The Bloomsbury Intelligence and Security Institute had the pleasure of co-hosting a roundtable with Aries Intelligence at the UK House of Lords, focused on advancing soldier protection in modern combat environments.

The session brought together representatives from the UK Ministry of Defence, policymakers, innovators, and international partners to explore practical solutions for countering drone-based threats.

We were honoured to encourage dialogue between UK and Ukrainian experts, whose frontline experience and technical insight are shaping the future of battlefield resilience. The exchange of knowledge was candid, constructive, and deeply aligned with our shared commitment to safeguarding lives.

We extend our sincere thanks to Lord Cromwell for hosting and chairing the event. Thank you to Jasset Harlech for his operational insights, Deputy Minister Hanna Hvozdiar for her powerful reflections on UK–Ukraine cooperation, Dr. Azeem Ibrahim OBE for his compelling contribution on strategic adaptation, Taras Yemchura for representing the resilience and innovation of Ukrainian defence manufacturers and finally our co-host Aries Russell as well as all contributors, speakers, and supporters who made this event impactful.

We partnered with CyberWomen Groups CIC to deliver an engaging and informative workshop exploring key aspects of threat intelligence, from foundational threat assessments to cyber threat intelligence practices.

The day opened with a session led by Senior Advisor Piers, who provided a comprehensive overview of threat assessments and intelligence estimates.

This was followed by a presentation from Cyber Threat Intelligence Analysts at CGI, who shared their experiences and expertise in identifying, analysing, and responding to evolving threats in real time.

Participants had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the intelligence lifecycle, engage in meaningful discussions, and connect with peers and professionals from across the cybersecurity community.

Alongside the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025, we organised a high-level panel in Rome: ”Ukraine’s Recovery: Untapped Opportunities for the Private Sector”, with DataDriven Research & Consulting and Advantage Capital Partners; partnering with Italian Chamber of Commerce for Ukraine (CIPU), Fondazione Ampioraggio and CDTI Roma – Club Dirigenti ICT.

The closed-door event brought together policymakers, business leaders, investors, and academics to explore the opportunities and outlook for engaging in investment and public-private partnerships in Ukraine’s reconstruction.

The event featured two high-level panels of subject-matter experts on Ukraine’s macroeconomic and political situation, as well as the channels and prospects for the private sector’s involvement in the reconstruction efforts.

The speakers on the panels included:

• Kurt Volker, former US Special Representative for Ukraine

• Pavlo Kukhta, former Acting Minister of Economic Development of Ukraine

• Kuninori Matsuda, former Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine

• Svitlana Mykhailosvka, Deputy Director of the European Business Association (EBA)

• Dario Quintavalle, international development expert and geopolitical analyst

• Vanessa Russano, Secretary General at the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Ukraine (СCIPU)

• Valeria Samara, General Secretariat at ANGI

• Prof. Gianluca Duretto, Professor at UNINT Rome and Executive Fintech and Blockchain Expert

• Serhii Voitsekhovskyi, BGV Group’s Board of Directors

• Giuseppe Carrella, President at CLUBTI Milano and WWG Group

• Vincenzo Santoro, Senior Technology Expert and AI Group President at CDTI Rome

• Mohamed Deramchi, Founder and CEO at WWG Group

The event also included the Ukrainian DealBook – a curated portfolio of over 20 investable projects across key sectors such as construction materials, agriculture, FMCG, critical materials, pharmaceuticals, logistics, and energy, representing a total pipeline of more than USD 3b. It aims to address critical information gaps and create a dedicated space for business leaders, investors, and strategic stakeholders to engage with the Ukrainian market.

Our director, Marco Garzia, was invited to be a speaker on behalf of BISI at the technical panel "Data interoperability, European regulation and investment strategies in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity", taking place at the Italian Parliament.

This panel was organised by ANGI (Associazione Nazionale Innovatori Italiani), the most prominent Italian organisation for young innovators, under the patronage of the European Parliament. The event brought together key decision makers and stakeholders, ranging from national cybersecurity authorities to some representatives of leading Italian businesses, to discuss the future of the Italian AI and cybersecurity strategy vis-à-vis the EU AI act.

BISI leveraged its in-house expertise to deliver a talk on comparative models of investment in AI and cybersecurity, distilling international best practices to propose solutions tailored to the Italian landscape.

BISI partnered with the UK OSINT Community to host the first London-based OSINT networking event, bringing together experts, professionals, and students to explore the evolving landscape of open-source intelligence. With over 200 attendees, the event featured keynote speeches on risk analysis and the application of OSINT in cryptocurrency and financial crime investigations.

Participants engaged in insightful discussions, gaining valuable perspectives from industry leaders on the latest trends and challenges in OSINT. Networking sessions fostered collaboration, enabling attendees to exchange knowledge, build professional connections, and foster collaboration within the OSINT community.

The London Defence Conference is a premier annual gathering of international defence and security experts, bringing together military strategists, government officials, defence industry leaders, and academic researchers to discuss critical global security challenges. The conference serves as a pivotal platform for examining contemporary geopolitical tensions, emerging defence technologies, and collaborative strategies to address international security threats.

The conference explored key themes including technological innovation in defense, hybrid warfare strategies, cybersecurity challenges, and geopolitical risk mitigation. Through interactive sessions and keynote speeches, participants developed a deeper understanding of the complex interconnections between national security, technological advancement, and international cooperation.

The University of Bologna hosted the European Youth Event in Forlì—the first of its kind in Italy—in partnership with the European Commission and the European Parliament. This event brought together thousands of young people and students across the EU, fostering connections between policymakers and civil society organisations. Through engaging discussions, it empowered future European leaders to become active citizens. The three-day event featured various sessions covering topics such as security, immigration policy, and the green transition within the bloc.

BISI led the workshop “European Security Challenges: How to Elaborate an Emergency Policy Response?” Participants navigated a simulated energy crisis, working in groups to conduct risk assessments and develop collaborative policy solutions. By involving public, private, and civil society stakeholders, the exercise mirrored real-world decision-making in times of crisis to provide a more valuable experience for the participating students.