Valerii Borovyk
Also known as Valeriy Borovyk, Валерій Боровик
Valerii Borovyk is founder and CEO of First Contact, a company that makes drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. TIME named him to its 2026 TIME100 AI list. He has led First Contact since 2014, and in January 2024 he told Defense Express that target choosing by artificial intelligence was a challenge his company had taken up. In June 2025 he commented on Espreso TV about the Spider's Web operation. As of October 2026, he also chairs the board of the Alliance “New Energy of Ukraine.”
- Now at
- First Contact
Timeline
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Since 2014
Running drone maker First Contact
Since 2014 he leads First Contact, a company that makes drones, UAVs and electronic warfare systems for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
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January 2024
Target choosing by AI
In January 2024 he tells Defense Express that target choosing by artificial intelligence is a challenge his company has taken up.
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June 2025
Comment on Spider's Web
In June 2025 he is founder of First Contact and a member of Ukraine's Armed Forces, and he comments on Espreso TV about the Spider's Web operation.
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2026
Named to TIME100 AI
In 2026 he makes TIME's TIME100 AI list, where he is named as founder and CEO of First Contact.
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As of October 2026
Founder, CEO and alliance chair
As of October 2026, he is founder and CEO of First Contact and chairman of the board of the Alliance “New Energy of Ukraine.”
Sources and credits
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- Valeriy Borovyk – IT Arena 2026
- Ukraine's First Contact Company is Developing A.I.-Powered Aerial Attack Drones | Defense Express
- Sophisticated Ukrainian drones key to deep strikes on Russia
- The 100 Most Influential People in AI 2026
- First Contact completes development of VAL-1 underwater drone. The company said when it will move to combat use | dev.ua