Accelerator for Defense & Dual-Use Startups

Build for Reality. Deploy for Scale.
RISER Accelerator - Accelerating MilTech for the Future of Defense


Most defense accelerators help you refine a pitch.
We help you deploy a capability.

Apply for the Program

Accelerator for Defense & Dual-Use Startups

Build for Reality. Deploy for Scale. RISER Accelerator - Accelerating MilTech for the Future of Defense

RISER Accelerator - Accelerating MilTech for the Future of Defense


Most defense accelerators help you refine a pitch.
We help you deploy a capability.

Apply to the Program

Accelerating MilTech for the Future of Defense

This is not an innovation sandbox. This is an entry point into operational defense integration.

Our Accelerator is designed for defense and dual-use startups that want to move beyond demos and pilots — and integrate their technology into real operational systems, real procurement pathways, and real industrial production.

Who This Accelerator Is For:
We work with startups that already have real prototype, not just an idea.

Typical participants:
- Defense& dual-use startups (hardware, software, munitions, components)
- UAV (all types and), Counter-UAV, ISR, radars, sensors, turrets, AI-enabled systems, cyber,etc.
- Teamswith working prototypes or early deployments
-Founders aiming for government, MoD, or defense-industrial customers

If your goal is deployment, not visibility, you are in the right place.
The Core Problem We Address:
Western startups face the same structural barriers again and again:
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- No access to real operational feedback
- No credible path from prototype to military system
- No understanding of how procurement, codification, compliance actually work
- No partner who can integrate their product into a larger capability
- Endless pilots that never convert into contracts

Technology is not the bottleneck. Integration is.
Integration-First, Not Pitch-First
Your technology is evaluated based on how it fits into a system, not how it looks on slides.

We focus on:
- System architecture compatibility
- Operational role in real missions
- Integration with other technologies and platforms
Access to the Integrator Layer
Most accelerators stop at introduction.

We give you access to:
- System integration programs
- Industrial partners and manufacturers
- Ongoing defense capability projects 

This is where startups usually fail — and where we specialize.
What Makes This Accelerator Different?
Explore the Program
Real Operational Feedback
We structure feedback loops with:
- Active military users
- Operators with recent battlefield experience
- Tactical and operational planners

You learn how your product is actually used, not how it is imagined.
Manufacturing & Scale Readiness
We help you prepare for scale before scale is required.

Support includes:
- Design-for-manufacturing logic
- Production partner matching
- Supply-chain structuring
- Transition from prototype to repeatable production
What Makes This Accelerator Different?
Explore the Program
Integration-First, Not Pitch-First
Your technology is evaluated based on how it fits into a system, not how it looks on slides.

We focus on:
- System architecture compatibility
- Operational role in real missions
- Integration with other technologies and platforms
‍
Access to the Integrator Layer
Most accelerators stop at introduction.

We give you access to:
- System integration programs
- Industrial partners and manufacturers
- Ongoing defense capability projects

This is where startups usually fail — and where we specialize.
Real Operational Feedback
We structure feedback loops with:
- Active military users
- Operators with recent battlefield experience
- Tactical and operational planners

You learn how your product is actually used, not how it is imagined.
Manufacturing & Scale Readiness
We help you prepare for scale before scale is required.

Support includes:
- Design-for-manufacturing logic
- Production partner matching
- Supply-chain structuring
- Transition from prototype to repeatable production

Our Approach

We created this accelerator as experienced industry professionals, not as program managers.

We combine:

Founder experience
Battlefield-driven operational logic
Investor discipline
Defense industrial integration know-how

The Accelerator is tightly connected to our Integrator Company,  which means:

No artificial demo days
No dead-end PoCs
No abstract mentoring
Official documents from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the General Staff, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Only pathways that lead to integration and deployment.

Our Approach

We built this We created this accelerator as experienced industry professionals, not as program.

We combine:

Founder experience
Investor discipline
Battlefield-driven operational logic
Defense industrial integration know-how

The Accelerator is tightly connected to our Integrator Company, which means:

Defense industrial integration know-how
No abstract mentoring
No dead-end PoCs
Official documents from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the General Staff, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Only pathways that lead to integration and deployment.

Accelerator Structure

The program is structured, intensive, and execution-driven.

Phase 1 — Capability & Integration Assessment
Phase 2 — Operational Adaptation
Phase 3 — System Integration
Phase 4 — Industrial & Market Entry
Apply for the Program

What You Get as a Startup

Direct access to integration projects
Structured operational feedback
Credibility with military and industrial partners
Clear next steps toward procurement or industrial deals
A long-term integrator partner, not a short-term program

We do not promise funding.
We enable conditions where funding and contracts become rational.

Accelerator Structure

The program is structured, intensive, and execution-driven.

What You Get as a Startup:

Direct access to integration projects
Structured operational feedback
Credibility with military and industrial partners
Clear next steps toward procurement or industrial deals
A long-term integrator partner, not a short-term program

We do not promise funding.
We enable conditions where funding andcontracts become rational.

Phase 1 — Capability & Integration Assessment
Phase 2 — Operational Adaptation
Phase 3 — System Integration
Phase 4 — Industrial & Market Entry
Apply to the Program

Key Objectives of the Program:

Combat testing and verification
- depending on the type of product and level of access, provide:
- testing at test sites
- transfer to the front line within the agreed field application procedure.
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NATO codification (NSN)
- accompany the process of obtaining an NSN (NATO Stock Number) through Ukrainian codification authorities.
- ensure product compliance with international standards.
Legal and logistical support
- provide participants with basic legal support on issues related to:
- export/import of equipment,
- compliance with international sanctions and export regimes,
- temporary import/export of equipment for testing.
Expert validation
- ensure direct feedback from Ukrainian military personnel and relevant specialists.
- form a “combat expertise” with a detailed field report.
Demo day and public recognition
- organize a closed Demo Day with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the defense industry, allied countries, and investors.
- provide the opportunity to obtain a “Combat Proven Ukraine” certificate
Marketing and investment support
- prepare a brochure for participants with military reviews, photos/videos from tests, and technical conclusions.- connect venture capital miltech funds and potential buyers to the program results.
‍Technological adaptation
- organize the customization and refinement of technologies to meet the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the General Staff, the Special Operations Forces, and other structures.
- conduct a TRL (technology readiness level) audit
Matchmaking with manufacturers
- organize meetings and workshops with manufacturing partners in Ukraine.
- create conditions for licensed production, joint ventures, or integration into existing supply chains
Startups
Selection

We select startups based on:

- Technical substance
- Founder execution mindset
- Willingness to adapt to operational reality
- Long-term relevance to defense systems
‍

We are not sector-agnostic. We focus only where we can actually integrate and deploy.

Relationship with the Integrator

The Accelerator is not a standalone entity.

- Early-stage technologies enter through the Accelerator
- Successful teams transition into direct integration tracks
- The Integrator remains responsible for system delivery, industrialization, and market execution

This ensures continuity from startup → system → contract.

Growth for future leaders

Selection


We select startups based on:

- Technical substance
- Founder execution mindset- Willingness to adapt to operationalreality
- Long-term relevance to defense systems 

Relationship with the Integrator

The Accelerator is not a standalone entity.

- Early-stage technologies enter through the Accelerator
- Successful teams transition into direct integration tracks
- The Integrator remains responsible for system delivery, industrialization, and market execution

Apply →

If you are building defense or dual-usetechnology and want:
Real deployment
Real feedback
Real integration
Real market access

Apply to the Accelerator.

If you are ready to move beyond pilots —we are ready to integrate you.
Apply Program

Apply →

If you are building defense or dual-usetechnology and want:
Real deployment
Real feedback
Real integration
Real market access

Apply to the Accelerator.

If you are ready to move beyond pilots —we are ready to integrate you.
Apply to the Program

FAQ

Who can apply?
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Any company or startup working in the field of miltech or dual-use technologies.

How do you ensure security and technology protection?
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All projects are covered by NDA, with strictly limited access to sensitive data.

What about IP rights?
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Intellectual property remains with the team.

Can I participate remotely?
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Yes, online participation and pilots outside of Ukraine are possible.

Contacts:

Questions about our programs or partnerships? Contact us.

Email: anatoliy.kalantarian@riseraccel.com
LinkedIn: [link]
Offices: Kyiv (HQ), Berlin (international representation)
Apply here!
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