Seeds of Bravery is a €20 million project funded by the European Union under the European Innovation Council (EIC) to support Ukrainian tech startups bringing them closer to the EU.
Our mission is to foster diversity, promote the deep tech industry and stimulate hundreds of UA-based innovations benefiting end-users in Europe, Ukraine and beyond, connecting corporates and governments to the benefit of SMEs and individual customers.
Seeds of Bravery (UASEEDs) is powered by a network of 17 partners and 2 associated partners, integrating Ukrainian tech innovators in European markets. We aim to strengthen Ukraine's tech landscape, supporting local entrepreneurs for global success.
Seeds of Bravery will allocate €12 million in non-refundable grants. We will accept applications to the following five different programs that could lead up to €60,000 in total grant.
Unveiling types of support:
1. Business and Innovation Services: Offering grants up to €10,000, focusing on enhancing business models, plans, and growth strategies. Apart from financial support, beneficiaries can also join investors and accelerator communities both in Ukraine and in the EU, access matchmaking activities, and have the opportunity to receive free tickets to attend international tech conferences.
2. Innovative Entrepreneurship: With grants up to €25,000, this program supports business continuity and the establishment of women-led companies. Beneficiaries will also gain access to a wide array of activities, including matchmaking with EU and global tech communities, investor and accelerator networks, a 2-week online Market Fast Track program, and specialized coaching for female entrepreneurs.
3. Deep Tech Incubators: Providing €25,000 for early-stage startups, dedicated to activities like user or demand testing, prototype validation, and other pivotal pre-MVP innovation tasks. Beyond financial support, the program also offers non-financial benefits, that include matchmaking with an expansive EU and global tech community, participation in a Market Fast Track program, entry into a specialized Deep Tech Incubator and access to investors.
4. Rebuild Ukraine: Aiming to rapidly reconstruct postwar Ukraine with grants up to €25,000 for innovative products/services. The program targets tech SMEs and scale-ups with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7 or higher. It extends its support through matchmaking, Market Fast Track program, Digital and Deep Tech Booster (3-month acceleration & mentorship program), Funding Lab (proposal writing bootcamps and pitch trainings to increase access to funding), Finance Booster (a 4-week investment readiness program), Deep Tech Accelerator and access to a robust network of investors and accelerators.
5. Deep Tech Scale-up and Acceleration: Offering up to €50,000 to scale prototypes successfully piloted and expand market reach for companies with TRL of 7 or higher. Non-financial services include the possibility to receive tech tickets to co-working spaces and relevant conferences and events worldwide, access to investors and accelerators, Market and Legal Lab (legal services for startups entering EU or global markets), Deep Tech Accelerator, Finance Booster, Funding Lab, matchmaking with global tech communities, and a range of specialized labs and programmes (such as Digital and Deep Tech Booster and specialized coaching for female entrepreneurs).
All programs are designed to propel the selected projects to new heights, ensuring they receive the guidance, resources, and networking opportunities needed for success. Non-financial support will be tailored for each beneficiary (the scope of provided services will be determined individually for each tech startup and SME).
All programes were launched and are in good progress.
