Launching Startup EDGE
In partnership with the Ukrainian Startup Fund, EU4Innovation East officially launched the Startup EDGE program — a targeted initiative designed to support early-stage startups in Deep Tech, Green Tech, and EdTech.
With a total grant budget of €1,000,000, the initiative aims at boosting Ukraine’s competitiveness on the European and global stage.
Throughout IT Arena, EU4Innovation East co-hosted a vibrant joint booth with the Ukrainian Startup Fund — a dynamic hub for founders, ecosystem builders, and changemakers from across the region.
Among the distinguished guests who visited the booth were: Pierre Heilbronn, French Special Envoy for Ukraine’s relief and reconstruction, Alex Bornyakov, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of BPI France. Their presence highlighted the strategic relevance of Ukraine’s innovation landscape and the growing international interest in its potential.
DeepTech Night: Showcasing Ukraine’s Frontier Innovation
EU4Innovation East also co-hosted DeepTech Night — an exclusive evening dedicated to showcasing Ukraine’s deep-tech potential. Organized in partnership with EIT Community Hub Ukraine and Lviv IT Cluster, the event brought together investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders for an evening of insight and exchange.
The program opened with a panel discussion moderated by Julien Schmitt, exploring the strategic sectors driving Ukraine’s deep-tech growth. Panelists examined how government initiatives, international programs, and investor networks can build lasting bridges to ensure Ukraine’s deep-tech talent is recognized globally.
The evening concluded with a pitching session featuring startups from the EIT Founders2Founders program.
Also within the framework of IT Arena, EU4Innovation East supported the mission of 10 EU and French investors to Ukraine, in close coordination with EIT Community Hub Ukraine. Their participation added valuable expertise and momentum to the event.
Beyond IT Arena, the EU4Innovation East team engaged in a series of high-level meetings aimed at deepening collaboration. Project Director Julien Schmitt, Deputy Project Director Charles Mathiaux, and Country Coordinator for Ukraine Tetiana Miskova met with Andriy Moskalenko, First Deputy Mayor of Lviv, Oleksa Voznyak, Lviv City Council member, entrepreneur, and ICT company founder and representatives from IRON Cluster and Tech StartUp School.
Discussions centered on concrete avenues for cooperation — from supporting Deep Tech startups to fostering cross-border partnerships between Eastern Partnership countries and the European Union. The team was particularly impressed by Lviv’s structured approach to ecosystem development and its openness to European collaboration.
From launching new funding opportunities to forging strategic partnerships and facilitating investor engagement, EU4Innovation East’s presence at IT Arena 2025 reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Ukraine’s innovation ecosystem and deepening ties with European partners.
