The Commission has recently announced the winning consortium – called “Seeds of Bravery” – that will implement a €20 million European Innovation Council (EIC) project supporting Ukraine’s innovation community.
The €20 million support will be provided through a pan-European network of start-up associations, enterprise support centres, incubators and accelerators. The network, selected following a competitive call included in the 2022 EIC Work Programme, is coordinated by FundingBox Accelerator in Warsaw, Poland. The consortium is made up of 22 organisations and start-up associations, including six Ukrainian partners, as well as partners in 13 other countries.
This ambitious project aims to provide a much-needed lifeline to Ukrainian start-ups and help them grow and integrate within the European innovation ecosystem so that they can become key economic drivers behind Ukraine’s economic recovery.
The initiative will support at least 200 Ukrainian deep tech start-ups with up to €60 000 each to further develop their innovation and business activities. In addition, the companies will also receive non-financial support, such as business advisory services, coaching, mentoring and matchmaking.
This project will increase the capacity of Ukrainian innovators to identify European market needs and comply with the EU regulatory framework, enter new markets and interconnect with key innovation stakeholders and networks. The initiative also aims to better prepare Ukrainian start-ups to compete for future EIC and other EU funding opportunities. Specific focus is given to support for innovative solutions for rebuilding Ukraine.
The grant agreement is currently being prepared and once signed, the project will run for two years. The first Ukrainian start-ups are expected to receive funding in late 2023.