Finnish-Ukrainian investment company Double Tap Investments (DTI) has made a strategic investment in Ukrainian river drone manufacturer Hard Cat Drones. The two parties first connected at IT Arena 2024, where Hard Cat Drones showcased its solutions and participated in the Startup Competition. While the deal was finalized in early 2025, it is being announced only now.

• As Scroll.media was told by the investment company, DTI invested exclusively in Hard Cat Drones’ pre-seed round. The deal amount and valuation have not been disclosed, but Double Tap Investments typically writes checks ranging from $100,000 to $300,000.

«The collaboration with Hard Cat stemmed from our participation in IT Arena 2024, where we had the chance to get to know the team and their products up close. We invest in solutions that create real impact, and we are convinced that Hard Cat Drones’ innovations can save lives and strengthen Ukraine’s security,» said Oles Khudoba, co-founder of Double Tap Investments.

• Hard Cat Drones specializes in designing innovative unmanned systems for river and maritime operations.
• At IT Arena, the team presented a kamikaze drone capable of bottom scanning, detecting enemy mines, guiding Ukrainian Armed Forces boats, and conducting reconnaissance. The prototype has already been tested at the request of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
• Founded in 2023, Hard Cat Drones’ founders remain unnamed for security reasons.

Photo credit: Double Tap Investments

• Following the investment from Double Tap, Hard Cat Drones is working on new models to expand its capabilities in military and security applications.

«Hard Cat Drones exemplifies the blend of technological flexibility and practical use. It’s a niche story, but highly relevant for both Ukraine and Finland. We’re confident the team can scale their product and support the Defense Forces,» added Jan-Erik Saarinen, CEO and co-founder of Double Tap Investments.

• For DTI, which is based in Finland, Ukraine is a key market for investments in defense, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, the firm invested in drone manufacturer Black Forest System (February 2025) and geo-information platform Griselda (March 2025).
• According to the co-founders, events like the IT Arena Startup Competition open doors for teams planning to scale and for investors seeking promising projects.

This year, the IT Arena Startup Competition investment fund reached a record $12.5 million and continues to grow. In addition to Double Tap Investments, the list of investors includes 1991 VC, United Angels Network, Vesna Capital, Presto Tech Horizons, Tilia Impact Ventures, Depo Ventures, Radix VC, PurposeTech VC, Rockaway Ventures, MITS Capital, Green Flag Ventures, and NextFrontier Fund, Wolver Ventures.