Two and a half years after its inception, the monumental “Seeds of Bravery” project is preparing for its final landing, with just 20 days left until its official conclusion at the end of March. While the original dream was to celebrate the project’s culmination in Kyiv, Warsaw proudly stepped up to become a vital home for both the initiative and Ukrainian deep tech startups. Despite the emotionally demanding circumstances of the full-scale invasion, the project has emerged as a profound success, driven by an unprecedented level of commitment from its partners.
Smashing Targets and Empowering Innovators
The initiative set out to support hundreds of Ukrainian deep tech startups, and the tangible results have been staggering. Project leaders proudly reported that they overachieved all of their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Through the initiative, over €12 million in grants was awarded to more than 300 unique startups, utilizing five different funding tickets that averaged roughly €40,000 per startup. Startups were eligible even if located outside of Ukraine, provided they had a Ukrainian co-founder.
Perhaps the most impressive metric is the momentum these startups have generated: the founders have already leveraged their grants to raise an additional €12 million in private funding, completely matching the distributed grant cash.
Horizon Europe Ready
When “Seeds of Bravery” began, a primary ambition was to prove that the Ukrainian tech ecosystem – including its startup funds and accelerators – was mature enough to participate in Horizon Europe initiatives as an associated country. Today, project leaders confidently state that there is no longer any doubt regarding their readiness. Ukrainian founders proved not only their technological capabilities but their incredible resilience, discovering ways to survive and run successful startups while navigating extraordinary challenges.
A Vital Lesson in Strategic Autonomy for Europe
As the project wraps up its official funding phase, the narrative has shifted toward a broader lesson for the rest of the continent. The closing reflections of the initiative pose a vital question: Can Europe learn from Ukrainian resilience to accelerate its own strategic autonomy?
The Ukrainian tech ecosystem has undeniably proven it is ready to be part of the European research community; now, the challenge is for non-Ukrainians to show they are ready to defend their autonomy and values with the exact same fighting spirit that Ukrainians have demonstrated.
Though the official grant reporting is coming to an end, the partners remain fiercely committed to supporting these innovators moving forward. Project leaders emphasized that “Seeds of Bravery was only the beginning”. The call to action for the tech and investment community is clear: keep the networks, investor relationships, and unwavering spirit of the project alive as Europe continues to stand with Ukraine.
