{"id":16141,"name":"Defence Builder Fund I","slug":"defence-builder-fund-i","website":"https://invest.defencebuilder.com/","hqGeo":"Kyiv, Ukraine","stageFocus":["Pre-Seed","Seed","Series A"],"sectorTags":["AI / ML","Security"],"excludedSectors":[],"checkSizeMin":100000,"checkSizeMax":300000,"thesisSummary":"An early-stage venture fund backing Ukrainian defense tech startups, with sectors including UAVs, electronic warfare, command and control, intelligence and reconnaissance, cyber, and dual-use deep tech. It focuses on startups operating in Ukraine and allied defense contexts.","thesisNarrative":null,"logoUrl":null,"aumUsd":null,"submissionUrl":null,"linkedinUrl":null,"twitterHandle":null,"portfolio":[{"companyName":"Buntar Aerospace","companyUrl":null,"stage":"Seed","sector":"UAV / ISR","investmentYear":null,"description":"Develops GPS-free reconnaissance UAV platforms and mission-planning tools for frontline use.","amountUsd":null,"relevanceNote":null,"fundName":"Defence Builder Fund I"},{"companyName":"Huless","companyUrl":null,"stage":"Seed","sector":"UAV communications / relay","investmentYear":null,"description":"Builds tethered UAV relay systems for persistent military communications.","amountUsd":null,"relevanceNote":null,"fundName":"Defence Builder Fund I"},{"companyName":"sine.engineering","companyUrl":null,"stage":"Seed","sector":"Comms / navigation hardware","investmentYear":null,"description":"Makes communications and navigation hardware for defense applications.","amountUsd":null,"relevanceNote":null,"fundName":"Defence Builder Fund I"},{"companyName":"Falcons","companyUrl":null,"stage":"Seed","sector":"Electronic warfare / C2","investmentYear":null,"description":"Builds an EW and C2 platform, including RF direction-finding systems.","amountUsd":null,"relevanceNote":null,"fundName":"Defence Builder Fund I"},{"companyName":"DOD Solution","companyUrl":null,"stage":"Pre-seed","sector":"Defense AI / autonomy","investmentYear":null,"description":"Builds onboard AI modules for drones and other unmanned systems to navigate and operate in GPS-jammed or link-denied environments.","amountUsd":null,"relevanceNote":null,"fundName":"Defence Builder Fund I"},{"companyName":"Trinity Robotics","companyUrl":null,"stage":"Seed","sector":"UGV / robotics","investmentYear":null,"description":"Ukrainian developer of unmanned ground vehicles, including the Konyk ONE platform.","amountUsd":null,"relevanceNote":null,"fundName":"Defence Builder Fund I"},{"companyName":"MaXon Systems","companyUrl":null,"stage":"Seed","sector":"Air defense / intercept systems","investmentYear":null,"description":"Develops autonomous detect-to-defeat systems for intercepting Shahed-type drones.","amountUsd":null,"relevanceNote":null,"fundName":"Defence Builder Fund I"}],"partnerCount":3,"partners":[{"id":53426,"name":"Kateryna Bezsudna","title":"General Partner","seniority":"partner","focusTags":[],"linkedinUrl":null,"twitterHandle":null,"blogUrl":null,"thesisSummary":null,"whyThisPartner":null,"recentPosts":[]},{"id":53427,"name":"Line Ridvig","title":"General Partner","seniority":"partner","focusTags":[],"linkedinUrl":null,"twitterHandle":null,"blogUrl":null,"thesisSummary":null,"whyThisPartner":null,"recentPosts":[]},{"id":53428,"name":"Valery Krasovsky","title":"General Partner","seniority":"partner","focusTags":[],"linkedinUrl":null,"twitterHandle":null,"blogUrl":null,"thesisSummary":null,"whyThisPartner":null,"recentPosts":[]}],"funds":[],"activity":{"lastInvestmentYear":null,"investmentsThisYear":0},"activityItems":[],"contentUpdatedAt":null,"investorType":"vc","preferredApproach":"warm intro preferred","prefersFounderType":null,"oneClickPitchEnabled":false,"relatedFirms":[{"id":7722,"name":"Sheesha Finance","slug":"sheesha-finance","logoUrl":null,"website":"https://sheeshafinance.gitbook.io/","stageFocus":[],"sectorTags":["AI / ML","Developer Tools","Fintech"],"hqGeo":null},{"id":13762,"name":"NeuroNet Ventures","slug":"neuronet-ventures","logoUrl":null,"website":"https://neuronetgpo.com/","stageFocus":["Seed"],"sectorTags":["AI / ML"],"hqGeo":"Chicago, IL"},{"id":11767,"name":"LiftScale Partners","slug":"liftscale-partners","logoUrl":null,"website":"https://weareliftscale.com/","stageFocus":["Pre-Seed"],"sectorTags":["AI / ML","SaaS"],"hqGeo":"San Francisco, CA"},{"id":1574,"name":"Plaid Ventures","slug":"plaid-ventures","logoUrl":null,"website":"https://plaid.com/","stageFocus":["Pre-Seed","Seed"],"sectorTags":["Fintech","Developer Tools","AI / ML"],"hqGeo":"San Francisco, CA"},{"id":3892,"name":"Madrona Pioneer Fund","slug":"madrona-pioneer-fund","logoUrl":null,"website":"https://www.madrona.com/","stageFocus":["Pre-Seed","Seed"],"sectorTags":["Real Estate","SaaS","Enterprise","Security","Developer Tools"],"hqGeo":"Seattle, WA"},{"id":14307,"name":"Nextgen Media Ventures","slug":"nextgen-media-ventures","logoUrl":null,"website":"https://nextgennewmedia.com/","stageFocus":["Seed"],"sectorTags":["AI / ML","SaaS"],"hqGeo":"Los Angeles, CA"}],"featuredIn":[{"slug":"pre-seed","displayName":"Pre-Seed Investors","pageType":"stage"},{"slug":"seed","displayName":"Seed Investors","pageType":"stage"},{"slug":"ai","displayName":"AI & ML Investors","pageType":"industry"},{"slug":"series-a","displayName":"Series A Investors","pageType":"stage"}],"fundraisingResources":[{"slug":"how-to-find-investors","title":"How to Find Investors: A VC's Playbook for Founders"},{"slug":"how-vcs-help-portfolio-raise-follow-on","title":"How VCs Can Actually Help Their Portfolio Companies Raise Follow-On"},{"slug":"how-many-investors-should-you-pitch","title":"How Many Investors Should You Pitch? The Math Most Founders Get Wrong"}],"overviewNarrative":null,"portfolioNarrative":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"lastVerifiedAt":"2026-10-27T02:12:31.909Z"}