The Fourth Law and Odd Systems Announce the Launch of Project Foundation to Secure Thermal Sensor Sovereignty for Europe and the US
The Fourth Law and Odd Systems launch a semiconductor initiative to secure thermal sensor sovereignty for Europe and the United States, with initial production planned for 2027
Kyiv, Ukraine – 8 October, 2026 – The Fourth Law and Odd Systems today unveiled Project Foundation, a semiconductor initiative to mass-produce uncooled thermal sensors in Europe and the United States. The project aims to expand European thermal sensor production to four times its current level and US production to twice its current level within three years, building a new industrial base for defence and everyday applications.
The primary mission of Project Foundation is to secure thermal sensor sovereignty for Europe and the United States by developing proprietary uncooled long-wave infrared (LWIR) sensors, also known as microbolometers, and the capacity to manufacture them at scale. The initiative aims to deliver cost-effective sensors for drones, cars, factories and robots through a combination of partner foundry lines and planned dedicated facilities.
“Building thermal cameras has shown us what manufacturers need from the sensor inside: performance, a reliable supply and a price that works at scale. We are building Project Foundation around those requirements. Sovereign production has to be commercially competitive to achieve widespread adoption,” said Igor Nakonechnyi, CEO of Project Foundation.
Project Foundation plans to build a manufacturing network, with its first fabrication facilities, First Foundation and Second Foundation, planned for Europe and the United States respectively. The network will share a common technology base and proprietary sensor designs.
“It is imperative that we provide sensor sovereignty for the EU and US on the shortest timeline possible. After building cameras for 14 years we know exactly what the future robotics, defense, and automotive industries need,” said Yaroslav Azhnyuk, CEO of The Fourth Law and co-founder of Odd Systems.
Key Highlights & Strategic Roadmap
Operations in Eindhoven: Headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands – one of Europe's premier semiconductor technology hubs – Project Foundation leverages regional talent and deep-tech infrastructure to scale production rapidly.
World-Class Technical Leadership: The initiative is backed by a technical engineering team with deep domain expertise in thermal cameras, microbolometer design and advanced fabrication.
Diversified Capital Structure: Project Foundation’s planned funding mix includes investment from The Fourth Law and Odd Systems, external equity, debt financing, grants and customer pre-sales. The project has attracted investor and partner interest, with specific financing arrangements to be announced once confirmed. Technology partnerships with a number of world's top labs in semiconductors and microbolometers and top thermal cameras consumers around the world.
Technological and Industrial Ecosystem: Project Foundation positions itself at the crossroads of world class R&D centers and companies active in the field to develop cost-effective and massively scalable microbolometer sensors.
The name Project Foundation continues the group’s tradition of drawing inspiration from Isaac Asimov: The Fourth Law refers to his Laws of Robotics, while Project Foundation draws on the Foundation series and its theme of preserving knowledge through periods of upheaval. First Foundation in Europe and Second Foundation in the United States reflect the project’s ambition to build lasting technological and manufacturing capabilities on both sides of the Atlantic.
About
The Fourth Law
The Fourth Law develops scalable autonomy for robotic systems, with an initial focus on defence. Founded in Kyiv, Ukraine, the company builds technologies that enable drones to continue their missions when communications are disrupted. thefourthlaw.ai
Odd Systems
Odd Systems develops and manufactures thermal and daytime cameras for drones and other robotic systems. Its Kurbas thermal camera is the most widely used Ukrainian-made thermal camera on the battlefield, supplied to more than 70 drone manufacturers, giving Project Foundation direct insight into customer requirements and high-volume applications. oddsystems.io
Group
The Fourth Law and Odd Systems were founded in Kyiv in 2023 by serial entrepreneur Yaroslav Azhnyuk and a team of engineers, operators and veterans. The companies operate across Ukraine, the rest of Europe and the United States.
The founding team brings 14 years of camera development experience, including work on more than one million consumer smart cameras.