17Tech Accelerator

Validating and accelerating startups

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

When you see this hat, say Hi!, if you want to validate your startup in our accelerator and our R&D lab in Ukraine.

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Here's what our accelerator actually includes. No fluff.

Access to our structured accelerator program. Mentoring from people who've built and sold defence companies. Access to military events in Finland and Ukraine. Direct tech testing with Ukrainian forces at our Kyiv R&D center. Pre-seed funding of 20k€. Connections to investors who understand this space.

We take startups from all over Europe. Hardware, software. If it has defence application and you're serious about building it, we want to hear from you.

https://t.co/y51jXTTI7g

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Our startup service is getting stronger. We hired Johannes Jäämeri to connect our startups with investors.

Johannes has 3-years experience working for a dual use fund and other investment companies. Brilliant professional with ability to understand investors and startups and then connecting the right ones.

Welcome Johannes!!!!

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Validate in Ukraine, applications close 24.8. https://t.co/y51jXTUfWO

Ukraine is the world's largest real-time testing ground for defence tech. That's not marketing, it's reality. If you are building in defence, you need to validate in Ukraine.

Our startups get direct access. Real feedback from operators. Real conditions. No simulations.

If you have tech that could save lives on the battlefield, we want to talk to you.

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Hackathons may lead to 17Tech Oy defence accelerator working with Defence forces in Ukraine, Finland and 5 other Nato countries.

You can meet us at the following European Defense Tech hackathons:
20.–23.8. – Neuhardenberg / Berlin, Germany 🇩🇪
28.–30.8. – Hamburg, Germany 🇩🇪
2.–4.10. – Galați, Romania 🇷🇴
2.–4.10. – London, United Kingdom 🇬🇧
9.–11.10. – Bucharest, Romania 🇷🇴
23.–25.10. – Winterthur, Switzerland 🇨🇭
6.–8.11. – Copenhagen, Denmark 🇩🇰
6.–8.11. – Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹
13.–15.11. – Amsterdam, Netherlands 🇳🇱
20.–22.11. – Paris, France 🇫🇷

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Portfolio showcase, Ravenest

Ravenest makes modular fixed wing drones and drone production lines.

Join our accelerator: https://t.co/RSTwPzY749

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

17 Rules for Being a Great Mentor in a Defense Accelerator

SUPPORT UKRAINE AND KEEP EUROPE SOVEREIGN

Mentoring in defense innovation is — and isn’t — like mentoring in commercial tech. The stakes are higher, the customers are fewer, and the consequences of failure reach far beyond financial loss. Whether you’re a veteran, engineer, investor, or strategist, here’s how to support defense startups with clarity, urgency, and impact.

1. Your motivation

Learn how lean startup principles are applied to real battlefield needs, gain early access to the most promising defence tech startups, and build relationships that can lead to advisory, board, or career opportunities. You can also invest alongside 17Tech in the companies you know best—while helping strengthen the security and sovereignty of Ukraine and Europe.

2. Listen First. Then Ask Sharp Questions.

Don’t steer — clarify. Let founders explain their thinking. Then challenge them to make it clearer, tighter, and more grounded.

3. Be open to learning yourself

You’re a mentor because you’ve seen a lot. But the best mentors know that learning goes both ways — especially in defense. Stay curious.

4. Demand Validation — Not Vibes.

Who confirmed this? Where’s the data? What did the user actually say? Push for insight that’s earned — not assumed.

5. Build on Field Data.

Good decisions come from ground truth. Encourage teams to collect real feedback, log it, and design around what users need — not what founders hope is true.

6. Don’t Overtrust Your Intuition.

Experience is valuable. But the battlefield evolves. What worked once may be irrelevant now. Push teams to revalidate problems and revalidate solutions — repeatedly.

7. Insist on Product/Mission Fit.

If this product disappeared tomorrow, would the user be in real trouble? If not, it’s not mission-critical yet. Help founders find the pain that truly matters.

8. Respect Confidentiality.

In defense, trust is everything. Share knowledge — but only within agreed boundaries. Know when to speak, and when not to.

9. Filter the Signal from the Noise.

Friends, experts, mentors — everyone has opinions. But the only truth that matters comes from real users. Teach startups to listen to them, and only them.

10. Help Diagnose the Real Problem.

How do users experience the pain? How do they solve it now? Push founders to uncover what’s really broken — not just what sounds impressive.

11. Fight for Simplicity.

The best solutions are focused, not flashy. Help teams build the minimum lovable version — the one users can’t live without. If that works, expand later.

12. Prioritize Learning Over Scaling.

Startups aren’t small corporations. They’re learning machines. Your job is to accelerate learning through fast, structured validation — not to optimize for growth too soon.

13. Triple-filter test

Apply the triple-filter test:

Is it true? (Has it been validated?)
Is it good? (Does it help the user succeed?)
Is it useful? (Should we act on it?) Good questions lead to better decisions.

14. Focus Beats Possibility.

“We could also do X�� is the enemy of clarity. Help startups go narrow and deep. Niche solutions that work beat broad ones that never land.

15. Stay Realistic — Without Killing Optimism.

Founders are dreamers. That’s their job. Yours is to support their vision while anchoring it in facts, constraints, and reality.

16. Reinforce Iteration Discipline.

Guessing is fine. But validating quickly is better. Encourage rapid cycles of testing, feedback, and adaptation — until the product works under real conditions.

17. We have to do this

Startups in this space aren’t just building companies. They’re building for national resilience. They protect lives, freedom, and democratic values. This is a must, that’s the only kind of individuals we accept as mentors. We all have to do our best to protect our countries.

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Deadline for applications 10.8. Apply now: https://t.co/y51jXTTI7g

What you get when you join the 17Tech defence accelerator:

Validations with military in Ukraine and NATO countries
Structure coaching
Mentors' support by 30+ professionals
Access to R&D center in Kyiv
Investor relations & defence forces introductions
Cohort synergy

We help you to take your tech from prototype to frontline.

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

We just updated our focus categories to follow BRAVE1 technological priorities. https://t.co/NqiCwOCWyg
If you are building something in these areas, applications to 17Tech Oy accelerator closes 10.8.
https://t.co/RSTwPzY749

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Portfolio showcase: Postup Solutions

Postup Solutions is developing a autonomous systems that stops FPV drones in real time.

Apply to cohort 2/26: https://t.co/RSTwPzY749

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Yesterday we had our webinar: How startups shape the modern battlefield - Learnings from Ukraine
Read the recap https://t.co/AT1RfsDpdw

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Defence tech valley has been postponed due to russian missile strikes. Also EDTH hachathon has posponed due to the same reason.

https://t.co/4hgjsWhNsP

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Introducing one of our portfolio companies: Pneuhog

Simple but effective kinetic anti drone gun designed and validated for modern war and civilian infrastructure protection. Check out this video:
https://t.co/EcawiFWyTN

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

Do you want to learn more about the current battlefield needs in Ukraine and ask questions to the founders? Join our webinar: https://t.co/eq6J1dZCOj

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

The battlefield is changing faster than traditional procurement cycles. Startups are no longer observers, they’re becoming critical contributors to modern defence capabilities.
If you are building defence solutions to modern battlefield, join the webinar: https://t.co/eq6J1dZCOj

[17Tech Accelerator @17Techoy]

17Tech Oy R&D center opened in Ukraine where our startups can develop their product in collaboration with Ukrainian military.

Read more here: https://t.co/u7m1OssTRy