Investment Accelerator
Application deadline: CLOSED
TheUK-Ukraine Tech Bridge Investment Accelerator pilot scheme offers Ukrainian techstartups an exclusive gateway to invaluable resources, mentorship, and networking avenues. London, the epicentre of 21st-century venture capital, presents unparalleled growth opportunities. In 2022 alone, UK investors poured $1trillion into startups.
Today, the Investment Accelerator opens doors for seed and growth stage startups to tap into the UK venture capital market. Through tailored support, mentorship and unique perks, startups will gain knowledge and resources to thrive in this dynamic landscape.
Benefits for Tech Startups
- Enhanced proficiency and expertise in areas crucial for the successful development of a startup.
- Tailored mentorship from seasoned industry experts.
- Assistance with investor relations, encompassing fundraising support and pitch refinement.
- Access to partner perks and resources to bolster your startup's growth trajectory.
- Legal guidance to navigate complexities in contracts, IP and compliance.
- Engagement with a dynamic community of like-minded individuals, fostering enduring relationships and collaboration opportunities.
- Pitch at a Demo Day at London Tech Week to attract funding and enhance visibility.
- Ongoing post-programme support, including access to alumni networks and mentorship.
Programme schedule
Embark on a transformative journey where innovation converges with guidance across six immersive pillars.
- Customised workshops to address your startup's distinct needs, ranging from mastering market entry strategies to navigating international expansion.
- Mentors guide you through weekly check-ins, ensuring alignment with your goals and providing wisdom and support.
- Networking grounds you in a vibrant community of like-minded innovators and industry connections, fuelling your aspirations.
- Practical application transforms goals into tangible milestones, culminating in a Demo Day during London Tech Week where you pitch to investors.
- Continuous evaluation and adaptation refine your strategies, guided by feedback loops and an adaptive curriculum.
- Post-programme support, guidance and networking, ensuring your journey continues purposefully.
In this dynamic ecosystem, structured learning, personalised mentorship and extensive networking opportunities converge to propel your startup towards sustained success and innovation.
Thematic Modules and Topics
The Investment Accelerator revolves around thematic modules tailored to propel startups towards growth, funding and operational excellence.
International Marketing
Strategies for global expansion, from market research to branding.
Sales & Business Development
Critical sales strategies and revenue growth tactics.
Operations and Supply Chain
Address operational challenges and optimise resource allocation.
Investor Relations & Funding
Prepare for fundraising rounds and refine investor pitches.
Demo Day Preparation
Hone pitch decks and presentation skills to impress investors during Demo Day.
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
We are seeking to engage between 15 and 20 tech startup companies at the seed and growth stages.
The founders of these startup companies should be Ukrainian nationals or have a primary affiliation with Ukraine.
Insight into how team members came together provides valuable indications of their cohesion, shared vision, and complementary skill sets, all of which are crucial for the success of a startup venture.
This criterion encompasses the historical performance and accomplishments of the startup since its inception, including the execution of milestones, iterative product development, customer acquisition and retention, partnerships and collaborations, financial performance, as well as recognition and awards.
Selection Criteria
Tech startups must deliver a coherent and concise overview of their business concept, target audience, value proposition, and growth plan during their pitch deck presentation or additional interview sessions.
Priority is given to startups that offer original and inventive solutions to prevalent issues or cater to underserved markets. Possessing unique insights showcases the startup's ability to revolutionize industries or uncover new market prospects.
Each startup should have developed a Minimum Viable Product, indicating that they have progressed beyond ideation and have a tangible offering ready to bring to market or already undergoing testing with users.
Startups are expected to articulate their rationale for selecting the United Kingdom as a target market for their business expansion or operations.
The presence of a Chief Technical Officer (CTO) with a strong technical background within the team is essential. This ensures the startup has the technical expertise to develop and scale its product efficiently.
Startups should be generating a minimum of £3,000 in Monthly Recurring Revenue. This demonstrates that they have achieved a level of commercial traction and are consistently generating revenue from their product or service.
We require each startup to have received a minimum of £50,000 in funding. This reflects investor confidence in the viability and potential of the business idea.
Timeline
Application period
February 22 — March 14
Deadline of submissions
March 14
UK-UA Tech Bridge Investment Accelerator First Meetup
March 7
Application review/interviews
March 14 — March 22
Online Acceleration Program
March — May
Offline Startup BootCamp
June
Demo Day (London Tech Week)
June 10 — June 14
The UK-Ukraine TechBridge Investment Accelerator is being implemented by 1991 Ventures with the support of the UK Government, the Ministry of Digitial Transformation of Ukraine and Ukrainian Startup Fund.
Contact 1991: i@1991.vc
Want to learn more?
Contact us:
techbridge@businessandtrade.gov.uk