The Unlikely Future of Defense: Betting on Peace

A small Lithuanian startup, Broswarm, is challenging conventional wisdom in the defense industry. Its innovative approach to mapping buried landmines and unexploded ordnance through drone-mounted radar systems has sparked interest among investors and policymakers.

Broswarm’s founders, Ernestas Zvaigzdinas and Karolis Žvaigždinas, believe demand for their technology will expand when active fighting subsides. They expect displaced communities to return, and governments to prioritize reconstruction. This counter-cyclical approach is rooted in the harsh realities of post-conflict scenarios.

Ukraine’s explosive-ordnance contamination challenge serves as a stark reminder of the scale and complexity of demining efforts. According to UNMAS estimates, over 139,000 square kilometers – roughly a quarter of the country – are suspected of contamination. Every dollar invested in humanitarian demining could return four dollars in economic benefits through growth and employment.

Demining is not merely a footnote to rebuilding; it’s an enabling investment required before other projects can begin. Ukraine’s wider decade-long recovery needs stand at $524 billion, with demining sitting inside that larger capital problem. Broswarm’s founders expect investor attention to shift toward this constraint when the political conversation moves from sustaining the war effort to rebuilding the country.

The company’s X-SAR system combines airborne synthetic-aperture radar, drone navigation, and software intended to reconstruct subsurface objects. Performance depends on various factors, including soil, moisture, vegetation, flight stability, target depth, and false alarms. Detecting an anomaly is not equivalent to certifying land as clear.

Broswarm has secured initial funding through ScaleWolf’s $100,000 investment in 2024 and a later €800,000 round, bringing total funding to date to €1 million. While this may seem modest compared to larger defense contractors, it represents a critical step toward commercial viability.

The company acknowledges the familiar gap between small startups like Broswarm and large prime contractors. The latter often capture most of the defense market due to their resources and networks. However, collaboration may be necessary for smaller companies like Broswarm to scale – but at what cost? Will partnerships with primes allow them to transfer their technology upward before capturing much of the value?

The humanitarian demining demand will not disappear with a ceasefire; it expands when people can safely return. The market extends far beyond Ukraine, with countries like Cambodia and Angola facing decades-long struggles to clear mines and explosive remnants.

Broswarm’s founders have taken a sensible approach by designing a platform that humanitarian operators can realistically afford. Using commercial components where possible and emphasizing affordability and cost-effectiveness in their product architecture are crucial steps toward scalability. However, it remains to be seen whether Broswarm can overcome the significant challenges ahead.

The world is navigating the complexities of post-conflict reconstruction, and Broswarm’s innovative approach offers a glimmer of hope. By bridging the gap between defense innovation and humanitarian recovery, this small Lithuanian startup is challenging conventional wisdom in the defense industry. Will they be able to capitalize on their unique value proposition and redefine what it means to be a defense company? Only time will tell.

The future of Broswarm and similar startups hangs in the balance, dependent on their ability to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. Can these companies continue to innovate and navigate the complex web of defense contracts and procurement cycles? The stakes are high, but the potential rewards – both for the industry and the people affected by conflict – make the investment worthwhile.