A four-month accelerator program will be created for 12 ambitious Ukrainian startups that want to strengthen their business presence in Europe and expand globally. The program, led by the most active early-stage investor in Ukraine, Startup Wise Guys, is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the TaiwanBusiness Technical Cooperation Fund – EBRD as a donor.
Tallinn, Estonia, October 04, 2023 – Startup Wise Guys, one of the largest accelerators in Europe, announces the launch of the Growth Ukraine program. The goal is to support innovative companies founded by Ukrainians. The first group of startups will start the program on October 30.
Over the past decade, Ukraine has been actively developing its digital startup ecosystem. Its companies have withstood the challenges of the current war despite significant difficulties in growing and expanding their businesses. By investing in human capital and innovation, this program is part of the EBRD’s work to support Ukraine’s recovery.
The Growth Ukraine program provides innovative Ukrainian companies with free support that does not involve investment. However, the initiative will help to develop individualized scaling strategies and growth plans for the European market. The program offers targeted mentoring support for late-stage startups, starting with Seed, operating in general business sectors.
“We are pleased to continue our cooperation with Startup Wise Guys, this time as part of an acceleration program specifically designed for Ukrainian startups. With the support of the TaiwanBusiness – EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, we have successfully promoted growth and innovation in the private sector in the countries of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Ukraine’s IT sector has shown remarkable resilience during the war. Therefore, supporting Ukrainian startups and early stage companies is important in this difficult time and will be crucial for the post-war recovery and reconstruction of the Ukrainian economy.” – Alexander Pivovarsky, Director of the Capital Markets and Financial Markets Development Department, EBRD.
The program will be held online. The program will be led by Maria Tintul, Head of Business Development at Startup Wise Guys and ambassador of Women in Tech Ukraine. Growth Ukraine will be held in two stages, dividing startups into two groups of six teams to pay exclusive attention to each participant. Applications will be reviewed immediately upon receipt. Startups that apply first have a better chance. Potential candidates are evaluated by an experienced scouting team of Startup Wise Guys. The program will look for startups at the Seed stage and beyond that have faced challenges to active growth, including the ongoing war.
The Growth Ukraine program will guide the selected startups through a detailed 4-month program focused on four main areas of growth: strategy assessment; sales and marketing; team management strategy; and finance and fundraising. Special attention is given to sales and fundraising strategy in a 1-1 format to help startups attract investors and customers in European countries.
Participants will work closely with a large number of international mentors, investors, industry experts and general partners of Startup Wise Guys. The networking will reach dozens of representatives from European countries through intensive 1-1 mentoring and targeted European networking, online matchmaking meetings, and the final event in Vilnius, Lithuania.
“The idea of this project is to support existing businesses, probably established before the outbreak of full-scale war, which have now reached a ceiling and need help to enter the EU market. As a Ukrainian, I am pleased to present the Growth Ukraine program for Ukrainian founders. The main thing is to help create a positive impact on the economy through business development. I hope that strong startups will create more jobs, increase tax payments, boost investment activity, and ultimately help strengthen the Ukrainian economy,” says Maria Tintul, Women in Tech Ukraine Ambassador and Head of Business Development at Startup Wise Guys.
Applications can be submitted HERE.
About Startup Wise Guys
Startup Wise Guys is one of the largest accelerators in Europe and Africa with a portfolio of over 400 early-stage startups in B2B SaaS, fintech, cybersecurity, XR, sustainability and other sectors. Since the first program launched in 2012, Startup Wise Guys has built an ambitious community of 850+ founders from 71 nationalities and has 15 successful exits from its investment portfolio. The Startup Wise Guys portfolio includes well-known startups such as Bolt, Jeff App, Planet42, Katana, and Ready Player Me, among others. Startup Wise Guys was recognized as the Best Accelerator at the Global Startup Awards 2023.
Startup Wise Guys is the most active early-stage investor in the Ukrainian startup scene, with 42 Ukrainian startups in its portfolio, including 14 investments made in Ukrainian startups since February 2022.
About the EBRD
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an international financial institution founded in 1991. As a multilateral development investment bank, it uses investment as a tool for building market economies. Initially, the Bank focused on the countries of the former Eastern Bloc, but later expanded its activities to support the development of economies from Central Europe to Central Asia and the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region. Since the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the EBRD has significantly increased its funding to Ukraine and is committed to providing at least €3 billion by the end of 2023. Headquartered in London, the EBRD is owned by 71 countries and two European Union institutions.
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Contact: Maria Tintul
mariia@startupwiseguys.com