Funding

Which types of investment and funding opportunities are out there?

Below you find a list of some possible sources of finance for startups in Ukraine. Of course, this is not a complete list. If, as an entrepreneur, you know of other possible organizations that provide funding to startups in Ukraine, please send us a message.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or a venture by collecting small amounts of money from many people, typically through the Internet. In Ireland, the following crowdfunding opportunities exist:

Big Idea is the first crowfunding platform in Ukraine. Plan a campaign with a maximum span of 100 days, set a target and upload your promo-video in order to get funding.
Na Starte allows you to post a project and get funding. These projects are mainly creative projects, such as your next design, photography or music creation. Na Starte also offers a place to develop technologies, websites or even sports events that are to be organized.
Kickstarter is a US-based global crowd-funding platform for creative projects. The platform is reward/donation based and offers financial incentives like equity but repayment is prohibited.
Indiegogo is a US-based, global crowd -funding platform that helps individuals, businesses, and non-profits raise money online. The platform is reward/donation based and offers financial incentives like equity or repayment is currently prohibited.

Angel Investments

Angel Investments are typically the earliest equity investment in startup companies. Angel investors are almost always wealthy individuals and commonly band together in investor networks. Usually, these networks are based on region, industry, or academic affiliation.

Uangel. This network provides a platform for investors and entrepreneurs to meet each other, whereby investors can help young startup develop.
Angel Investment Partners is a network of boutique investment firms and individual business angels, providing smart capital, mentoring, business development services and geographic market access support in Central and Eastern Europe, Germany, North America and China.
AngelList profiles angel investors in Ukraine.

Venture Capital

Venture capital is money invested in a project in which there is a substantial element of risk, typically a new or expanding business.

UVCA (Ukrainian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association)
AVentures is a leading early stage venture firm focused on growing businesses in Ukraine and CEE.
TA Ventures invests up to 300000 USD into young startups. It focuses on investing in innovative seed-stage and early-stage web companies in the USA, Europe and particularly in Ukraine, Russia and other CIS countries.
Vostok Ventures is a seed investment fund that invests sums from 20000-300000 USD in IT projects originating in Eastern Europe
Detonate Ventures is a seed and early-stage investor with expertise in technologies, media, telecommunications, marketing and strategic consulting. Accordingly, they do not only invest, but take part actively in their targeted startups
Scythia Ventures is a seed fund with a mission to kick start digital (ICT) sector companies in the CIS region. They receive most of their entrepreneurs from the Scythia Accelerator.
Buran Venture Capital is an early stage VC fund.
Digital Future is an investment company founded in 2014. The company invests in technology start-ups from Central and Eastern Europe.
Noosphere invests in what we know, and where we can add value. We invest in teams and companies from incubation through seed to emerging growth and provide a powerful combination of capital and alternative resources. We are happy to lead deals or syndicate with other quality investors.
Horizon Capital is a private equity fund manager that originates and manages investments in mid-cap companies with solid growth and profit potential in Ukraine and the region.

Loans and Microfinance

Hope International offers microfinance to developing countries. This organization functions from its Christian identity.
The European Fund for Southeast Europe offers microfinance to small enterprises in the Southeastern region of Europe, including Ukraine. The EFSE is replenished with funds from various donor agencies and European governments, international financial institutions, as well as by private investors.

Government Schemes

Habitat . This habitat is part of a project to support SMEs in Ukraine. It mainly aims to attract investments through the local Investment programs it administers, in which there are over 100. Start-ups can receive attractive loans from 100000-250000 USD.
The Polish government recently announced a $100 million investment fund aimed at the development of small businesses in Ukraine. Read more about the fund in this article.
From 2015-2020, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has committed to implement 130 projects, aimed at the development of small and medium enterprises in Ukraine. Read more in this article.
InnovFin program by European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund provides guarantees for local banks to provide innovative SMEs with decreased loan rates and as well co-investments in the private equity and venture capital funds.

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