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UNIT.City Innovation Park, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Startup Fund, is pleased to announce the launch of the Student Startup Fund 2026.
Operating under the slogan “Build. Boost. Breakthrough.”, the initiative aims to address a key challenge in the Ukrainian market — fostering the creation of new startups.
The programme is designed to transform the innovation potential of universities into viable businesses, cultivating a new generation of founders. Throughout 2026, the initiative will engage over 100 students and support the launch of more than 20 startups with validated MVPs.
The programme offers an immersive experience in the startup ecosystem, bringing together undergraduate and postgraduate students from Ukrainian higher education institutions to shape the future of the innovation economy.
The acceleration programme serves as a practical bridge between idea and execution and includes:
Educational module: Two specialised lectures per week delivered by founders, investors and industry experts
Mentorship support: Weekly one-to-one mentoring sessions for each team to accelerate traction
Hands-on practice: Weekly team assignments focused on building and validating MVPs
Case Challenge: An opportunity to develop a pilot project plan with a partner company and compete for an additional prize fund
Participants will benefit from unparalleled access to expertise, including hands-on workshops, mentoring sessions with industry leaders and work on real-life business cases. Each stage is designed to rigorously test ideas, enabling teams to rapidly validate hypotheses and develop market-ready MVPs.
The Student Startup Fund is a fully online programme open to students across all regions of Ukraine and internationally, ensuring equal access to the innovation ecosystem regardless of location.
This national initiative will bring together over 100 ambitious participants, creating a unified digital space for ideas with global potential. To strengthen community building and networking, a series of offline events will be held in Kyiv, including two large-scale events and three тематичні meet-ups. These in-person engagements will foster meaningful connections and a strong founder network.
The programme is delivered with the strategic support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Startup Fund. This collaboration between the public sector and UNIT.City provides participants with a solid foundation and access to top-tier resources.
In addition, the programme extends beyond traditional learning by offering real business exposure through the Case Challenge. Students will have a unique opportunity to develop a pilot project for a partner company and compete for additional funding. This enables participants not only to build a startup but also to integrate it into the broader business ecosystem and secure their first strategic client during the acceleration phase.
The 12-week programme culminates in a flagship Demo Day — the final stage where months of intensive work are showcased on a major stage.
This is a pivotal moment at which emerging founders present their startups to an expert jury, leading investors and strategic partners. Demo Day serves as a bridge between academia and the market: teams present their MVPs, receive invaluable expert feedback and gain the opportunity to secure investment for real business launch.
It is the moment when a student idea gains entry into the professional startup arena.
For the most promising teams, Demo Day opens the door to grant funding. The programme provides financial support to top-performing startups, enabling them to transform validated prototypes into fully operational technology products.
Following the pitch sessions, more than six high-potential teams will receive funding to accelerate their market entry. These grants act as a catalyst for scaling, helping young founders unlock their innovation potential and build globally competitive ventures.
Ensuring continued growth beyond the formal programme is a key priority. Alumni gain access to post-acceleration support, including ongoing mentorship and strategic guidance for next-stage development.
Participants also become part of an exclusive founder community, where they can rely on continued expert advice and support from UNIT.City and the Ukrainian Startup Fund.
For us, the Student Startup Fund is a way to help students take their first step into entrepreneurship and turn strong ideas into real startups. We want innovation to move beyond university classrooms and grow into sustainable businesses within our ecosystem. An essential part of the programme is not only knowledge, but also the community and network that continue to support founders even after completion,
— Kostiantyn Yevtushenko, Managing Partner, UNIT.City.
Apply now and become part of the next generation of founders: https://student-startup-fund.com/
