About the program:

Huge Thing is part of the SpeedUp Venture Capital Group, a group of venture capital funds in Poland. As a group, it invests in enterprises at the early stages of development.

Now, the Huge Thing team has prepared three specialized tracks for the Startup Booster program, according to the different stages of startup development and the so-called TRL, or Technology Readiness Levels:

While preparing the Huge Thing Startup Booster program, we decided to divide it into three tracks, perfectly tailored to startups at different stages of development. This way, the invited mentors, partners, and the prepared content will perfectly address their current situations and needs,

Maria Tyka-Majewska, Senior Program Manager at Huge Thing, commented.

Industry Test (corporate) (TRL 6-9):

The corporate track designed for startups with an already functioning product or service. Participants will receive grants of up to €80,000 and have the opportunity to collaborate with project partners, including Veolia, the City of Zduńska Wola, Saint Gobain, PKO Bank Polski, Rossmann, PZU, Alior Bank, Żabka, and Legimi. The goal of this track is to provide startups with the opportunity to test their solutions in a real business environment.

Go Global (TRL 8-9):

This track is designed for startups that have reached a higher level of technology readiness and have completed their initial market implementations. The program offers grants of up to €80,000 and focuses on supporting companies in their international expansion, particularly in Asian, American, and German markets. Participants will receive assistance with market entry strategies, establishing business contacts, and adapting their products and services to the specifics of local markets.

Sector Agnostic (TRL 5):

This track focuses on startups at an earlier stage of development, specifically at TRL 5. The program is designed to support the refinement of their product or service and prepare them for market entry. Participants can receive grants of up to €40,000 and will have the opportunity to collaborate with mentors and Huge Thing partners. Additionally, the initiative facilitates the establishment long-term partnerships.

Recruitment for Startup Booster program has already started and will be open until July 28th, here.

Registration will continue until August 1, via the registration form. The final will be held on August 10, the winners will receive grants for the further launch and development of projects. The result of the team’s work can be a presentation of ideas, own technological solutions, demo-prototypes, entire services, applications or platforms.

Who can participate?

Both individual specialists and whole teams are invited to join, including:

• developers, engineers, and network architects;
• cyber security specialists, researchers and scientists;
• students, graduates, and young specialists in the technological and cyber security fields;
• specialists with experience in the energy sector;
• startup founders, project and product managers.

Participants are encouraged to start with new ideas and projects, but you can also join with existing ones.

About Cybersecurity Innovations Hackathon:

The Cybersecurity Innovation Hackathon will be held in a hybrid format with an online part for teamwork and an offline final on August 10 in Kyiv.

The hackathon implements the largest European IT competition DEV Challenge with the assistance of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the support of the USAID Project “Cybersecurity of Critically Important Infrastructure of Ukraine”. The Hackathon supports the Ukrainian Startup Fund and the first innovation park UNIT.City.

Additionally, in June 2024, Open Data Hackathon was held in Kyiv with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the “Support for Digital Transformation” project with the support of USAID and UK Dev, as well as the executive partner SocialBoost. Winners received a prize of $143,000.

The application is open until the 20th of January, here.

What does ReaktorX offer to startups?

• ReaktorX supports startups from the entire CEE region, including Romania, Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, as well as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and from various areas to raise a new generation of unicorns.
• The program provides €25,000 pre-seed funding, a financial boost in exchange for 5% equity, and €75,000 in discounts and credits.
• ReaktorX also provides instant help from experienced entrepreneurs and founders from CEE and access to ReaktorX network.

In the previous May 2023 ReaktorX batch, 245 applicants from 12 countries wanted to participate in the program. However, the program only accepts 5 startups in total and only one per country. The previous batch included companies like Nethica, DIMA, PipelinerOnline, Haip, and The Linghos.

The first cohort is focused on energy resilience, sensing and surveillance, and secure information sharing.  Here are the CEE startups selected for the first program:

• Dronetag — Czech Republic. Based in Prague, Dronetag develops a solution for drone traffic management in the European airspace.
• Neuromorphica — Bulgaria.
• Vistareader — Lithuania.
• Revobeam — Poland.
• GIM Robotics — Finland. Founded in 2014, GIM Robotics builds intelligent robots — which can operate in an unknown environment and learn from them — for use in industry.
• Astrolight — Lithuania. Astrolight develops secure laser communication systems for aerospace and defence companies.
• Galtec — Estonia. The Tartu-based startup creates fuel cells with very high power density which are able to power drones, off-grid equipment, IoT and portable devices, and space equipment.

About DIANA

DIANA is a €50 million yearly acceleration program aimed at boosting defense and dual-use innovation across Going through the program, the startups will get mentorship, commercial, technical and business support and the possibility to test their solutions in specially designed NATO test centers. 

The startups will receive a grant of €100,000, with a possible €300,000 top-up. The program start off next year. The selected startups will participate in an intensive six-month acceleration, while the most successful companies will be invited to stay on for a further six months.

DIANA has complementary €1 billion NATO Innovation Fund focused on the dual-use deep tech sector. AIN.Capital reported on the fund’s launch in August 2023.

The application deadline is November 17. Startups can apply here.

• The program targets startups with highly innovative, digital, and scalable, business models that fit with the cohort’s focus. The program duration is 5 week and has two batches per year:
  • Current Cohort: SaaS (October – November 2023) with in-person networking event in Vienna 
  • Upcoming Cohort: B2B (January – February 2024) with in-person networking event in Munich

• Grow F is launched for companies with at least one female founding member with equal share and with a launched MVP. Teams that are preparing for their fundraising round and getting ready to take on Venture Capital investors are also invited.
• The acceleration program includes online workshops with VC investors and industry experts, and the in-person event at the end of the program with investors and the Female Founders community of over 74,000 members. Grow F also give an access to its fundraising toolbox, incl. key resources, a fundraising checklist, templates, etc.
• Female Founders has already completed 9 such batches. The last one was in January this year. Then the accelerator targeted early-stage companies in B2B, B2C, B2B2C, B2D, B2G. The program duration was 3 months.

• Vetbee is founded in 2019, and is now based in Warsaw. It develops a platform and community for startups, VC funds, accelerators, and corporates in Central & Eastern Europe. In November 2022, it already launched the 8th edition of CEE Startup Challenge.
• The Startup Challenge are looking for regional startups and scaleups from Central & Eastern Europe raising seed, pre-series A, series A from:
  • SaaS and Marketplace;
  • AI/ML;
  • Fintech and Insurtech;
  • Cybersecurity;
  • Defense and Govtech;
  • Mobility, Industry 4.0 and Manufacturing;
  • Environmental and Sustainable Solutions;
  • Food and Agriculture;
  • Healthcare and Wellbeing;
  • Consumer Technology;
  • Diversity and Inclusion.

Companies can apply to participate in Vestbee’s CEE Startup Challenge before November 17th, here.

What will the winners receive?

• Up to €100,000 infrastructure credits for all applicants;
• Invitation to CEE VC Summit 2024 gathering over 250 GPs from CEE and Europe;
• Up to $10,000 in AWS Credits for all participants;
• Stripe Credits: €15,000 for all participants;
• $50,000 on the Mixpanel Growth Plan;
• 500,000 FREE email verifications;
• Media coverage for the TOP 3.

The Startup Challenge is supported by EIT InnoEnergy, Molten Ventures, 500 Emerging Europe, Flashpoint Venture Capital,  Elevator Ventures, 212, ORBIT Capital, Flyer One Ventures, PortfoLion Capital Partners, OTB Ventures, Tilia Impact Ventures, Presto Ventures, QNBEYOND Ventures, UNIQA Ventures among others.

The application is open until November 1, 2023. To apply, fill out the form here.

• UNICORN startup contest is organized by Sigma Software Labs, the investment wing of Sigma Software IT company, and Ukrainian Startup Fund, a state institution that helps innovative projects and startups raise funds. Ukrainian VC firm SID Venture Partners, together with Sigma Software University, are among co-organizers of UNICORN startup contest.
• Startup from Ukraine and the EU that have raised no more than €500,000 are invited to participate. The organizers are primarily interested in b2b projects in the fields of adtech, AI, AR/VR, aviation, automotive, Big Data, blockchain, cyber security, edtech, fintech, and machine learning.
• Projects that have any connections and/or work with counterparties from Russia and Belarus are not allowed to participate. In addition, the participation in UNICORN is entirely free.
• The application period is from October 9 to November 1. The final demo day will be on December 1.

The competition will include educational webinars, networking events, and project pitches. In particular, there will be:

• a two-week training program on how to build a startup and avoid common mistakes;
• educational and networking events;
• pitching opportunities;
• no-equity grants of 2 x €1,000 and 1 x €3,000.

The first application period is open until October 22, 2023. Applications can be submitted here.

The acceleration program is focused on startups that have:

• at least one of startup founders has a Ukrainian passport.
• B2B SaaS model in various verticals.
• a scalable product in operation.
• a minimum of 2 founders and a team of more than 3 people.
• an MRR of over €5000, or engaging paid pilots with promising clientele.
• secured at least pre-seed level funding.
• globally ambitious in scope.
• fluent in spoken English.

• Selected startups will go through the four-month programme, focusing on the four main points of growth:
  • strategy assessment
  • sales and marketing
  • people strategy
  • finance and fundraising
• The participants will work closely with Startup Wise Guys’ extensive network of over 200 international mentors, investors, and industry experts. The programme’s promoters and implementers aim to support startups through intensive 1:1 mentoring and targeted European exposure, amplified by online matchmaking and an on-site event in Vilnius.
• The programme is delivered online and managed by Mariia Tintul, the ambassador of Women in Tech Ukraine and Head of Business Development at Startup Wise Guys. Growth Ukraine will run in two parts, dividing the startups into two cohorts of 6.

About the organizers

Startup Wise Guys is one of the most active accelerator funds in Europe and Africa, with a portfolio of over 400 early-stage startups in B2B SaaS, fintech, cybersecurity, XR, sustainability. Since launching in 2012, Startup Wise Guys has built a community of more than 850 founders with 71 nationalities and has 15 exits from its investment portfolio.

Its portfolio includes startups such as Bolt, Jeff App, Planet42, Katana, and Ready Player Me. In addition, the accelerator has supported 42 startups in Ukraine, including 14 investments made in Ukrainian startups since February 2022. 

Founded in 1991, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is a multilateral developmental investment bank that uses investment as a tool to build market economies. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine, the EBRD has substantially increased its finance for Ukraine and is on track to fulfil its commitment to deploy at least €3 billion there by the end of 2023.

• Founded in 2019, Voima Ventures is a deep tech firm that invests purely in startups with deep tech and scientific backgrounds in the Baltics and Nordics. In June this year, Voima Ventures announced the first closing of €90 million for Fund III. The fund plans to increase it to €120 million.

• Velocity will support pre-seed and seed stage science-based startups to transform their ideas and scale its solutions. The challenge is particularly focused on startup teams with university or research lab backgrounds in fields of global green transformation, life science, and health technologies.

Startups can apply to the program via the form.

• The top 8 finalists will pitch their ideas at the final event in Stockholm, January 11th, 2024. A panel of investors and industry experts will evaluate the startups based on their team, viability, innovation, market potential, and societal impact. The winner will receive a €1 million convertible note and one year of mentorship from mentors within the Voima Ventures network.

The startups can apply for the program until September 23, 2023, here.

• Up to two selected companies from qualified applicants will receive $150,000 – $220,000 in investment from Unfold.vc.
• The funds will provide a mentor network that is made up of 600+ serial entrepreneurs, industry experts, and corporate leaders who are all committed to your company’s success.
• In total, applicants will receive 100+ hours of dedicated support (10 hours per week over 10 weeks).

Who can apply?

• Early-stage startups during Bootstrapped – Series A phases, with an average revenue of $100,000 – $3 million.
• Applicants must show an MVP and initial traction. The companies are required to have at least 5 employees.
• At least one of the founders will be participating in the program and will travel to New York City for the in-person weeks.
• The industries include: B2B SaaS, retail, media, advertising, edtech, fintech, AR/VR, ML and AI, enterprise solutions, HRtech, healthtech, foodtech, traveltech, fashion tech, proptech, insurtech.

The startups can apply for the program until September 13, 2023, here.

About the program

• Autumn accelerator program helps early-stage startups developing software, online solutions, or tools to build their businesses.
• Selected startups will go through program with a focus on 1:1 or group mentoring and lectures tailored to their specific needs.
• AceON will also provide investments from €50,000-€70,000 for 5-7% share in the selected startups at the beginning of program.
• Thanks to a program structure and the investment provided by AceON Accelerator, startups will have a perfect opportunity to finish their MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and get the first customers with a possibility of the follow-on investment in the future.

Acceleration process

1. Selection of online applications sent via the application form until September 13, 2023.
2. September 13-15, AceON will conduct calls and meetings with the selected teams to get to know the details of their startup ideas which were missing or were not clear in the application.
3. At the end of September/October, the selected startups get an invitation to the 1,5-day Bootcamp to discuss the MVP development, investment conditions and the future vision. Only 5 startups will get investments and go through further in the program.
4. The program will finish in November/December, 2023.

About Open Data. Unbroken

• Open Data. Unbroken was launched by 1991 Accelerator and SocialBoost in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the Organization for Security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The accelerator is a part of a cross-regional project on promoting good governance and a positive business climate in the OSCE region through digitalization. 
• The competition was announced in June 2023 and is dedicated to support digital projects based on open data. It provides financial support, mentorship, and access to a community of experts, enabling IT specialists and developers to transform its solutions to drive positive change in Ukraine.

Who are the winners

• The first winner is De ukryttya?, a chatbot that helps citizens find the nearest air-raid shelter in Ukraine. The project aims to provide citizens with access to an updated database of shelters while enabling public monitoring and offering local governments digital tools for managing and verifying shelter information.
• The second winner is the VPO Nazar, a Viber and Telegram chatbot that assists internally displaced persons in integrating into new environments. By submitting a short resume and preferred job criteria, IDPs can receive immediate notifications of suitable vacancies, simplifying the job search process and promoting faster integration.
• Sorty roslyn is the third winner of the program. This platform helps farmers make informed decisions by providing valuable insights into selecting optimal plant varieties, reducing the use of pesticides, and promoting more organic cultivation practices. The project aims to play a crucial role in recovering and revitalizing the agricultural sector after the war. 

• Amazon Web Services, (AWS) is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered, pay-as-you-go basis. Its new Global Fintech Accelerator will select 150 fintech startups that use artificial intelligence and machine learning technology from across North America (NAMER), Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and Latin America (LATAM). 
• Selected startups will join a 6-week remote program from September 18 to October 23, where they will receive 1:1 business and technical mentorship covering funding, scaling, and go-to-market strategies, as well as AWS technical fundamentals, cloud and AI/ML adoption.
• The members will also get up to $25,000 in AWS Activate credits. At the end of the six weeks, the top 15 companies in the program will be invited to participate in a Demo Day and will receive up to $75,000 in additional AWS Activate credits.

Startups can apply to the program from June 27 to August 14, 2023.

• The accelerator is supported by Vestbee, Poland’s platform and community for startups, VC funds, accelerators, and corporates in Central & Eastern Europe, and the US-based NVIDIA, a full-stack computing company with data-center-scale offerings.

• EIC Scale Up 100 initiative aims to identify, promote, and support the growth of 100 promising Europe’s deep tech companies with the potential to become unicorns. The selected companies will be engaged in the EIC Scaling Club, a network of minimum 400 quality ecosystem players.
• Companies will be selected from different areas enhancing Europe’s green and digital transition, such as sustainability (climate and energy), digital, health, and more. The call for implementing entities to propose a program closed on 5 October. 
• The initiative will help companies in developing their corporate strategies, reaching strategic investors and partners, and scaling their businesses internationally. It will also aim to support strategic partnership with key institutions at EU level (European Innovation Council, European Investment Bank and European Institute for Innovation and Technology).
• During two years of the program, companies are expected to grow annually by 40% in their valuation, new investments, partnerships and jobs and by 50% across the same parameters for the 20 top performing companies and retention of deep tech talents and improved policy tools.

The application deadline for VEI in Europe is May 14. Apply here.

About Visa Everywhere Initiative 2023

Visa Everywhere Initiative is an open innovation program that was first launched in the US in 2015, and quickly expanded into a global program. Last year, VEI awarded more than $530,000 in prize money over the course of the competition, which saw over 4,000 startups participate from five regions. To date, nearly 12,000 startups have applied to the program across the globe.

This year’s competition will be hosted at the TechCrunch Disrupt event on September 19 in San Francisco. 

Who can participate

Visa is looking for products that deliver innovative payment and commerce solutions to consumers and businesses wordwide. These include, but are not limited to:

• Enablers of digital services and digital issuers,
• Digital issuance,
• Value-add for merchants and/or consumers in regard to finance,
• Small/medium-sized business with brand and risk management products.

This year’s prizes 

Three monetary prizes will be awarded during the global finals event celebrated on September 19 at the TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco.

• Overall Winner: $50,000
• Audience Favorite: $10,000
• Visa Direct: $10,000

Prior to the global finals, the following local and regional prizes will also be awarded:

• CEMEA Regionals 1 place: $20,000 
• CEMEA Regionals Audience Favorites: $10,000
• CEMEA Regionals Risk Winner: $25,000

The application is open until May 2023. Startups can apply here.

• Future Verticals program is aimed to foster the development and validation of Bulgarian foodtech and agritech companies in the prototype or more advanced stages. The goal of the accelerator is to help bring to reality sustainable innovation with positive impact on society and the environment.
• The program will last from June to September 2023. More than 50 mentors with expertise in company development, scientific research, VC funding, scaling and think tanks will partake in the program. 
• Future Vertical will focus on 15 segments of sustainable development, including plant-based and alternative proteins, sustainable packaging, precision agriculture, data analysis, food waste reduction, smart agriculture equipment, and e-commerce. Companies will be able to test their prototypes in real-world environments with partners such as retail chain Kaufland, organic products maker and distributor Smart Organic, UK-based online grocery retailer Ocado, co-living space and restaurant Kitchen59, and food producer GrowTaste.
• In September, the startups will present their projects to Vitosha Venture Partners fund managers and other selected investors for an opportunity to secure further investments.

The applications are open until May 30, 2023, here.

• The Brasilesia Accelerator Competition officially launched on March 30. The program allows startups from both Poland and Brazil to participate in a cross-acceleration between those countries. The goal of the event is to enable those startups to internationalize in the partner country.
• Apart from Invento VC, others partners of the event included Katowicka Specjalna Strefa Ekonomiczna S.A., SPIN-US, tecnoPARQ UFV, and others.
• The opening was announced at the South Summit Brazil, which is one of the biggest events of innovation and entrepreneurship in Latin America. It took place in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, where more than 2,000 Brazilian and foreign startups participated.

During the acceleration period, the startups will learn how to:

1. Expand to a new market (respectively Polish/Brazilian) with “soft-landing” support;
2. Validate market potential with experts from different countries;
3. Exchange domain knowledge;
4. Find foreign business partners, clients or distributors;
5. Find new foreign team members;
6. Find technological partners among, for instance, academic research institutions;
7. Create joint R&D projects;
8. Find new investors.

The startups will also receive a development capital of up to $25,000 and mentoring support.

• sTARTUp Day 2023 is a three-day business festival with an educational program consisting of various topics – from mental health to space tech, founder stories to aviation, and deeptech to the creative economy. sTARTUp Day 2023 enables startups to show themselves in front of over 3900 attendees from all over the world: potential investors, clients, partners, and international media.
• The first winner is Tallinn-based startup Paul-Tech which offers a solution for monitoring fields’ soil-water condition. Its probes and web application help to save time by making better decisions based on the live data. The EstBAN-led syndicate investment will power the company’s expansion to the UK and Swedish markets. 
• The second €125,000 investment from Baltic Sandbox Ventures went to Tartu-based biotech startup Gearbox Biosciences, which provides an antibiotic-free and growth-decoupled protein production technology. Its Switcher Technology is based on the induced removal of the origin of replication from a bacterial chromosome.
• .Cocoon Ventures, Dubai-based VC firm, which focuses on early-stage Information Technology and Internet of Things (IoT) software companies, led a €100,000 syndicate investment for Estonian deeptech MX Labs. The startup provides camera-based technology that allows to measure a person’s heart rate with a smartphone or computer camera, potentially helping the medical community to diagnose both physical and mental health issues.

• Startups can apply through the form on INNO’s website. The application deadline is April 2, 2023.
• Founded in 2019, INNO contributes to the regional development of the North-West region of Romania by offering a variety of tools meant to encourage research and tech transfer such as a Regional Innovation and Entrepreneurship Portfolio, Open Innovation Challenges, and a lengthy database of resources in the Knowledge Hub section.
• The accelerator will take place in Cluj-Napoca and targets on startups in the fields of life sciences and health. The program will consist of over ten meetings spread over a period of six months, with the possibility of attending online. Early-stage startups that are registered with the Trade Registry and teams with just a prototype may apply to the acceleration program.
• During the program, startups will work with the accelerator’s specialists to develop their personal plans. Based on this plan, startups will conduct specific activities using the resources provided in the accelerator to validate the business hypotheses underlying their solutions and get closer to their objectives.
• The bi-monthly meetings will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to share the results of their activities, as well as the lessons they have learned from regional and international experts who will provide critical feedback. Each startup will receive support in the amount of €8,000, provided by INNO and EIT Health.
• Among the program’s partners are the Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, the Technical University Cluj-Napoca, FreshBlood, Fortech, Nagarro, Linnify, Activize, ROTSA, ClujIT Cluster, Startup Reaktor, Make IT in Oradea, AI Minded, Telios Care, and many others.

The application deadline for the spring batch is March 31, 2023. Startups can apply here.

• PrusaLab is one of the largest shared workshops in the Czech Republic, with more than 350 m² of space. It provides 3D printers, laser, a manual workshop, CNC machines, an electrolab, and more. PrusaLab was opened as a makerspace on June 6, 2018 by Josef Prusa. Now its membership exceeded the number of 100.
• The accelerator targets commercial and scalable hardware startups with ready physical products and prepared technical documentation. The program also requires sufficient time invested from the founders of the project, at least three working days a week. PrusaLab has three batches per year (Spring/Summer/Winter).
• During the program, founders and teams will have unlimited access to a hi-tech workshop, technology consulting from 26 experts, and financial support of over $22,000 (500,000 CZK) for materials. After successful completion of the development, startups will have the opportunity to apply for further investment.
• Among the program’s partners are PROTOTYPUM, DHL, CzechCrunch, and Nation 1 VC. Recently, Nation 1 co-led $2.5 million in a pre-seed funding round for Czech AI-startup Filuta, AIN.Capital reports. 

• Pre-seed/seed-stage startups interested in the opportunities of the Polish and European markets (training, partnership, financing opportunities) can apply to participate.
• At least 50% of the shares of a legal entity have to belong to a citizen/citizens of Ukraine, and the legal entity be established for no more than 60 months (5 years).
• Startup founders must know English well enough to communicate.​​
• The priority will be companies that influence the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine

Winners will receive several one-on-one sessions with PUSB-accredited mentors. Also, a series of meetings with C-level managers of Ukrainian startups that managed to expand their business worldwide and attract funds from international investors and business angels.

The winners will receive up to €2,100 (PLN 10,000). A third of the funds should be spent on working with mentors and experts. The rest can be spent according to the individual development plan of each startup. The winners will also get a special free co-working space in Warsaw.

Recruitment of participants began on February 13 and continues until March 13. Further down the line, the applications will be analyzed and the top 15 startups will be selected. In April, the acceleration program will begin: achieving the set goals, participating in meetups, working 1:1 with mentors, purchasing the necessary equipment or consulting, preparing for the final pitch day, and presenting the startup to an investor.

• The project is co-financed by the Governments of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe. The fund fosters the development of civil society by financing joint grant projects and by awarding university scholarships and artist residencies. The fund’s annual budget of €8 million consists of equal contributions by the V4 governments.
• V4Region Up Innobooster accelerates 15 tech startups from the V4 and Ukraine that solve the most pressing and acute challenges in such fields as education, ER, mental health, energy (production & storage), clean re-building, and environmental restoration. The accelerator focuses on post MVP businesses that are ready to scale with a minimum team of three.
• Startups can apply to the program by March 19, 2023. The program starts on April 10 with 6 online workshops from top-notch presenters on international expansion and with two mentoring sessions:

1. The Challenges of International Market Entry
2. Competitive Analysis and Sources of Competitive Advantage
3. B2B Sales Prospecting
4. Marketing, Communication, and Messaging
5. Fundraising – Understanding the VC World
6. Building a Pitch Deck & Pitching Techniques

• In May 2023 will be an Internal Demo Day, a discussion panel will offer insights and conversation about the future state of Ukraine’s tech ecosystem. Founders will pitch to a jury and audience comprised of investors, corporates, and tech enthusiasts, as part of Wolves Summit’s 17th flagship in-person event in Wrocław, Poland.
• The program is also supported by ISE Corporate Accelerator, which focuses on Ukrainian startups, Startup Campus, which provides programs and services for innovative businesses beyond the market entry in Hungary, Germany, and the UK, and DEX Innovation Centre, operating multiple initiatives and stakeholder group connectors in the Czech health innovation ecosystem.

• The selected teams are expected to work intensively in March-May during DemoNight 05/22 in Warsaw.
• Founders will have the opportunity to work with venture investors and successful founders from CEE and the USA.
• Graduates will also receive additional opportunities worth around €75,000 from accelerator partners (AWS, Stripe, and others).

“The program is recommended for entrepreneurs creating their first technological startups. This is a great chance to avoid many early-stage mistakes and accelerate your growth in the future. Proven by 10 previous batches of ReaktorX,”

Oleksandr Yatsenko says.

You can apply by following the link. The deadline is today, but for the teams from Ukraine, it will be extended until the end of the week. Filling out the application takes about 30 minutes. ReaktorX is a startup accelerator for early-stage founders with ambitious goals. Conditions include initial investments, resources, and a network to expand the business.

• Ventures Thrive is one of the first pan-European deeptech venture builders that is committed to improving opportunities for startups with solutions in big data, AI, blockchain, IoT, biotech that are addressing some of the world’s most pressing problems. The program targets on product, service, and technology that has passed the MVP stage (TRL-6, technology demonstrated in a relevant environment).
• Funded by the European Innovation Council, the €1.5 million grant will be deployed over two years to invest in up to 32 startups from CEE and widening countries (such as Malta, Portugal, and Georgia).
• Startups can apply to the program by February 2023. The program starts on April 2023. Each accepted startup is eligible for up to €100,000 in cash and services. 
• During an 8-month program, startups will get access to a global network of mentors, corporate partners, industry experts, and investors from over 20 countries, connections to the leading corporates in the industry for pilot projects, and partnership opportunities. Also, startups will get legal, finance, go-to-market masterclasses and assistance in identifying and applying for R&D grants to help mature the technology stack with non-dilutive funding. 
• In October 2023 will be a Demo Day to celebrate startups’ achievements during the program in front of hundreds of investors, corporates, mentors, and press attendees. Prizes will be awarded to the top three startups.

• Growth Academy: Cybersecurity targets seed to Series A startups based in Europe but looking to scale internationally. Startups need to be focused on an element of cybersecurity, such as prevention, protection, research, and/or threat analysis, and threat sharing.
• Selected startups must have demonstrated traction (users, revenue) and have a scalable product or service, with both a significant total addressable market and a defensible growth model.
• Startups can apply to the program by February 12, 2023. The cybersecurity program will kick off in April 2023 and will last till in June 2023. 
• After signing the agreement, startups will get technical consulting and tailored support and advice from mentors from Google and industry experts, support on company and product strategy. Google for Startups program will help them to expand to new markets and to connect with fellow founders to grow the network, learn from others, and contribute to a bigger community.
• In December 2022 Google for Startups announced 25 new grant recipients of the Google Support Fund for Ukrainian startups. Among them are Mate Academy, Adwisely, Jiffsy, PeopleForce.