In a move that signals the deepening integration of Ukrainian innovation into both global enterprise and defense ecosystems, Angel One Fund has announced investments in three startups: AiSDR, DoD Solution, and Deftak. While the companies operate in different sectors, they share a common denominator: the elimination of operational bottlenecks through automation and AI.
Over the past month, Angel One Fund has finalized deals with one civil-tech startup and two defense-tech entities via syndicated agreements. Each investment aligns with the fund’s strategy, maintaining an average ticket size of approximately $200,000.
The Logic of Elimination: Shifting the Paradigm
The investment strategy reflects a shift from simply building “better products” to removing entire layers of human constraint. Ivan Petrenko, Managing Partner of Angel One Fund, emphasizes that the current winners in the tech landscape are those who solve for efficiency at scale.
“Today, the winners are not necessarily those who create the best products, but rather those who eliminate entire roles, constraints, and delays. AiSDR eliminates the need for a sales team, the DoD Solution reduces reliance on GPS and communications, and Deftak shortens the time between detection and defeat. While these are different markets, they all follow the same logic, and we are committed to investing in these transformative shifts”, says Petrenko.
Civil Tech: Automating the Revenue Engine
In the civilian sector, the fund backed AiSDR, an AI-powered sales development platform. The startup addresses a primary pain point for B2B companies: the high cost and low scalability of manual lead generation.
The Solution: AiSDR automates the end-to-end outbound and inbound process—from prospect research to personalized outreach across LinkedIn and email, culminating in booked meetings.
The Goal: The fresh capital will be used to accelerate product development and meet aggressive financial targets in the competitive SaaS market.
Defense Tech: Autonomy and Precision in Electronic Warfare
Through syndicated agreements, Angel One Fund has expanded its defense portfolio with two members of the Brave1 cluster – Ukraine’s defense-tech coordination platform.
1. DoD Solution: Navigating Without GPS
An Estonian-Ukrainian startup, DoD Solution is tackling one of the most critical challenges on the modern battlefield: Electronic Warfare (EW).
The Innovation: The company is developing AURA, an autonomy platform (hardware and software) that enables unmanned systems to operate in GPS-denied environments without active communication links.
Technical Edge: The solution integrates proprietary single-board computers and an AI stack for autonomous navigation, object recognition, and homing.
Use of Funds: The investment will scale the production of high-performance single-board computers for UAVs and interceptors, while facilitating entry into international defense markets.
2. Deftak: Converting Reconnaissance into Strike
Deftak is a Ukrainian startup focused on cost-effective precision. They specialize in guided munitions that can be retrofitted onto existing hardware.
The Innovation: Deftak develops munitions that adjust their trajectory mid-fall using an integrated camera system.
Market Impact: This technology allows operators to convert standard reconnaissance drones into precision strike assets, significantly reducing the “sensor-to-shooter” cycle.
Scaling Up: The funding is earmarked for expanding production capacity to meet the growing demand for precision-guided solutions.
The Brave1 Connection
Both DoD Solution and Deftak were identified through the Brave1 ecosystem, where the startups first showcased their technologies to Angel One Fund. The synergy between private capital and the state-led defense cluster continues to be the primary engine for Ukraine’s “Deep Tech” surge.
As the distinction between software automation and hardware autonomy blurs, these investments raise a critical question for the VC community: Is the next generation of SaaS actually “Software as a Soldier”, where the same AI logic used to book a meeting is used to guide a drone? The answer seems to be a resounding yes.
Source: Angel One Fund
