Applications for the second cohort of the Startup EDGE grant program from the UFS with the support of EU4Innovation East will begin on February 19. Ukrainian startups in the pre-seed and s2eed stages are invited to participate.
Applications for the second cohort of the Startup EDGE grant program from the UFS with the support of EU4Innovation East will begin on February 19. Ukrainian startups in the pre-seed and s2eed stages are invited to participate.
According to the UFS, the focus of the grant program is on startups operating in the following industries:
"Within the first open call, we saw significant interest from the innovation community — the Ukrainian Startup Fund received almost 200 applications from teams from different regions of Ukraine under the Startup EDGE grant program. This indicates the relevance of grant support for the development of innovations even in conditions of full-scale war," notes Iryna Zabolotna, Deputy Acting Director of the Ukrainian Startup Fund.
Currently, the participants of the first cohort are undergoing the stage of expert evaluation. The next step will be the presentation of the projects before the expert commission. The Ukrainian Startup Fund will additionally announce the selection results and the date of the pitch sessions in March.
Let us remind you that the total budget of the Startup EDGE grant program is 1,000,000 euros:
The program offers financial support to startups through non-repayable grants designed to accelerate early-stage innovation.
During the second open call, experts will select up to 9 projects.
Applications are submitted through the web portal of the Ukrainian Startup Fund . Start date is February 19, 2026, deadline is March 20.
Each application will undergo a transparent selection process: including internal eligibility checks, expert evaluation, submission of the application to the competition committee, and final approval by the Foundation's Supervisory Board.
You can read more about the program at the link .
