Олег Онопрієнко Startup 14 January 2026, 09:00

From startup to defense ecosystem. How Drill plans to grow to 1,000,000 users and create a metaverse of military training

In today's world, where technology is becoming an integral part of national security, Ukrainian developers are creating game-changing products. One such breakthrough is DrillApp, a mobile application for training in shooting and weapons handling, which has already crossed the line from a local startup to a global platform for the military and civilians.

Today, DrillApp is used by over 200,000 users in 159 countries around the world. We spoke with DrillApp founder Alexander Gusarov about the project's new ambitious goals and the direction the application is heading.

Investment foundation and scaling ambitions

DrillApp's path to financial sustainability began with the founders' belief in their product. The project received support from Brave1 and additional funding from the Ukrainian Startup Fund and private investors. The total amount of invested funds amounted to over $100,000 .

“We are currently raising a $500,000 round and plan to grow and reach 1,000,000 users by the end of the year,” says DrillApp co-founder Oleksand Gusarov.

The funds raised will be used to develop a platform for master classes, structuring the company in Europe, and technically improving the functionality.

To understand the ambition of the goals, in 2023 the DrillApp platform had 65,000 registered users. More than half of them are Ukrainians, for whom the application is completely free. As of now, the number of users has tripled and reached 200,000 in 159 countries. In addition to Ukraine, Poland, Brazil, the USA and Mexico joined the top countries in terms of the number of users.

“Over time, more and more users are being added from the Baltic countries and Europe (Bulgaria, Britain, Finland, etc.) And these are not only civilians, but also military and police officers,” Oleksand Gusarov said about the geography of users.

As Gusarov said, the approval rating of the application in Ukraine was 99%. However, the United States and NATO countries also show significant interest in the product. Partners are gradually adapting to the new reality, where Ukrainians act as instructors and thought leaders, because their combat and training experience is currently the most relevant in the world.

"DrillApp is constantly tested and used in the training of military and law enforcement agencies of other countries, both de facto and de jure," said Oleksandr Gusarov.

Gusarov emphasizes that the most valuable recognition for them remains feedback directly from the front - from the trenches or evacuation transport. It is this direct connection to the reality of war that keeps the developers in good shape and motivates them to improve the product.

From video tutorials to the Metaverse. How DrillApp is evolving

The main value of DrillApp is the ability to do “dry” training. Short video lessons allow you to practice motor skills on an unloaded weapon, which is critically important for beginners. The application can help you acquire the necessary skills at basic levels.

Over time, the training base began to fill with other categories, such as tactical medicine , as well as a popular new direction in drones , which the company launched last year.

“In general, we can say that the topics of weapons and medicine are approximately equivalent (in terms of user retention time), but drones and other unmanned vehicles are of greatest interest to users, as they are currently trending,” said Gusarov about the popularity of the platform’s courses.

The application has now evolved into a full-fledged Drill Masterclasses marketplace, which allows defense companies, training centers, and ranges to create and distribute their own courses.

While DrillApp is distributed to individual users via a monthly subscription model, for corporate access Drill Masterclasses allows instructors to receive up to 70% of sales, and for companies, a SaaS model is available with the ability to integrate via QR codes, APIs, or licenses.

"The monthly subscription model has met and confirmed our expectations. We will supplement it by creating a platform for training and the possibility of internal purchases. Now various Academies and instructors will be able to place training on the platform, and stores and factories will be able to place equipment and supplies," said Gusarov.

The team is currently in an active phase of developing new AI-based features and tools. Priority areas have been identified as security during training and information protection — this is where active integration and training of AI models takes place.

"In this direction, we are actively involving and training AI. We are also eliminating the logistical and language barrier through AI," explains Gusarov.

A key part of the product is the video feedback functionality. Using Computer Vision technology, the system provides instant analysis of user actions and allows automatic generation of preliminary recommendations even before the instructor intervenes.

One of the ambitious goals of the project is to develop its own DrillApp metaverse. It will be a holistic ecosystem for the Defense and Security industry, where the user will be able to find everything: from ranges and instructors anywhere in the world to equipment stores.

“The most important thing is that a person will be able to choose and undergo training from the specialists they like from anywhere in the world,” Gusarov explained the advantage of the metaverse for an ordinary user.

In the context of cyberwar, DrillApp pays great attention to protection. Access to the platform is closed to the Russian Federation and countries cooperating with it. The team constantly monitors and blocks users associated with the aggressor.

Future plans

One of Gusarov’s ambitious goals is to integrate DrillApp into the school education system to improve the subject “Defense of Ukraine.” The team held a series of meetings with the Ministry of Education, and while the rank-and-file executives were enthusiastic, the process stalled at the senior management level.

“As soon as we reached the high offices, everything stalled… The team from the Ministry of Education was very motivated, but at the moment the Minister signed the document, everything stopped,” Gusarov sadly states.

Despite this, Gusarov believes that he will be able to integrate DrillApp into the educational process of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Defense, and the law enforcement agencies of partner countries.

"At the beginning, three people worked on the project. Now there are many more. So far, the team has been formed, but when we close a new round of financing, we will be looking for specialists for the technical and marketing team," the DrillApp co-founder shared his plans for the future.

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