The startup representing Ukraine, which will compete in the USA for $1,000,000, has been determined
Startup A.D.A.M. has become the winner of Startup World Cup Ukraine 2023 and won the right to represent Ukraine in the Grand Final of the competition in Silicon Valley on December 1 this year. A.D.A.M. is a 3D bioprinting startup that develops a system for manufacturing medical devices for bone implants. Alongside them, nine other startup teams competed for a trip to the USA and the opportunity to win $1,000,000 in an online pitch:
- Corner – is an AI-powered home renovation platform that helps homeowners access high-end design and premium materials.
- Saldo Apps – is a developer of software solutions for automation of sales and accounting for small and medium-sized businesses.
- Beholder – is a spacetech AI for mineral and energy exploration.
- SUITSME – is a mobile game allowing to choose virtual clothes for fashion images
- Playmanity – is a digital distribution service where ads make paid games free.
- Falcons – is a military-tech company producing software and hardware for national defense
- LENR generator – production of energy at the place of its consumption.
- Nanit Robot – is an educational platform for studying robotics for children and adults.
- Carbominer is a hardware startup that develops technology for obtaining carbon dioxide from the air
The winner of Startup World Cup Ukraine was selected by a jury consisted of representatives from the startup community, consulting companies, venture funds, and media in Ukraine, including Mosqitter (Olga Diachuk), 10Guards (Vitaliy Yakushev), QPDigital (Yurii Sereshchenko), and Forbes Ukraine (Maxym Zoloiedov). The presentations of all 10 participating startup teams were also attended by Bill Reichert, the general partner of the global Startup World Cup organizer, international venture company Pegasus Tech Ventures, and the chief expert of Startup World Cup. He particularly praised the organization of the Ukrainian regional selection and the quality of Ukrainian startups:
"Thank you so much to Ukrainian Future and to all the entrepreneurs and judges for putting on a world class event! I really wanted to share with all of you how impressive this group of entrepreneurs is. A few weeks ago, I suffered through 240 pitches other Silicon Valley based accelerators, and the Ukraine group is far superior to this group. Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing you in San Francisco," said Bill Reichert.
Stephanie Marrus, Managing Director of Entrepreneurship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and a startup expert in Silicon Valley, who attended the pitch as a special guest, also highly praised the potential of Ukrainian startups:
"I can only marvel at the spirit that Ukrainians demonstrate during this brutal, unprovoked war. Creating a startup is always challenging, and the conditions in which you work, especially, are tough, sometimes impossible. When there is no Internet, electricity, and you have to hide in bomb shelters, and startup teams have to work from different countries – you still persistently move forward, showing incredible resilience. Your example is more than inspiring," said Stephanie.
Vitalii Lisovyi, CEO at Ukrainian Future, the business incubator of Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, also believes that Ukrainian startups are increasingly entering the global market, attracting investments from international investors. He expressed his confidence that A.D.A.M. will take all the opportunities in the Grand Final for its growth and to represent Ukraine admirably on the global stage with winners from regional finals in over 60 countries around the world.
"We are humbled by the decision of the jury to award with the opportunity to represent Ukraine at the Startup World Cup Finals! As a CEO, I'm especially grateful to the whole A.D.A.M. team that despite harsh circumstances continue to deliver world class expertise. What motivates us the most is an opportunity to show the world that Ukrainians can build game-changing deep-tech solutions on the global scale," said Denis Gurak, CEO of A.D.A.M.
- Startup World Cup is the largest global startup conference and competition with a final in Silicon Valley. Over 60 countries around the world conduct regional selections for Startup World Cup, determining the winner who will represent them in the Grand Final and compete for the grand prize of $1,000,000 in investments.
