procedures.
Objectives
- Establish a Prototyping Laboratory in Ternopil as a shared-use facility for developers of UAVs and electronic warfare (EW) systems.
- Provide small and medium-sized R&D teams in Western Ukraine with access to high-precision measurement equipment, standardized testing methodologies, and certified engineering expertise.
- Reduce the development and testing cycle of unmanned systems by at least 50% through a cluster shared facility model.
- Improve the quality and reliability of defense technologies through systematic testing and iterative prototype refinement.
- Build a talent pipeline by training and certifying test engineers.
- Create a scalable R&D infrastructure model suitable for replication in other regions of Ukraine.
Key Problems and Opportunities in Focus
- Lack of regional R&D technical infrastructure: 80% of SMEs in Western Ukraine do not have their own measurement equipment due to its high cost.
- Logistical and time barriers: the concentration of laboratories in only a few cities extends development cycles to over six months.
- Non-compliance with standards: shortages of equipment and qualified personnel lead to non-compliance with Ministry of Defense requirements and the loss of contracts.
- Cluster-based opportunity: establishing a shared-use facility enables the development cycle to be reduced to three months and testing procedures to be standardized.
Expected Impact
- Over 60 SMEs / participants engaged in using the shared infrastructure.
- 15–20 new jobs (engineers, technicians) and at least five trained and certified test engineers.
- Economic impact: R&D cycle reduced by 50% (from 6 to 3 months), delivering an estimated ROI of 1:5.
- Social impact: strengthening the regional defense ecosystem and enhancing defense capabilities through faster deployment of innovations for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Donor / Investor Engagement Format
- grant funding
- capacity building
- co-implementation
Readiness Status - investment-ready
Existing Elements:
- Partnerships
- Preliminary research
- Institutional framework
- Infrastructure resources
Comprehensive project covering several key areas:
Innovation and production / research–production
Infrastructure
Cluster development
Defense-industrial sector
12 months from the grant approval date.
Total Budget: €460,000
Structure (Grant funding — 100%):
High-precision equipment (RF / EMC): €348,800
Prototyping equipment (CNC / 3D): €33,000
Raw materials and consumables (for 2 years): €24,500
Personnel costs (10 months): €23,300
Facility rent (1 year): €13,500
Uninterruptible power supply (UPS): €8,000
Workstation setup (furniture): €5,000
Utilities (10 months): €3,900
Regional (with a focus on establishing a local R&D hub in Ternopil).
Implementation location: Ternopil, Ukraine.
Regional coverage: Western Ukraine.
Clusters and business associations
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Higher education institutions (HEIs) and the research community
Local communities and public authorities
Veterans and IDPs:
Veterans: engaged as experts with combat experience for testing prototypes in real-world conditions, as well as opportunities for professional reskilling.
IDPs: employment opportunities for qualified engineers who were forced to leave combat zones and have experience in high-tech sectors.
Defense Forces of Ukraine (end beneficiaries):
Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that will receive EW systems and drones that have completed a full cycle of laboratory testing and meet declared performance specifications.
Western Ukrainian Defense Cluster (WUDC), Non-Governmental Organization.
Ternopil Ivan Puluj National Technical University (TNTU) — academic partner responsible for scientific and technical support, as well as the training and certification of engineering personnel.
Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine — government partners providing strategic coordination and acting as potential clients for the laboratory’s services.
International programs (DIANA, EU4Defence) — partners providing methodological support to ensure the laboratory’s compliance with NATO and EU standards.
Members of the Western Ukrainian Defense Cluster (WUDC) — direct manufacturing partners who define R&D demand and ensure project sustainability through the shared-use model.
To discuss partnership opportunities:
Contact Person: Vitalii Zhukovskyi
Email: vitahazhuk1@gmail.com