On 14 August, a Memorandum on the creation of the Ukrainian Aerospace Hub was signed at Lviv Polytechnic National University. The initiative will bring together scientific, educational, manufacturing and business potential to develop innovations in the fields of aviation and space engineering. The hub is intended to become a platform that will combine the efforts of leading scientists, technology companies, industrial enterprises, and government institutions, create conditions for the development and testing of advanced technologies, support start-ups, train highly qualified personnel, and attract international investment and integrate Ukraine into global technology chains.
The memorandum was signed by Rector of Lviv Polytechnic Nataliia Shakhovska, COSMOS Association of High-Tech Enterprises and Organisations (Director Pavlo Tsiusmak), ProgressTech Ukraine LLC (Director Oleh Urusky), State Innovation and Credit Institution (Deputy Chairman of the Board Hennadiy Nesvitailo), Elmiz Joint Stock Company (Director Oleksiy Petrenko), Kurs-Orbital LLC (Director Kateryna Babikova), and Science Park of Lviv Polytechnic National University (Director Nazar Podolchak).
The initiative was supported by Antonov JSC, Siemens, Baykar and other participants in the aviation and space sector.
The Ukrainian Aerospace Hub will focus on several key areas. In the field of education and training, it plans to create dual programmes, specialised certification courses and certificates in the areas of activity of its partners, develop laboratories in line with the standards of international aircraft manufacturing companies (with the participation of Siemens, Progresstech, Antonov, Baykar), and to introduce training simulators, engineering trainers and joint supervision of thesis work. In the area of R&D and start-ups, there are plans to develop unmanned aerial vehicles, aviation platforms, space systems, new technologies, materials and electronics, implement incubation and acceleration programmes for dual-use start-ups based at the Science Park, and introduce digital modelling and testing, reliability engineering (Digital Twin, Simcenter, CAE/CAM, SSI, Reliability Engineering) in the university’s research teams.
The production and testing component involves the participation of ProgressTech Ukraine, Antonov, Baykar and enterprises of the COSMOS Association to create pilot production technologies at the university and/or Science Park, the participation of students in real engineering projects, testing of components and systems, as well as conducting certification studies. The foreign economic activity will include logistics, contract support, customs clearance, and entry into international markets with the participation of Prominvest and State Innovation and Credit Institution, which will act as a state financial partner, co-investor and administrator of investment programmes, including SAFE, Horizon, and NATO DIANA.
A separate area of focus for the Ukrainian Aerospace Hub will be investment, grant funding and the development of public-private partnerships. Plans include preparing applications for international programmes such as SAFE, Horizon Europe, NATO DIANA and ESA, as well as attracting funding for joint initiatives involving State Innovation and Credit Institution and support at parliamentary level.
