From volunteer rescue worker to tech entrepreneur: Dmytro aims to strengthen Europe's defence from Funen

24 June 2026

With a former Danish frogman, a serial entrepreneur and a Ukrainian lawyer leading the way, a new startup is now moving into the incubator of Odense Robotics StartUp Fund at the Danish Technological Institute. The goal is to mature and industrialise robust Ukrainian drone and defence technology to NATO standards from Danish soil.

The Danish-Ukrainian defence technology company WarTech Robotics has been admitted to the robotics incubator of the Odense Robotics StartUp Fund at the Danish Technological Institute (DTI).

The company addresses a critical and timely challenge: Closing the gap between the agile innovation developed under extreme operational conditions in Ukraine and the more traditional development cycles in NATO.

Through a joint-venture model, they transfer raw but effective drone technology – which has proven its resilience and functionality under demanding conditions – to Denmark. Here, the technology will be industrialised, quality-assured, and adapted to NATO and EU standards.

The dream of a liberated Mariupol

Behind WarTech Robotics is a strong and diverse founding team. Among them is the CEO, Dmytro Novokhatskyi, who, prior to the war, worked as a lawyer and during the invasion served as a volunteer rescue worker for the Ukrainian national guard in Mariupol, where he helped rescue people trapped under rubble. He is flanked by Danes Mikael Thiesen and Christian Spohr, the latter of whom has a background as a Danish frogman. Together, they combine operational experience from some of the world's harshest environments with many years of experience in entrepreneurship and business development.

For Dmytro Novokhatskyi, the motivation behind the company runs particularly deep.

– We started this company to make sure that the best-developed technologies protect future generations, Dmytro Novokhatskyi explains, continuing:

– I am originally from Mariupol, and the invasion of our city in 2022 was one of the biggest grief memories for Ukrainians. So, my main motivation for developing technology comes down to two things: Firstly, I want to protect the future of Denmark and Ukraine against regimes like this. And secondly: I want to return to a liberated city and visit the grave of what was once my home.

WarTech Robotics er stiftet af Dmytro Novokhatskyi, Christian Spohr og Mikael Thiesen.

»There is no better place« 

The company has now been selected by the Odense Robotics StartUp Fund, which grants robotics and drone startups from Denmark and abroad access to soft funding, mentoring, and a dedicated incubator environment at DTI in Odense.

– Here in the incubator, we have a great network and collaboration. We get all the support we need. There is no better place in Denmark – and perhaps in all of Europe – to grow as a robotics company. That is why we are here, says Dmytro Novokhatskyi.

The location at DTI in Odense also holds a highly specific geographical and strategic advantage. Located right next door to the incubator is the Danish Defence Drone Centre, opening potential synergies when the new technologies are to be demonstrated and flight-tested.

With their admission to the incubator, WarTech Robotics also joins a line of Denmark's most promising defence and dual-use startups. The programme has previously helped companies such as BlinkTroll Robotics to industrialise their training robots for NATO forces, and Dropla Tech to accelerate the development of their drone-based landmine clearance system.