Mission Description: ExcellEnt Soft-landing Mission to Ukraine

Purpose

Ukraine today is a striking example of how startups can remain active, ambitious, and deeply innovative—even under extraordinary pressure. Amid a full-scale invasion, founders, engineers, researchers, and civic innovators have not only sustained their work—they’ve scaled it. New technologies are emerging in response to critical needs, with practical applications in health, defense, education, energy, governance, and beyond.

The ExcellEnt Soft-Landing Mission to Ukraine is designed specifically for early-stage startup teams and founders from France, Greece, Ireland, Bulgaria, and Türkiye. It offers a direct window into Ukraine’s thriving tech sector—an ecosystem driven by collaboration, urgency, and impact. Over the course of the program, participants will engage with grassroots ecosystem builders, startup enablers, researchers, and national institutions working across high-impact domains.

This is more than a study visit. The program aims to inspire and equip founders with insights from an ecosystem where constraints have accelerated innovation—and where international collaboration is both welcome and urgently needed. Participants will leave with fresh ideas, meaningful relationships, and a deeper understanding of how to build, adapt, and scale under conditions of uncertainty.

The sectors explored—such as Defence Tech, MedTech, AgroTech, EdTech, GovTech, and GreenTech—are illustrative rather than exhaustive. Founders working in adjacent or emerging verticals will find this mission highly relevant and full of opportunity.

Location

Lviv and Kyiv – Ukraine’s two largest and most active technology hubs

Why Lviv?
Lviv is one of Ukraine’s most established and strategically positioned tech centers, offering a blend of historic charm and forward-thinking innovation. Located near the western border, the city has long been recognized for its stability, making it a preferred destination for IT businesses and international organizations seeking to maintain operations throughout the war.

At the heart of Lviv’s ecosystem is the Lviv IT Cluster, a powerful community uniting hundreds of companies and thousands of professionals. The cluster actively advocates for its members both locally and internationally, while providing critical support services during wartime—from coordinating logistics to supporting the army and civilian infrastructure.

Lviv also hosts several prominent universities, such as Lviv Polytechnic University, known for cultivating engineering and computer science talent. The city’s active role in digital transformation is visible in its public services and local governance, which embrace tech innovation. Add to that its vibrant startup community, strong civic engagement, and frequent tech meetups and conferences, and Lviv offers participants a grounded, people-driven model of resilience and growth.

Why Kyiv?

Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, is the beating heart of the country’s political, business, and technological transformation. Despite being on the front lines of many wartime challenges, the city has continued to host a fully functional, if agile, innovation environment. Offices, coworking spaces, and research facilities remain active—many adapted to include secure shelters and hybrid formats to ensure continuity.

Kyiv is home to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the national champion of Ukraine’s digitalization efforts, including Diia and Diia.City. It also hosts key national players such as UNIT.City, Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Sector X, Tech Ecosystem Ukraine, Ukrainian Startup Fund, and more. These institutions drive not only high-impact technology solutions but also cultivate startup acceleration, investment, and policy dialogue.

For international participants, Kyiv offers the chance to connect directly with the ecosystem’s institutional backbone—ministries, national accelerators, and industry associations—while gaining insights into how innovation persists and scales in high-pressure environments. It also offers exposure to the country’s most promising defense tech cluster, Brave1, where real-world innovation is directly shaping Ukraine’s resilience and global competitiveness.

Dates:

April 23 – International Arrival and Transfer to Lviv

April 23 is designated as a travel day to accommodate the logistics of reaching Ukraine. Given current airspace restrictions, most participants will arrive at airports in Poland, including Krakow, Warsaw, or Rzeszów. From there, ground transportation across the border to Lviv will be required.

These flight restrictions place additional logistical responsibility on participants. While the supporting team will be happy to advise on suggested routes and best practices for border crossing, we will not be able to organize or facilitate transfers or other ground transportation. Participants are expected to arrange their own ground travel from their arrival airport to Lviv.

Cross-border travel can vary in duration depending on route and traffic conditions. The program team will coordinate schedules and provide guidance to ensure smooth coordination on the Ukrainian side. Most participants are expected to arrive in Lviv by the evening. An optional informal meet-up may be arranged depending on group arrival timing.

April 24 – Lviv | Innovation with Civic Roots

Lviv has long been a center of education, culture, and technology. It is one of Ukraine’s top three tech hubs, with over 30,000 IT professionals and more than 500 tech companies, according to IT Research Ukraine 2024. The city has formally identified tech—and tourism—as key sectors for long-term economic growth.

The program will begin with a meeting at the Directorate of Digital Development of the Lviv Oblast Administration, led by the Chief Digital Transformation Officer or their deputy. This session will highlight the region’s digital governance strategy and showcase how local public services have integrated modern digital tools.

Participants will then visit the Lviv IT Cluster, a prominent ecosystem organization that supports tech companies through education, advocacy, and community coordination—especially during the war. At Lviv Polytechnic University, participants will explore how academic–industry partnerships are producing new technologies, from MedTech and engineering to AI and EdTech. A networking lunch will provide the chance to exchange ideas with local professors, founders, and student innovators.

Depending on interest and availability, the agenda may also include a session with the Deputy Mayor of Lviv and a visit to the Unbroken Center, which leads national efforts in trauma recovery, prosthetics innovation, and health tech research.

The Lviv program will conclude at 4:00 p.m. A group transfer to the train station will follow, with departure to Kyiv on the 4:30 p.m. Intercity+ train, arriving in the capital around 10:30 p.m. Ground transfers to hotels will be arranged.

April 25 – Kyiv | Where Policy Meets Product and Startups Shape the Future

Kyiv is Ukraine’s national center for policymaking, innovation, and ecosystem development. Despite wartime conditions, the city remains highly active—with ministries, universities, accelerators, and civic spaces all contributing to a robust startup scene.

The program may include a meeting with representatives from various directorates of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, who will share insights into national programs such as Diia.City, innovation support frameworks, and digital tools developed under GovTech to empower both public institutions and private entrepreneurs. These perspectives will illustrate how government-led innovation has shaped the landscape over the past three years.

Participants will visit Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (Sikorsky Challenge) and National Aviation University, both of which serve as strongholds of applied research and early-stage innovation in areas like AI, robotics, MedTech, aerospace, and defense.

A guided visit to UNIT.City will showcase Ukraine’s largest innovation campus—a dynamic environment where startups, accelerators, and venture capital converge. A stop at Cooperative, one of Kyiv’s most vibrant co-working and innovation hubs, will offer an authentic, community-driven view into how startups, creatives, and civic technologists continue building in uncertain times.

The Kyiv portion of the mission will also connect participants with ecosystem organizations such as Techosystem Ukraine, the Kyiv IT Cluster, Greencubator, the IT Ukraine Association, and the Ukrainian Association of FinTech and Innovation Companies (UAFIC). Engaging with these actors will provide a comprehensive understanding of Ukraine’s innovation landscape: 

• Techosystem Ukraine offers strategic mapping and insight into how the national tech ecosystem is structured and where international collaboration can be most impactful.
• The Kyiv IT Cluster helps coordinate regional tech players, facilitate partnerships, and promote internationalization of the local IT sector.
• Greencubator champions sustainable tech and green energy entrepreneurship, aligning with global climate goals.
• The IT Ukraine Association unites hundreds of companies nationally, offering a gateway to scale partnerships and understand local regulatory frameworks.
• The Ukrainian Association of FinTech and Innovation Companies (UAFIC) leads efforts in financial innovation and digital finance transformation, crucial for fintech founders and investors alike.

The day might include breakout sessions, flexible meeting formats, and time for individual or sector-specific discussions tailored to the final composition of the visiting group.

April 26 – Brave1 Anniversary Event | National Defence Tech Showcase

The mission concludes with participation in the Brave1 Anniversary Event, Ukraine’s national showcase of Defence Tech innovation. Brave1 is a flagship platform bringing together the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Digital Transformation, investors, and startup founders to co-develop battlefield-ready solutions.

Participants will attend live product demonstrations, startup pitches, and policy panels exploring how innovation is being deployed in real time. The event also serves as a space for founder-to-founder dialogue and international networking.

The day ends with a reflection session and informal closing to synthesize lessons and explore next steps for collaboration.

Selection criteria

1. Project Maturity
   Startups should demonstrate a validated concept or MVP, with clear goals for market exploration and partnership development.

2. First-Time Participation
   Priority will be given to teams that have not participated in similar international soft-landing or exploration missions under Horizon Europe or related programs.

3. Industry Relevance
   The startup’s product or service should align with at least one of the mission’s focus sectors: Defence Tech, MedTech, AgroTech, GovTech, EdTech, or GreenTech.

4. Contextual Fit
   Applicants should show how their solution or expertise aligns with the needs, challenges, or opportunities specific to the Ukrainian market—particularly in the visited cities (Lviv and Kyiv).

Participation Details

This mission is a unique opportunity for startup founders to connect with one of Europe’s most dynamic and resilient innovation ecosystems. Participants will gain exposure to pressure-tested technologies, access local and national partners, and build new relationships with founders, researchers, and enablers.

Participation is open to startups based in France, Greece, Ireland, Bulgaria, and Türkiye. The ExcellEnt Project under Horizon Europe will provide up to €1,000 per participant to cover travel and accommodation costs. Any additional expenses—including local transportation, and per diem—must be covered by the participants themselves.

Applications are open until April 15, 2025. Spaces are limited. If you’re a founder with a product or idea that can scale, adapt, or make an impact—this is your opportunity to join a powerful network of innovators shaping the future under pressure.

Join the ExcellEnt Soft-landing mission to discover the resilience, innovation, and potential of the Ukrainian tech ecosystem and find new avenues for your business growth in partnership with Ukraine!

Spaces are limited – register your interest by April 15th: https://www.f6s.com/excellent-soft-landing-mission-ukraine/apply