EIC launches €20 million 'Seeds of Bravery' action to support Ukrainian deep tech but limits of modest grants remain
- ›The European Innovation Council will spend €20 million to support at least 200 Ukrainian deep tech start-ups through a pan-European network.
- ›Selected start-ups may receive up to €60,000 each plus business coaching, mentoring, regulatory guidance and matchmaking services.
- ›The network is coordinated by FundingBox Accelerator and comprises 22 organisations including six Ukrainian partners across 13 other countries.
- ›The action is intended to help Ukrainian innovators integrate into the European innovation ecosystem and prepare to compete for future EU funding.
- ›Practical constraints remain since €60,000 is small for deep tech development and the action depends on final grant agreements and administrative follow-up.
EIC action to support Ukrainian deep tech — aims, partners and caveats
On 10 May 2023 the European Commission announced a targeted European Innovation Council action to support Ukraine’s deep tech start-up community. A budget of €20 million will be channelled through a pan-European network of start-up associations, incubators and accelerators to assist at least 200 Ukrainian deep tech companies. The stated goals are to provide financial lifelines, business and regulatory support, and to help Ukrainian innovators access the broader European innovation ecosystem and future EU funding.
What the programme promises
Who will run it and how it is organised
The pan-European network selected to implement the action is coordinated by FundingBox Accelerator based in Warsaw, Poland. The consortium includes 22 organisations and start-up associations, with six Ukrainian partners and partners in 13 other countries. The network was chosen after a competitive call and is responsible for identifying eligible start-ups, delivering grants and providing the suite of non-financial services.
| Item | Detail |
| Total budget | €20 million |
| Minimum number of start-ups supported | At least 200 |
| Maximum grant per start-up | Up to €60,000 |
| Non-financial support | Business advisory, coaching, mentoring, matchmaking |
| Coordinator | FundingBox Accelerator, Warsaw, Poland |
| Consortium size | 22 organisations including 6 Ukrainian partners |
| Countries involved | Ukraine plus partners in 13 other countries |
| Project duration | 2 years |
| First disbursements expected | Starting in 2023, subject to grant agreement signature |
Official statements and tone
The Commission framed the initiative as a significant commitment to Ukrainian innovators. Commissioner Mariya Gabriel said the action demonstrated Europe’s support for Ukraine’s innovation community and the need to integrate Ukrainian tech firms into the EU innovation ecosystem. FundingBox’s CEO described the initiative as an opportunity to support more than 200 start-ups with funding and market access and to coordinate organisations that will help rebuild Ukraine’s tech ecosystem. Ukrainian partners offered strongly positive statements about the boost the initiative provides.
These quoted reactions are promotional by nature and consistent with usual public statements from beneficiaries and coordinators. They highlight ambitions to ‘supercharge’ Ukrainian deep tech, while the public documentation also contains important caveats about timing and implementation.
Where this sits in the broader EU support package for Ukraine
The EIC action is complementary to a range of EU measures for researchers, innovators and the scientific community in Ukraine. These include the European Research Area for Ukraine portal ERA4Ukraine, the Horizon4Ukraine initiative, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie scheme MSCA4Ukraine which carries a separate €25 million fellowship budget for displaced researchers, and ERC measures encouraging host opportunities for Ukrainian researchers. The Commission stressed that the EIC action seeks to better prepare Ukrainian start-ups to compete for future EIC and other EU funding opportunities.
Background and regulatory context
The European Innovation Council was launched in March 2021 under the Horizon Europe programme. The EIC has an allocated budget of over €10 billion for 2021 to 2027 and operates a range of instruments from Pathfinder research grants to the Accelerator financing and the EIC Fund which co-invests equity alongside private investors. In response to the war in Ukraine, the EIC work programme was amended to create a targeted call to mobilise resources for Ukraine’s deep tech community.
Technical concepts explained
Critical appraisal and practical limits
The initiative is welcome as a targeted emergency and connectivity measure, but several practical limits should be kept in mind. At €60,000 maximum per start-up, the direct financial aid is modest for most deep tech use cases. Hardware development, regulatory approval in sectors like health or energy and industrial pilots commonly require significantly larger sums. Consequently the value of the programme will depend heavily on the quality of the non-financial services, and on how effectively the consortium can link recipients to follow-on investors and grants.
Other implementation risks include administrative delays tied to grant agreement signatures, cross-border compliance and banking issues for displaced or partially relocated companies, safeguarding intellectual property when teams are dispersed, and the capacity of Ukrainian founders to travel or attend in-person acceleration events during wartime. The Commission acknowledges that the programme is contingent on grant agreement finalisation and that the first payments are conditional on administrative steps being completed.
Next steps and indicators to watch
The grant agreement between the European Commission and the selected consortium is being finalised. The project timeline spans two years and, as announced in May 2023, the first start-ups were expected to receive funding in 2023 once agreements were signed. Observers should watch for several outcomes to assess impact:
| Indicator | What to look for |
| Speed of disbursement | How quickly the €60,000 grants reach selected start-ups after contract signature |
| Follow-on investment | Whether beneficiary start-ups attract additional private or public funding |
| Market and regulatory readiness | Evidence that coached start-ups meet EU regulatory requirements and enter EU markets |
| Quality of non-financial support | Sustained mentoring, partnerships with corporates and investor introductions |
| Outcomes for rebuilding | Concrete projects and technologies that contribute to reconstruction or resilience in Ukraine |
| Coordination with other EU actions | Clear lines of complementarity with MSCA4Ukraine, ERA4Ukraine and Horizon4Ukraine |
Where to find official documents and further reading
Official material referenced in the announcement includes the EIC work programme 2022, the EIC Action for Ukraine factsheet and the EIC impact report 2022. The action is presented as complementary to ERA4Ukraine, Horizon4Ukraine and the MSCA4Ukraine fellowship scheme for displaced researchers.
Bottom line
The EIC's €20 million action offers a structured route to help Ukrainian deep tech start-ups stay connected to Europe, gain preparatory support and secure small grants. Its real value will depend less on the headline budget and more on delivery details, speed of payments, and the consortium’s capacity to convert modest grants into sustained private investment and market traction. For deep tech to scale and contribute materially to reconstruction, larger follow-on financing and robust integration with European investors and industrial partners will be essential.