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Welcome to the Innovantage podcast, where technology, business, and innovation converge. Join host Max Golikov as we explore the transformative power of artificial intelligence and digital advancements across various industries. Each episode features in-depth conversations with industry leaders and offers practical insights on integrating technology into your business. Subscribe to stay ahead in today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape and discover how AI drives change and inspires new business strategies. Tune in to unlock your competitive edge in the world of technology!
Episodes
Aug 7, 2026
Aug 7, 2026
58 min
What does it take to build a defense tech startup, raise €1.1 million, and manufacture drone technology in Europe? In this episode of the Innovantage Podcast, Elvinas Kukys, CEO and Co-Founder of Luna Robotics, shares how the Lithuanian hardware startup is building advanced vision systems for unmanned platforms without relying on Chinese supply chains or unnecessary AI.
Drawing on his military background and startup journey, Elvinas explains how Luna Robotics grew from an idea into one of Lithuania's emerging defense tech companies, developing dual-use technology designed for both military and civilian applications.
Learn what investors actually look for, how to become better at pitching, when bootstrapping becomes a mistake, and why building a hardware startup requires a different mindset than chasing the latest AI trend.
Introduction 0:00
Luna Robotics and Elvinas' journey 0:31
How AI hallucinates drone camera images 05:51
Why Luna Robotics is China free 07:34
Manufacturing hardware in the Baltics 09:52
How Luna Robotics raised €1.1 million 15:34
Mastering the art of startup pitching 21:41
Why you shouldn't bootstrap too much 27:13
Building a startup with dual use technology 33:33
Never build custom features for only one customer 38:15
What metrics investors actually pay attention to 46:20
Lithuania's defense tech boom and AI's future 50:23
Advice to my 20 year old self 56:33
Where to find Elvinas 57:37
Connect with our guest
Elvinas Kukys – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekukys/
Luna Robotics – https://www.lunarobotics.eu/
Connect with Max
Max Golikov – https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxim-golikov/
🎧 Listen Now
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19M3HKc1pbeTkYcOeOkJc0?si=aab60a9ec2864ba2
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/innovantage-podcast/id1749330437
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