Startup World Cup – First Time in Ukraine!

On March 29^th Kyiv IT Cluster hosted the first ever Startup World Cup in Ukraine!

Startup World Cup consists of global series of startup conferences and contests held in 40 countries around the world. Finalists of regional contests get a chance to pitch their projects in the grand finale in San Francisco and to compete for $1,000,000 of investment. 

We received more than 50 applications from Ukrainian startups, from which the judges picked the best 12 to pitch at the event: 

• SolarGaps – smart blinds with built-in solar panels
• Raccoon.World – technology of virtual interaction for rehabilitation of patients with hand injuries
• UniExo – robotic exoskeleton for disabled people or those going through rehabilitation after limb injuries
• FunLight – interactive adventures 
• VRobot – virtual simulator for learning robotics
• DelFast – extra powerful electric bike
• Pix – smart backpack with color digital screen to help highlight individuality
• Kray Technologies – drone for agricultural purposes
• PatentBot – bot for trademark registration
• Senstone – portative voice assistant
• LimpidArmor – modified version of Microsoft Hololens for military purposes
• P.aid – innovative crowdsourcing platform for marketing and research

The event began with speeches of top experts of the ecosystem on possibilities for development and fundraising for startups. After that every startup had 5 minutes for the pitch. All participants received prizes from the partners and sponsors of the event: Ukrsibbank BNP Paribas Group, Startup Grind Kiev, Kyiv IT Cluster, Kniga.Biz.ua.

Raccoon.World became the winners – they received the chance to take part in the regional final of Startup World Cup in Prague. Raccoon.World develop technologies of virtual interaction and are currently working on a technical solution for rehabilitation of patients with hand injuries.

We want to thank the judges:

• Katherina Degtyar, Startup Grind Kiev Chapter Director
• Yana Pidlisna, Advisor to the Head of Administration on Organizational Issues of the State Finance Institution for Innovations
• Anna Bului, Representative of Ukrsibbank
• Evgenii Borysov and Andrii Gusel – investors of Fenox Venture Capital

The venue was provided by our permanent partners - Coworking Platforma.

We also want to thank the speakers, who inspired the startups and gave some useful advice: 

• Nataly Veremeeva, СЕО of Kyiv IT Cluster 
• Igor Arkhypenko, evaluation expert for Horizon 2020, project owner of Kyiv IT Cluster
• Yana Pidlisna, Advisor to the Head of Administration on Organizational Issues of the State Finance Institution for Innovations
• Alyona Mysko, Executive partner of Quadrate 28 Finance
• Charles Whitehead, co-founder of ILTI, professor at Cornell Law School, director of the «Law, technology and entrepreneurship» program at Cornell Tech
• Katherina Degtyar, Startup Grind Kiev Chapter Director

Congratulations to the winner and thanks to all the participants and partners of the event! Now, the whole community is holding fingers crossed for Raccoon.World at the regional final of Startup World Cup in Prague.