Ukrainian Startup Fund Awards $475,000 to 13 Early-Stage Startups

KYIV, Ukraine — 22 August 2025

The Ukrainian Startup Fund (USF) has awarded $475,000 in grants to 13 startups at the pre-seed and seed stages, following pitch days held August 4–6 in partnership with the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund. Each team received either $25,000 or $50,000 in non-repayable funding.

Seven startups received $25,000 grants:

• SYLA — a bionic knee prosthesis that uses sensors and machine learning to adapt to a user’s gait. Founded by Mykola Lozinskyi and Ilias Abliakimov.
• JobAtlas — an AI-powered career-planning platform founded by Vyacheslav Fokin.
• Embraces — a mobile app that supports orthodontic patients with progress tracking, educational content, and gamification.
• SelpMe — a SaaS platform for dry cleaners to monetize idle capacity and offer resale services founded by Serhii Karpenko and Roman Boklah.
• Svitanok — an allergology clinic with a digital program to manage food allergies.
• Romtos — a career-path platform that connects IT students, freelancers, and companies for upskilling and practical training.
• ReMind — an AI-based tool for screening and supporting mental health, including PTSD diagnosis.

Six companies secured $50,000 each:

• VITA325 — a smartphone-based rehab platform for patients with mobility disorders. Co-founded by Yulia Koinak.
• Просте ЗНО — an education app preparing students for Ukraine’s NMT/ZNO entrance exams. Founded by a team led by Dmytro Ivanov, Kateryna Severinko, and Pavlo Kharambura.
• LeadForceTalent — an AI-driven hiring platform that automates sourcing and screening, founded by Dmytro Rodenko and Vitalii Lubinets.
• Cerco.ai — an AI-driven deal-sourcing platform for venture and M&A, founded by Andrii Bas and Roman Furman.
• Josti — a proptech marketplace for medium- and long-term rentals, founded by Volodymyr Kuzma.
• Dots Platform — a white-label delivery infrastructure for restaurants and fleets, founded by Yaroslav Tsyhanenko and Yehor Herasymchuk.

For many of the winners, the recognition mattered as much as the capital. JobAtlas, which applies machine learning to labor-market data, said the grant is “extra fuel to keep building for the next generation of talent and employers.” Fokin, the company’s founder, noted that while the USF application once seemed overwhelming, this time the process felt achievable.

At VITA325, which received the highest jury score, the award was seen as proof that a product born out of wartime necessity could resonate far beyond Ukraine. “We are creating solutions for people who have lost limbs and urgently need accessible, high-quality rehabilitation,” said co-founder Yulia Koinak. She described the startup as a “war-born” company aiming for a global future of medicine.

LeadForceTalent emphasized the visibility that came with the award. The AI hiring platform said the funding “not only validates our mission to transform how teams lead, connect, and grow — it also amplifies the impact we’re making.”

For proptech startup Josti, the funding marks its first outside capital. Co-founder Volodymyr Kuzma called it “a milestone that will accelerate planned innovations,” adding that jury feedback would help his team refine the product as they prepare to expand.

According to USF, the program gave startups “the opportunity to present their innovative developments to an expert jury and receive non-repayable funding to conquer new horizons.” The fund added: “We congratulate the winners and continue to work to strengthen the Ukrainian innovation ecosystem!”

Established in 2018 and managed since 2023 by the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the USF has become the country’s main state vehicle for early-stage tech investment. It has received more than 7,000 applications, engaged over 200 experts, and organized more than 300 events. Its remit has also expanded to include dual-use and defense-related projects, reflecting both wartime necessity and international interest in Ukrainian innovation.