From Bold Decisions to Tangible Impact: Two Years of Seeds of Bravery
Exactly two years ago, on 20 December 2023, Seeds of Bravery was officially launched as a response to the unprecedented challenges posed by the full-scale war in Ukraine and to a clear demand from the innovation ecosystem for new, flexible support instruments for technology startups.
Over the past two years, the project has evolved into a powerful catalyst for startup growth and scale-up, significantly strengthening the international visibility and positioning of Ukrainian innovations within the European and global innovation landscape.
Today, we are proud to share the results of two years of work — outcomes that can confidently be described as substantial, measurable, and transformative.
Key Results at a Glance
- €12 million in funding allocated to support innovative startups.
- 2,173 applications submitted across project programmes, resulting in 451 grants awarded to more than 320 companies.
- While the majority of applications came from Ukrainian startups, the project also attracted teams from the United Kingdom, Poland, Germany, Ireland, Spain, and Estonia, underlining the international reach of Seeds of Bravery.
- Most applications were submitted by startups operating in deep tech, infrastructure, education and science, healthcare/life sciences, and agri-food sectors.
- 37 startup success stories were featured in the book “Roots of Innovation: Inspiring Startup Stories”, presented at IT Arena 2025 in Lviv.
Beyond Funding: Non-Financial Support and Ecosystem Development
In addition to direct financial support through grant programmes, Seeds of Bravery delivers 17+ non-financial support initiatives aimed at capacity building, internationalisation, and ecosystem strengthening.
Key achievements across non-financial programmes include:
- 45 startups have completed the Deep Tech Incubators Programme, with an additional 20 teams currently participating.
- 63 startups successfully completed the Deep Tech Accelerator Programme across five cohorts.
- 79 startups successfully completed the Digital and Deep Tech Booster Programme across five cohorts.
- 99 females (entrepreneurs/C-level managers) started the Female Entrepreneur & Leadership Programme.
- 236 teams graduated from the Science2Business Programme.
- 532 free tickets enabled startups to attend 34 major technology exhibitions across Europe.
- 310 participants strengthened their investment skills through two iterations of the Investment Literacy Programme for Business Angels.
- 20 Market Discovery workshops, covering 37 countries, attracted 2,338 participants and views.
- 60 coworking spaces in Ukraine and across Europe provided Ukrainian startups with free access to working facilities.
- 184 UASEEDs mentors actively supported startups throughout the programmes.
- 76 participants attended the Summer School of Entrepreneurship.
Background Information
Seeds of Bravery (UASEEDs) is a €20 million project funded by the European Union under the European Innovation Council (EIC). The project aims to support Ukrainian technology startups and accelerate their integration into the European innovation ecosystem.
The mission of Seeds of Bravery is to foster diversity, advance the deep tech industry, and stimulate hundreds of UASEEDs-based innovations that deliver value to users in Ukraine and beyond. The project brings together startups, corporations, and public authorities to support the development and scaling of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Seeds of Bravery is implemented through a consortium of 17 partners and 2 associated partners, working together to integrate Ukrainian technology innovators into European markets and to strengthen Ukraine’s technological and innovation landscape.
🖇 Funded by the European Union, under the European Innovation Council (EIC). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. The UASEEDs project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme under grant agreement No 101104445.