Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who currently serves as an advisor to the Italian Ministry of Defense, said Palantir Chief Executive Alex Karp will become the first key investor in a new Ukrainian defense technology company. Fedorov announced the plans on Tuesday, Sept. 1, saying that the company will develop technologies Ukraine urgently needs to defend itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “We are working on establishing our own defense technology company,” Fedorov said, adding that the planned company would strengthen Ukraine and contribute to “a safer future for the whole world.” Further details will be announced later, Fedorov noted. Fund priorities The announcement came as Fedorov met with Nate Fick, a former US ambassador for cyberspace and digital policy and the current senior managing director at Cerberus Capital Management, and Guy Filippelli, founder and managing partner of Squadra Ventures. Their discussions centered on Ukraine’s defense technology ecosystem, the international expansion of Ukrainian technology companies, and attracting foreign capital. “The more international investment and expertise we attract to Ukraine’s defense-tech sector, the faster we will be able to develop and scale technologies that give Ukraine an advantage on the battlefield,” Fedorov said. Fedorov named three key technology areas during the launch of the initiative – battlefield robotics, low-cost artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled missiles, and jet-powered interceptor drones.