Seeds of Bravery: Creating Bridges Between Ukrainian Startups and the Benelux Market
As part of the Seeds of Bravery initiative, Luxinnovation and Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship have been working to connect Ukrainian startups with opportunities in the Benelux market. This effort has taken shape through a structured series of three key events: Benelux Market Discovery, Benelux Market Fast Track Program, and Benelux Demo Day. These events and programs provided Ukrainian entrepreneurs with market insights, hands-on training, and direct access to potential investors and business partners in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
Benelux Market Discovery: Unlocking Opportunities
On July 3, 2024, the Benelux Market Discovery Workshop introduced Ukrainian entrepreneurs to the opportunities within the Benelux region. The event featured expert insights, panel discussions, and networking opportunities designed to equip startups with knowledge about:
- The Benelux startup ecosystem and its geographic advantages.
- Market opportunities in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
- Government support programs and the regulatory environment.
- The investment landscape and funding prospects.
- Valuable insights and real-world lessons from Ukrainian entrepreneurs who successfully expanded their businesses into the Benelux market.
Participants included key ecosystem players such as Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship, Netherlands Enterprise Agency, SeedBlink Benelux, Startup Flanders, Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), Awex Wallonia, EuroQuity Belgium, the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, Luxembourg Startup Coordinator, Luxembourg Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, and DLA Piper.
Emilie Delannoy, Business Developer at Awex Wallonia, highlighted the impact of the event, stating:
“Some attendees reached out to me on LinkedIn, expressing surprise at how dedicated Wallonia is to supporting innovation and startups. It was incredibly valuable to hear from different support organizations in Luxembourg and the Netherlands and to understand their respective innovation ecosystems.”
👉 A recording of the event is available here
Benelux Market Fast Track: Building Go-To-Market Strategies
From February 1-16, 2025, the Benelux Market Fast Track program provided Ukrainian startups with a two-week online training designed to help them refine their market entry strategies. The program consisted of:
- Three key workshops:
- Customer Value Proposition
- Market Intelligence & Go-to-Market Strategy
- Go-to-Market Execution
- Three one-on-one mentoring sessions tailored to each startup’s needs.
Startups that successfully completed the program received a certificate of completion from Seeds of Bravery.
Nine Ukrainian startups participated in the program:
- Cabina.AI
- Mark
- Lucid
- Wonderby
- Neomi
- Recast Plastic
- Uspacy
- inbox.wine
- Trementum Research
Participants shared their experiences and the program’s impact:
“The Market Fast Track was incredibly insightful. The biggest takeaway for us was learning how to improve our B2B customer onboarding process and shorten our sales cycles. We’re already implementing these practices and look forward to seeing their impact.” — Dmytro Lylyk, CEO & Founder, Neomi
“The Benelux Market Fast-Track provided us with essential insights to better understand European markets and refine our expansion strategy. The hands-on workshops and tailored mentorship helped us adjust our value proposition and develop a clear roadmap for scaling. A truly impactful experience!” — Ivan Siianytsia, CEO, Wonderby
Benelux Demo Day: Showcasing Ukrainian Innovation
On March 12, 2025, the Benelux Demo Day brought together 11 promising Ukrainian startups to present their innovations to over 30 investors and business leaders from across Europe. Organized by Luxinnovation and Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship, in collaboration with Plug and Play and Seeds of Bravery partners, this event provided startups with a platform to pitch their solutions and foster strategic partnerships.
Startups that pitched at Benelux Demo Day:
- Almexoft
- Djooky
- Geodesic.Life
- Hideez
- IPTel
- OPORA Health
- Neomi
- PivotHawk
- Progalit
- Aspichi
- Spendbase
The event attracted leading European investors, including LBAN, Accelerace, Culmen Capital, Expansion VC, Baby VC, Maze, BeAngels, Evernomic, and Patrons.vc.
Looking Ahead: Strengthening the Benelux-Ukraine Startup Corridor
The success of the Seeds of Bravery Benelux series underscores the growing potential of Ukrainian startups in the European market. With resilience, adaptability, and cutting-edge innovation, these startups are well-positioned to expand beyond Ukraine and integrate into the broader European ecosystem.
For those interested in participating in upcoming Seeds of Bravery Demo Days:
📌 Register to Pitch: Click here
📌 Register to Attend: Click here
By fostering strategic connections between Ukrainian startups and Benelux investors, Seeds of Bravery continues to build bridges, unlock opportunities, and drive innovation forward.