In the dynamic world of defence technology, Tekever has emerged as a standout unicorn, achieving significant success with far less funding than its rivals. If you're a startup founder looking for lessons on frugal innovation, operational efficiency, and smart market positioning, Tekever’s journey holds valuable insights. This article dives deep into their achievements, offering startup news, practical tips, and common mistakes to avoid in 2025.
Introduction
Tekever, a Portuguese defence tech startup founded in 2001, is revolutionizing the way Europe approaches surveillance and reconnaissance technologies. Despite years of bootstrapped growth and limited funding compared to industry competitors like Helsing, Tekever has successfully outsold its rivals, becoming Europe's newest unicorn in May 2025. Its blend of frugal innovation, rapid iteration, and ethical decision-making is a blueprint for startups in any sector. Here’s a closer look at Tekever’s journey and what it means for entrepreneurs across industries.
Lessons from Tekever: How Startups Can Thrive in 2025
1. Bootstrapping Isn’t a Barrier
Tekever spent two decades bootstrapping before its first VC raise in 2022. During that time, it established crucial contracts with organizations like the European Maritime Safety Agency and the UK Home Office, proving that startups can achieve significant milestones without external capital.
Lesson: Focus on building relationships with clients and showcasing value. Funding will follow when the business case is strong.
2. Frugal Innovation Wins Contracts
Unlike its competitors, Tekever prioritizes hardware-software integration to reduce costs and increase efficiency. This vertical approach gave them leverage in securing high-profile contracts with governments and militaries.
Lesson: Optimize your product for cost-effectiveness and scalability; it’s a winning strategy for customers looking for reliable and budget-friendly solutions.
3. Rapid Iteration is Crucial
Tekever’s active use of its drones in Ukraine allowed for fast updates based on real-world feedback. Its ability to adapt rapidly to battlefield conditions – integrating features like GPS-jamming resistance – made it indispensable.
Lesson: In stressful environments, your ability to adapt to customer needs promptly can set you apart from competitors.
4. Ethical Decision-Making Matters
Tekever’s CEO, Ricardo Mendes, emphasizes selecting missions and clients that align with their values. This ethical stance has bolstered their reputation in the market.
Lesson: Build your brand around integrity and responsibility, it’s not just good PR; it’s a sustainable business approach.
The Tech That Drives Tekever’s Success
Tekever’s surveillance drones have logged more than 10,000 combat flight hours in hostile zones, including Ukraine. Their success is credited to exceptional AI-powered tools for real-time intelligence. This high-tech leadership has made their products indispensable for European defence.
For startups, the takeaway is clear: leveraging cutting-edge technology, especially AI, can elevate your competitive edge and attract investors looking for future-ready ventures.
Tip: Utilize AI tools to improve your startup processes, from customer insights to operational efficiency. Tools such as the F/MS AI Grant Finder and Application Writer can even help startups quickly identify suitable EU grants, write application drafts, and secure vital resources to fund innovation.
Top Tips for Startup Success in 2025
1. Leverage AI for Innovation
AI-driven solutions have become essential for optimizing processes and delivering value. Platforms like the AI Startup Lawyer help non-lawyers review legal agreements without falling into costly traps. Adding AI tools to your startup toolkit can save time and resources while driving growth.
2. Validate Your Ideas Early
Idea validation is critical for avoiding costly mistakes. Platforms like the F/MS Sandbox allow startup founders to test their ideas with PlayPal, an AI companion that provides actionable insights to refine and improve your thought process.
3. Embrace Gamified Learning
The Fe/male Switch Startup Game, developed by Violetta Bonenkamp, offers aspiring entrepreneurs unique skill development opportunities like token management, networking exercises, and real-world simulations. It’s worth exploring platforms that combine gamification with education for faster progress.
Bonus Tip: Chat with PlayPal, your AI friend, for advice on idea validation, language learning, and more.
Common Startup Mistakes
- Overlooking Market Feedback: Neglecting customer insights slows product iteration and often leads to failure.
- Over-reliance on Funding: While funding is important, prioritizing sustainable growth and operations should come first.
- Ignoring Ethical Concerns: Customers are increasingly choosing brands with ethical practices. Ignoring this can alienate your audience.
How to Build a Successful Startup: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Identify the Problem: Use platforms like F/MS Sandbox to validate your idea.
- Develop a Product: Start small, iterate based on feedback, and improve gradually.
- Leverage AI: Incorporate tools like PlayPal for constant guidance, and use grant-finders for accessible funding.
- Build Relationships: Focus on customer acquisition before seeking capital.
- Scale Responsibly: Growth is not about speed – it’s about sustainability.
Why PlayPal is Essential for Entrepreneurs in 2025
Looking for an AI co-founder? PlayPal, developed by Violetta Bonenkamp, is designed to help entrepreneurs strategically plan and refine ideas. PlayPal offers mental health support, language lessons, and tailored advice for navigating business challenges.
For those managing the complexities of startup life, PlayPal is the companion you didn’t know you needed.
Conclusion
Tekever’s success in the defence sector is a testament to the power of frugal innovation, operational efficiency, ethical decision-making, and consistent product iteration. While their journey has been extraordinary, it’s also relatable for startups of all kinds. By embracing AI-driven tools like PlayPal and the F/MS AI Grant Finder, founders can streamline operations, secure funding, and avoid common pitfalls.
The future of entrepreneurship is in strategic learning and adaptation. Startups in 2025 must focus on validation, sustainability, and continuous improvement to thrive.
For startup news, tools, and resources, visit F/MS Startup Game and start your entrepreneurial journey today. Don’t forget to unlock the power of your AI co-founder with PlayPal, your companion for success!
FAQ
1. What is Tekever’s main area of expertise?
Tekever specializes in creating surveillance drones for civil and military applications. The company focuses on integrating hardware and software for high-efficiency, cost-effective solutions. Visit Tekever's website
2. When was Tekever founded, and by whom?
Tekever was founded in 2001 by Ricardo Mendes, Pedro Sinogas, and Vítor Cristina while they were students at IST Engineering School in Lisbon. Read more on Sifted
3. How has Tekever achieved success with limited funding?
Tekever bootstrapped for nearly two decades, focusing on sustainable growth, reinvesting profits, and building key relationships, only raising its first large-scale VC funding in 2022. This approach allowed the company to control costs and iterate products effectively. Learn more on Sifted
4. What role did the Ukraine conflict play in Tekever’s growth?
Ukraine’s need for reconnaissance drones during the conflict with Russia allowed Tekever to deploy its drones in real-world combat scenarios. Continuous feedback enabled rapid innovation, such as GPS-jamming resistance. Discover Tekever's battlefield applications
5. What ethical stance does Tekever take on its contracts?
CEO Ricardo Mendes emphasizes that the company prioritizes missions and clients that align with its values, avoiding work they don’t believe in. This ethical strategy strengthens their brand reputation.
6. What is Tekever’s connection to the UK?
In 2025, Tekever announced a £400m investment to drive AI-driven defence in the UK, creating thousands of jobs and establishing a hub for NATO and UK defence innovation. The company has been engaged with UK government contracts since 2013. Learn more about Tekever’s UK investment
7. Who are Tekever’s major investors?
Initial investors include Ventura Capital, which backed Tekever’s first VC raise in 2022, and later contributors like the NATO Innovation Fund and Baillie Gifford during Series B funding in 2024.
8. What is Tekever’s business model?
Tekever uses a vertical integration approach, combining hardware and software for its surveillance drones. This model reduces costs, enhances efficiency, and allows seamless client-specific iterations.
9. How many flight hours have Tekever drones logged?
Tekever drones have logged over 10,000 combat flight hours in hostile zones, contributing to their reputation as reliable and indispensable surveillance tools. Explore Tekever’s accomplishments
10. What makes Tekever stand out from its competitors?
Unlike competitors who raise vast amounts of funding, Tekever emphasizes frugal innovation, rapid iteration, ethical decision-making, and real-world deployment feedback, making their products robust and cost-effective. Check out Tekever's edge in defense
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch. The Fe/male Switch team is located in several countries, including the Netherlands and Malta.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
