SCIENCE&BUSINESS – GIST PITCH DAYS: RESULTS
25 Ukrainian knowledge-intensive startups received $ 125,000 in support
In early March, the Ukrainian Startup Fund (USF) together with the GIST (Global Innovation through Science and Technology) initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine held Science & Business – GIST Pitch Days, which ended up with a huge success for the participants. 25 Ukrainian startups won grants totaling $125,000.
Science & Business-GIST Pitch Days is the competition for scientists and entrepreneurs with ready-made knowledge-intensive solutions, created to represent startups and provide financial support to the best teams for the development of innovative projects of $5,000.
«For 3 years now we have been working with our GIST partners, developing cooperation with scientific and educational institutions where new ideas and inventions are generated. Our primary goal is to support and develop progressive solutions, technological products, and services of Ukrainian teams, commercialize the quality achievements of innovative entrepreneurs for the restoration and development of Ukraine, as well as present and scale products in global markets», said Pavlo Kartashov, Director of the Ukrainian Startup Fund.
105 teams applied to participate in the competition and the top 40 were selected to present their projects during the pitch days. The first pitch day, which was dedicated to healthcare, agro-technology, and biotechnology took place on March 8. Then on March 16, we held the second one, which focused on energy, environment, industry, and infrastructure projects. As a result, 25 startups won the competition and received financial support from the event partner GIST for USD 125,000 in total.
Here are the winners:
5 projects in Healthcare
- InTempo – a mobile application with an anti-stress function, a digital game
- CheckEye is a cloud-based solution for detecting diabetic retinopathy from fundus images using the MLAI algorithm
- Anima – a neurobiological test of mental state
- WildfiresUA – online information about the state of air quality
- Health Helper – a device for diagnosing the vascular system
5 projects in the field of Agricultural & Biotechnology
- Yes Straws – an innovative technology for processing reed stalks for the eco-friendly use of drinking straws
- Foodwise – food ordering service at reduced prices
- Installation of pre-sowing seed treatment «Parostok» to increase yields from 15% to 70%
- Agrobon: prelude – an agro-marketplace based on the existing Ukrainian digital blockchain platform
- Biogenic silver is the development of a scheme for obtaining biogenic nanoparticles of a certain shape and properties from biogenic silver nanoparticles for the treatment of bacterial infections as bactericidal agents.
7 projects in the field of Infrastructure & Industry
- Zeely – mobile website builder
- INPUT SOFT – software for aviation to value costs and increase efficiency
- Corner – eco-friendly furniture developed using our software and manufactured in Ukraine
- ScanWare – service for automating data collection and inventory control in warehouses
- Lego-Eco brick – eco-friendly eco-bricks
- A solution for using stone sludge as a filler for the production of cement mortar and bricks.
- Green Go – products of plant origin (analogs of vegetable meat and fish)
8 projects in the field of Energy & Environment
- MaxAh.LLC – an innovative startup for the production of li-ion batteries
- OptySun – a full-cycle drinking water treatment device which can be used in the absence of water and electricity supply and does not require consumables
- e-waste recycling – recycling of organic waste
- Solar Plex is a technology startup that increases the efficiency of photovoltaic panels by lowering the temperature of the panels and using excess heat to heat, for example, water
- MELT WATER CLUB – unique cleaning products that use freezing technology to purify water
- Biotechnology for the accelerated treatment of organic waste to produce biofertilizer and purified water.
- rekava – biodegradable disposable tableware made from coffee grounds
- VITERoK is a compact, bladeless generator capable of producing up to 2 kWh
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, Blue Lake Accelerator and VC, N1 Ventures, QPDigital, and Polish-Ukrainian Startup Bridge also became partners of the event.
USF’s cooperation with the GIST has been going on for 3 years now, and several joint initiatives have been implemented and supported:
- Partnership and support of startup delegations in 2022-2023: CES 2022-2023 (USA), Collision 2022 (Canada), TechBBQ 2022 (Denmark), WebSummit2022 (Portugal).
- July 2022: financial support for two Ukrainian startups – USF grantees, namely MANNA and Kray Technologies, to present at the Startup World Cup in Silicon Valley.
- June 2022: GIST U.S. Business Incubation: Ukraine project for Ukrainian science and technology innovators to establish connections with the U.S. business ecosystem, potential partners, and investors in the United States.
- April 2021: 10-week online pre-accelerator GIST Innovates Ukraine.
FOR THE REFERENCE:
The Innovation Development Fund (Ukrainian Startup Fund) is the one-of-a-kind state institution that helps innovative projects and technology startups raise funds at the early stages and launch their projects. The Fund is the driver of the startup ecosystem development, provides conditions for the growth of the sector, creates a positive investment image of the Ukrainian tech industry abroad, and represents Ukrainian innovative solutions around the world.
The Fund was established in 2018 by the Ministry of Finance on the initiative of the Prime Minister of Ukraine. On January 1, 2023, it was transferred to the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
After the full-scale invasion, the Fund’s main focus is on supporting military tech and deep tech projects. Currently, there are 3 target programs: Grant support for dual-use projects, the Innovation Voucher Program, and the Fast track for drones.
