€40 thousand for startups: Ukrainian Startup Fund launches new grant program
22 December 16:17
The Ukrainian Startup Fund has announced the launch of a new grant program, Startup EDGE, aimed at supporting technology companies in the early stages of development. This was reported by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, [ komersant] reports.
The initiative should strengthen the competitiveness of Ukrainian startups and is being implemented with the support of the EU and the French government.
What is known
The Ministry of Digital Transformation has announced that the Ukrainian Startup Fund has opened a call for applications for the Startup EDGE program. The program is aimed at pre-seed and seed-stage startups operating in technology industries with high growth potential.
How much will be given and to whom
- €20 thousand – for startups at the pre-seed stage;
- €40 thousand for startups at the seed stage.
You can apply until January 21.
What areas will be supported
The program is open to Ukrainian startups in three key sectors:
- Deep Tech – artificial intelligence and machine learning, biotechnology, life sciences, robotics;
- Green Tech – renewable energy, sustainable development, clean technologies, resource conservation;
- EdTech – digital educational solutions and technologies that transform learning and access to knowledge.
Who is funding
Startup EDGE is being implemented by the Ukrainian Startup Fund with the support of the EU4Innovation East project, which is funded by the European Union:
- funded by the European Union;
- co-funded by the French government;
- implemented by Expertise France.
The launch of the new program comes as the startup ecosystem in Ukraine is intensifying. The government is gradually lowering entry barriers for innovative projects: in particular, access to the Sandbox test platform has recently been simplified, which can now be used by individual entrepreneurs without requiring mandatory investor funding at the idea stage.
What’s next
Once the application process is complete, experts will select the startups that will receive funding. The government expects the program to help Ukrainian tech companies scale faster and enter international markets.
