In brief
Thermopylae, a startup founded by Ukrainian Yehor Balytskyi, raised $1.6 million from Naval Ravikant, Founders, Inc., UA1 VC and other funds.
Technology
The company is developing countermeasures against kamikaze drones and glide munitions. The device developed is a foldable quadcopter designed to be launched from a mortar tube; it can strike targets at speeds of up to 350 km/h.
The platform is equipped with an electric motor and thermal guidance, and can remain airborne for up to 20 minutes. The estimated unit cost is up to $10,000; if it misses, the device can be recovered after falling and reused.
Team and background
Balytskyi left Ukraine after the full‑scale invasion in 2022, gained experience in security and cryptography in Europe, and then moved to the United States. Thermopylae emerged after several hackathons and prototype demonstrations for the U.S. military.
Plans and market
The team is integrating the system with Ukrainian C2 platforms and preparing for combat trials in Ukraine. A related startup, M‑Fly, recently raised $1.4 million to develop a stabilizer for drones; Ukrainian miltech companies can compete for NATO and Brave1 grants worth €10 million.
