Body armor for war – She quit her job to help Ukraine
Before founding Bulletproof Ukraine, Madina Katter worked as a venture builder in Berlin
What: Madina Katter
The horror pictures from the Ukraine did not let Madina Katter rest. So she quit her job to found Bulletproof Ukraine. The start-up equips soldiers with bulletproof vests. The demand is enormous. Many inquiries also come from private individuals.
TEvery day new pictures of the war in Ukraine are published. They show bombed houses, devastated cities and many corpses. “I couldn’t watch it any longer. And I didn’t want to go about my daily work as if nothing had happened,” says Madina Katter in an interview with “Gründerszene”.
In mid-March, around three weeks after the start of the war, the native Kazakh resigned from her job as a venture builder at Founders Lane, a Berlin-based company builder with a focus on the climate and health sectors. From Berlin, she founded a start-up that builds bulletproof vests. With this she wants to support the Ukrainians in the war. The name of their start-up: Bulletproof Ukraine.
The 26-year-old founded the company with an acquaintance whom she knew from her many trips to Ukraine and who currently lives there. His name: Valentsionok Rostyslav. Before the war he ran a bar in Kyiv.
“One of the most popular bars in town,” adds Katter. Now the 23-year-old produces protective vests for war. Namely in Cherkassy, a city in the center of Ukraine and about three hours by car from Kyiv.
Private individuals often ask for protective vests
In Cherkassy, the young start-up works with a metal company that makes its premises and machines available for the production of protective vests, says the Berliner. Rostyslav oversees production there and also organizes the transport of material orders that are delivered across the border.
On top of that, he sells the vests to his compatriots. “People often pick up the bulletproof vests locally. In this way we can be sure that the vests will reach the customer quickly,” explains Katter.
The demand is enormous: “We are currently processing order requests for over 1000 vests,” says the 26-year-old founder. They receive most requests from defense units, made up of lightly armed soldiers. “We also receive many inquiries from private individuals,” says Katter. That is why she is now planning to ramp up production.
Bulletproof Ukraine has already produced 150 protective vests. A further 250 protective vests are to be made by the beginning of May. Katter finances the company on the one hand through donations.
Since it was founded in mid-March, she has collected over 9,000 euros via the start-up’s homepage. In the future, however, their business should be supported by the sales proceeds. And at some point she also wants to get investors on board for the business.
Vest is designed to protect against Kalashnikov shots
The Bulletproof Ukraine founding duo plans to charge up to 300 euros per body armor. This should be able to ward off very hard projectiles – and protect against long guns such as Kalashnikovs, for example. The vest consists of several layers of particularly tear-resistant fabrics and steel plates that are built into it.
Katter traveled specially from Berlin to Lisbon to organize the necessary materials. The start-up also sources fabrics from Poland and Moldova. The founders get the steel plates directly from the Ukraine.
The start-up gave away the first 150 bulletproof vests, which Bulletproof Ukraine produced between March and April. Again, the duo could not afford such an action financially, so Katter. “We don’t know how long the war will last. And we should not be too hopeful.”
Against the advice of her parents, she went into business for herself
That also worries Katter’s parents. “They don’t think it’s good that I quit my job and am now building bulletproof vests.” Her parents would also follow the propaganda that Russia is spreading. “They believe that Ukraine is settled by Nazis.”
The 26-year-old founder grew up in Kazakhstan. Studied law there and later in Austria. She completed internships, including with the auditors Ernst & Young, and then worked as a venture builder in Berlin. Now she lives on savings.
Does Katter want to run a company that produces bulletproof vests after the end of the war? “Yes,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to start something of my own.” Even after the war, Ukraine will have a political interest in promoting companies that manufacture products for the security of the country, she is certain. In addition, the 26-year-old could also imagine moving from Berlin to Ukraine.
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