Deadline: November 20, 2025
Challenger Accelerator is an acceleration program for startups with an MVP or Demo product, aiming to scale their solutions, strengthen their business model, and secure investments.
The focus of the program is on 30+ hours of business and tech mentorship, direct engagement with investors, exclusive partner opportunities, 15+ workshops from high-level experts, Ukrainian startups based in Ukraine or worldwide, solutions in EdTech, HealthTech, AI, startups seeking investments, driven and motivated teams of 2+ members, startups with existing MVP, and solutions poised for scaling and market impact.
Prizes include $25K from UMAEF for the winner team and $75,000 in AWS credits from USF for 3 Best startups.
Challenger Accelerator offers startups a pathway to refine their solutions with guidance from experienced mentors while also accessing on-demand technical expertise. Participants receive the opportunity to pitch directly to representatives from leading international venture capital firms and investors, gaining vital exposure to funding prospects.
Beyond investment connections, the program provides partner-driven benefits such as financial rewards and service discounts that extend between three to twelve months. Workshops from experts across areas such as AI/ML, design, business, sales, and marketing ensure that participating startups strengthen both their technical and business foundations.
Alumni experiences highlight the tangible impact of the program. Founders describe how mentors helped optimize technical architecture, redesign financial models, improve pitching, and accelerate scaling into international markets. Many participants also emphasize the networking advantage, where exchanging ideas and challenges with peers added significant value.
The Challenger Accelerator has proven to be a space where Ukrainian innovators not only receive mentorship and tools for growth but also establish global connections to bring their solutions to new markets.
For more information, visit Challenger.
