Ukrainian Startup Fund

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Ukrainian Startup Fund grants

Non-repayable grants for young technology companies. Selection is competitive and is decided by experts and the pitch, so a strong application and a clear business model matter more than anything else here.

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Start with a one-hour consultation: we check eligibility and map out the route to a full application.

About the programme

What the programme is and who it is for

What it funds

Non-repayable grants for product development and market entry for early-stage start-ups, as well as the fund’s thematic calls.

Who funds it

The Ukrainian Startup Fund (Innovation Development Fund) is a state fund supporting innovation. Startup EDGE is funded by the EU (EU4Innovation East) and the Government of France, with the participation of Expertise France.

Who it suits

  • Pre-seed start-ups: a team and a product concept are in place
  • Seed start-ups: an MVP or first sales are in place
  • Teams in Deep Tech, GreenTech and EdTech
Official pages: USF: Startup EDGE programme USF: “Innovative Prosthetics” (23.09.2026) USF: fund news
In depth

The programme in detail

The Ukrainian Startup Fund (official name: Innovation Development Fund) is a state fund that awards non-repayable grants to early-stage Ukrainian technology teams. It is a grant, not an investment: the fund does not take equity. Selection is competitive: the application is checked for eligibility and assessed by experts, followed by a pitch before an expert commission and approval by the fund’s Supervisory Board.

In 2026 the fund operates two types of instruments. The first is Startup EDGE with partners: EU funding through the EU4Innovation East project, co-financing from the Government of France and the participation of Expertise France; the programme had two intakes – until 21.01.2026 and from 19.02 to 20.03.2026, with a total budget of about €1 million (according to media reports). The second is thematic state calls, such as “Innovative Prosthetics”, open since 23.09.2026, in which USF handles civilian developments and Brave1 handles defence ones.

It suits teams that have a technology product or prototype and can explain the market, business model and scaling plan. It does not suit ordinary businesses without technological novelty (retail, services, cafés) – for them there is the state programme “Own Business 2.0”. Purely defence developments go to Brave1, although applications there are also submitted on the fund’s portal.

Application status: Competitive rounds

USF announces calls in rounds. Two Startup EDGE intakes have closed (until 21.01 and 19.02–20.03.2026); the fund has announced a new intake without dates. “Innovative Prosthetics” has been accepting applications since 23.09.2026.

Programme terms

Key facts about “Ukrainian Startup Fund grants”

Only what is confirmed in the official programme sources, as of 06.11.2026.

Startup EDGE

Pre-seed – grants of up to €20,000 for product development; seed – up to €40,000 for teams with an MVP or first market validation. The programme budget is about €1 million (according to media reports); in the first cohort, 9 teams received €300,000 in total.

Areas

Deep Tech (AI, biotech, medtech, space, robotics, cybersecurity and others), GreenTech and EdTech.

Thematic calls

Separate calls of the fund for specific areas. For example, “Innovative Prosthetics”: up to UAH 2, 4 or 8 million depending on readiness. Terms and amounts are set by each call announcement.

Who applies

Ukrainian start-ups and innovative companies; for prosthetics, the fund addresses Ukrainian developers of prosthetic technologies, and applicant requirements are set in the regulations on portal.usf.com.ua. The legal form and company requirements are set by each call.

How applicants are selected

An expert council assesses the innovativeness of the solution, its market potential, the team and the prospects for scaling.

Who funds Startup EDGE

The programme is implemented by USF with the support of the EU4Innovation East project: EU funding, co-financing from the Government of France and the participation of Expertise France.

Sources: USF: Startup EDGE programme, USF: “Innovative Prosthetics” (23.09.2026), USF: fund news.

Check terms and deadlines on the official programme page before applying: they are updated from round to round.

Analysis

Requirements, stages and what to watch for

Our analysis is based on the official programme rules and GetGrant materials. Check the current call before applying: conditions change from round to round.

01Applicant requirements

  • Startup EDGE – Ukrainian start-ups at the pre-seed stage (a team and a product concept) or the seed stage (an MVP or first market validation).
  • Startup EDGE areas: Deep Tech (AI, biotech, medtech, space, robotics, quantum computing, cybersecurity), GreenTech and EdTech.
  • “Innovative Prosthetics” – Ukrainian developers of prosthetic technologies. Exactly who may apply (start-up, SME, research institution) is set by the regulations on portal.usf.com.ua, which we check before applying.
  • The legal form, company age and ownership structure are set by each call. Check them in the call documents on the fund’s portal rather than in general descriptions.

02What is funded and on what terms

  • Startup EDGE: up to €20,000 for pre-seed and up to €40,000 for seed, non-repayable. In the first cohort, 9 teams received €300,000 in total: six received €40,000 each and three €20,000 each.
  • “Innovative Prosthetics”: up to UAH 2 million for idea validation, up to UAH 4 million for a laboratory sample, up to UAH 8 million for a prototype or finished product.
  • In prosthetics, funding covers R&D, prototypes, testing and preparation for certification. The priorities are upper- and lower-limb prostheses, domestic components (electronics, actuators, batteries, mechanics) and personalisation, including 3D printing.
  • The announcements of both programmes contain no co-financing requirements.

03Selection stages and deadlines

  • Startup EDGE stages: internal eligibility check, expert evaluation, pitch before the expert commission, approval by the Supervisory Board, signing of the agreement.
  • The first Startup EDGE intake ran until 21.01.2026, with pitches on 12–13.03.2026. The second intake ran from 19.02 to 20.03.2026.
  • As of 05.11.2026, the Startup EDGE page states “applications opening soon” and offers pre-registration; the fund has not announced the dates of a new intake.
  • For “Innovative Prosthetics”, the fund has not specified a submission deadline. Applications are accepted at portal.usf.com.ua.

04Specific features and pitfalls

  • Competition is high: the first wave of Startup EDGE received more than 190 applications, and 9 teams were awarded grants.
  • The amount must correspond to the stage. In prosthetics, a request that does not match the readiness level (idea, laboratory sample or prototype) may be grounds for rejection.
  • Intakes are short, about a month. Putting together a pitch deck, a financial plan and evidence of traction from scratch in that time is difficult.
  • Applications are submitted online only, via the fund’s portal, so it is worth creating an account there in advance.

05What to prepare in advance

  • Pitch deck: problem, solution, market, business model, team, plan for using the grant.
  • Evidence of the stage: an MVP, pilots, letters from customers, first sales or prototype test results.
  • A budget within the stage limit with a justification for each item and, for prosthetics, a description of the current technology readiness level.
  • Company registration details and an account on portal.usf.com.ua, so that you can apply in the first days of the intake.
Support

What we do

You are not left alone with the application form: we prepare the document package and support you until the decision.

  1. 1

    Review and eligibility check

    A short call or email exchange: whether you and the project meet the conditions, which programme and amount fit, and what is missing.

  2. 2

    Application in the programme format

    We write the application exactly in the form the programme requires: business plan, technology description, financial plan and budget that are consistent with each other.

  3. 3

    Documents and verification

    We collect annexes: cost estimates, supplier quotes, pitch deck, documents for premises or land. Everything is checked against the requirements before submission.

  4. 4

    Submission and defence

    You sign and submit the application; we stay with you at every step and prepare you for the interview, pitch or jury session.

For this programme

  • We check which stage and which call you qualify for, and what to strengthen in the application.
  • We write the application: problem, product, market, business model, team, plan for using the grant.
  • We prepare the pitch deck and rehearse the pitch before the expert council.
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What we say plainly

  • No grant is guaranteed. The decision is made by the funder: the state, a fund or a jury. We build a strong and consistent package, but we do not influence the decision.
  • You submit the application yourself. The applicant submits and signs the application in Diia, on the USF portal or the EU portal. We prepare the documents and support you, but do not apply on your behalf.
  • We quote the price after the first conversation. The scope depends on the programme, the amount and what you already have. We state the cost and timing before work begins.
Our services

How GetGrant can help with this programme

Choose the format: a one-hour expert consultation, a turnkey application or preparatory work. Prices are listed where they are fixed; for the rest we quote after a short conversation.

Consultation

Consultation with a GetGrant expert

An online meeting on your project: eligibility, realistic amount, weak points of the application and a preparation plan.

€92 · per hour

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Service

Grant application writing

We prepare the application for the call you chose: from structuring the idea to the budget and a final review before submission.

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Project commercialisation

We move your development into market terms: who buys it, at what price, and which steps come first.

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Project audit

An independent check of a project already running: whether you are on schedule and on budget, and what the donor will see in the report.

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Other programmes we work with

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Applying to “Ukrainian Startup Fund grants”?

Tell us about the project and what you want to fund. An expert will reply within one working day with the scope, cost and timing.

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