SPECIALISED EVALUATION FOR UKRAINE’S INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Strategic Support for the European Union’s Seeds of Bravery Program
WellAdvisedCo participated as a specialised evaluator in the “Seeds of Bravery (UASEEDs)” program, a €20 million initiative funded by the European Union through the European Innovation Council (EIC).
This participation demonstrates recognition of our expertise in innovation proposal evaluation and our commitment to supporting entrepreneurship in challenging contexts.
The Program
The European Union created the Seeds of Bravery program to support Ukrainian entrepreneurs and innovators during a particularly challenging period. The program aims not only to provide direct funding but also to bring the Ukrainian technological ecosystem closer to the European Union, ensuring business continuity and fostering innovative solutions with global potential.
Seeds of Bravery is structured around four main funding lines, covering different stages of technological and business maturity, with the Ukrainian Startup Fund (USF) as a key partner in operational management of applications and evaluation processes:
- Deep Tech Incubators – Support for early-stage startups developing their first MVP
- Innovative Entrepreneurship– Ensuring business continuity within Ukraine
- Rebuild Ukraine – Funding solutions for rapid post-war reconstruction
- Deep Tech Scale-up and Acceleration – Support for established companies to reach new markets
Program Characteristics:
- Funding: €25,000 to €50,000 per proposal
- Target Audience: Ukrainian innovators at various TRL levels
- Objective: Support resilience through innovation and EU integration
WellAdvisedCo’s Role
Our participation as a specialised evaluator involved rigorous analysis of proposals across multiple funding lines:
Specialised Technical-Scientific Evaluation • Analysis of technical quality and viability of submitted proposals • Assessment of innovation potential and technological differentiation • Verification of alignment between proposed objectives and requested resources
Impact and Scalability Assessment • Analysis of market potential and solution scalability capacity • Evaluation of sustainability of proposed business models • Consideration of societal impact and contribution to reconstruction
Expertise in Challenging Contexts • Application of our experience in evaluating projects in complex contexts • Understanding the specificities of innovation ecosystems in conflict situations • Contribution to identifying proposals with greater potential for success and impact
Impact and Reflection
Participation in this program was simultaneously humbling and inspiring. Despite the immense challenges they face, Ukrainian entrepreneurs continue to develop cutting-edge technologies that not only address immediate needs but also offer scalable solutions with global potential.
This experience demonstrates our participation in specialised European programs, contributing to rigorous evaluation of proposals in unique contexts. Our ability to analyse proposals while maintaining technical rigour and sensitivity to specific contexts reflects our experience in evaluating European innovation programs.
Seeds of Bravery exemplifies how innovation can be a force for resilience, and we feel honoured to have contributed, even in a small way, to supporting the determination, creativity, and vision demonstrated in these proposals, which offer great hope for Ukraine’s future.
Client: FundingBox Accelerator (Seeds of Bravery Program Coordinator)
Program: Seeds of Bravery – EIC/Horizon Europe (Grant Agreement No 101104445)
Service: Independent Evaluation of Funding Proposals
Context: Supporting Ukrainian Technological Innovation Ecosystem
