The European Commission announced on Wednesday 10 May that it had selected, following a call for tenders, the consortium partners responsible for implementing the initiative to support the Ukrainian innovation community. This initiative is organised by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and has a budget of €20 million (see EUROPE 13129/7).
The winning consortium is called “Seeds of Bravery”. It is a pan-European network of start-up associations, incubators and accelerators related to innovative technology (deep tech). The consortium, coordinated by the Polish company FundingBox Accelerator, includes 22 organisations and start-up associations, including 6 Ukrainian partners as well as partners in 13 other countries.
The consortium’s work is expected to support around 200 Ukrainian start-ups active in the advanced technology sector.
The aim of this is to help Ukrainian start-ups enter the single market and better comply with the EU regulatory framework. The initiative should also prepare beneficiary companies to make the most of EU funding opportunities.
Each of these companies is expected to receive up to €60,000 in funding. The consortium will also provide non-financial support in the form of advice, mentoring and networking, including with investors.
The grant agreement is currently being prepared. The first tranche of funding is expected to reach companies this year. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)