Grants for artificial intelligence, innovations in secure communication, and laser weapons: an interview with the new chairman of the Brave1 Supervisory Board, Oleksandr Bornyakov.

Oleksandr Bornyakov headed the Supervisory Board of the defense technology cluster Brave1, strengthening the focus on reforms and grant competitions. His new appointment is accompanied by active cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, where Bornyakov became an advisor to the new minister Oksana Ferchuk.

Bornyakov, who played a significant role in launching Brave1 at the beginning of 2023, now aims to strengthen the corporate governance of the organization, particularly by reforming the grant competition system. The main challenge will be to shorten the path from technology development to implementation in the military sphere and to attract investment in defense innovations. For this purpose, the creation of subcommittees of the Supervisory Board and strengthening control over the effectiveness of management decisions are planned.

Regarding the new stage of cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Bornyakov will focus efforts on supporting existing projects, such as the “Diia.City” initiative and the implementation of the e-tax stamp systems. MinTsifra, under the leadership of Oksana Ferchuk, also remains open to new opportunities.

Bornyakov’s transition to the new position takes place in the context of the scope of work of the Ministry, with more than 200 employees engaged in 96 innovative projects. This requires attention to the strategic priorities of digital transformation, in particular, such as artificial intelligence and the development of the “Diia” platform. Ferchuk, who comes from the ecosystem of the Ministry of Defense, aims to bring a new perspective to the security and defense sector.