The European Innovation Council is committed to continue to support Ukrainian tech SMEs and start-ups in key sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, cybersecurity and other priority areas for Ukraine. To this end, €20 million has been made available by the EIC, to support Ukrainian tech SMEs and start-ups with grants of up to €500 000, – to develop their technologies to move to market deployment from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 to TRL 6–7.
The action has strongly resonated, with 349 Ukrainian tech SMEs and start-ups having submitted a proposal for support under this scheme. In total, companies requested €164 million in funding (an average of €470 000 per proposal).
Around 40 projects are expected to receive funding. There will be a special emphasis on women-led enterprises to promote inclusivity in Ukraine’s tech landscape.
Next steps
The evaluation is expected to be finalised in February 2026, with results communicated to applicants in late February-early March 2026.
Background information
As part of ongoing efforts to reinforce Ukraine’s innovation capacity amid Russia’s military invasion, the European Innovation Council (EIC) has announced a €20 million funding for Ukrainian deep-tech start-ups and SMEs. The initiative aims to accelerate the development of transformative technologies and integrate Ukrainian innovators more deeply into European markets.
The new funding builds on the foundation laid by the Seeds of Bravery project, a dedicated support measure under EIC work programme 2022. Launched in the wake of Russia’s full scale military invasion, Seeds of Bravery has supported Ukrainian tech companies with financial support and business services. It also helped them integrate into EU innovation ecosystems. While the initiative has delivered valuable support, it also revealed a clear need for further targeted assistance — particularly for the most promising companies that are now ready to scale.
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