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Unicorn Unicorn

STARTUP
CONTEST

October - December 2023
Apply Now
  • Intense educational
    component
  • Networking events
  • Pitching opportunities
  • No-equity funding

UNICORN is a startup contest that brings together the best and brightest minds and is structured to guide startups through different stages, offering an intensive two-week program to support dynamic interaction. Whether you're an early-stage entrepreneur or an established startup, we welcome you to participate and embark on an extraordinary journey towards startup success. Your destiny as the next UNICORN awaits!

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Mentors

Program Highlights

October 9 to November 1
Application Period

Submit your startup and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime

November 6 to November 17
Intensive Sessions

Benefit from expert mentorship and gain valuable insights to refine your business strategy

November 24
Crash Test

Be ready test your startup and receive feedback from industry experts

November 7 to November 24
Networking Events

Benefit from expert mentorship and gain valuable insights to refine your business strategy

December 1
Final Demo Day

Showcase your progress, pitch to potential investors and partners and receive awards

Launch Your Startup to the New Orbit

Join UNICORN, the most dynamic startup contest designed to propel your project to new heights. Experience an intense educational component and vibrant networking events, pitching opportunities, and access to no-equity funding, all aimed at accelerating your startup's growth.

The

Advantage

We know the value of real-life connections, which is why this season UNICORN offers a mix of offline and online interactions. As we all miss live events, we make sure you get the best of both worlds

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2 Intense Weeks
Experience a fast-paced program to maintain the dynamic and keep your startup engaged
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Educational & Networking Events
Strike the perfect balance between working hard and networking harder
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Abundance of Pitching Opportunities
Showcase your startup as much as you can during the contest
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Strong Community
Connect with influential investors and potential partners
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Valuable Prizes
Benefit from no-equity grants of 1 x 3,000 EUR & 2 x 1,000 EUR and partner awards

ORGANIZERS

    • Investment wing
    • Investing in startups and scaling them globally via B2B network
    • $2.1M+ invested in 15 startups
    • Matching with well-established SSW infrastructure
    • Building ecosystem (events, global partnerships, mentors, VCs, consulting)
    • One-of-a-kind state institution that helps innovative projects and technology startups raise funds at the early stages and launch their projects.
    • Provided grants of over USD 8.2 mln to more than 352 teams over 4 years.
    • Over USD 40 mln in investments and over USD 30 mln in related services attracted by alumni
    • With USF, 119 startups represented Ukraine at 23 of the world’s largest tech events.

CO-ORGANIZERS

    • TOP 100 Global IT Outsourcing
    • TOP 20 largest IT companies 
in Ukraine
    • 20 years of experience in the 
implementation of quality technological solutions
    • Offices on 4 continents and 
partnerships in 30+ locations around the world
    • Educational platform aimed at professional development and knowledge-sharing with IT community globally
    • 19 years of experience in various fields and team of expert practitioners
    • The first unique Ukrainian high-technology venture capital firm established by IT experts for IT geeks
    • The most active VC in Ukraine
    • 13 Ukrainian IT tech executives as General Partners
    • 5 founding companies
    • YCombinator, Horizon Capital, Sequoia, etc. as co-investors
    • Over $3M invested in Ukrainian startups

Meet the Crew

daria-yaniieva
Daria Yaniieva
Project Lead of Unicorn
Kate-Stefanovych
Kate Stefanovych
Partner Relations Coordinator
Olha Oseredchuk
Olha Oseredchuk
Coordinator of the educational component
Zhukovska Elvira
Zhukovska Elvira
PR Lead at Sigma Software Labs
Marharyta-Tril
Marharyta Tril
Community Lead
Dariya Doroshenko
Dariya Doroshenko
Social Media Lead
Svitlana Bovkun
Svitlana Bovkun
Media partnerships
Marina Zybina
Marina Zybina
Community Manager, EU
Yana Arbuzova
Yana Arbuzova
Senior Content Manager
Vera Soldatova
Vera Soldatova
Head of PR at Sigma Software
Anastasiia Chetveryk
Anastasiia Chetveryk
Advertising and digital marketing

PARTICIPATION

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Startups from Ukraine and the EU are welcome to apply. Only Ukrainian-backed projects are welcomed to pitch in the final
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Your startup must have raised no more than €500K in investments
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Participation in UNICORN is entirely free
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The age of admission to participate is 18 years
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Projects that have any connections and/or work with counterparties from russia and belarus are not allowed to participate

Get ready to take off!

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to soar to new heights with UNICORN Startup Contest. Whether you’re looking for mentorship, funding, or valuable connections, this program is tailor-made for startups like yours. Mark your calendars and join us on this thrilling journey from October 9 to December 1

 

Competition Final will take place December 1st in Kyiv during the largest startup event of the year – Ukrainian Startup Fund Annual Summit

 

Join UNICORN and witness your startup’s transformation. Apply now!

Contact Us

Have questions or need more information? Reach out to our team, and we'll be happy to assist.