Applications for the IT Arena Startup Competition 2025 Are Now Open

We’re launching registration for the Startup Competition 2025 — the largest startup contest in the country. This year, both Ukrainian and international innovative products are eligible to apply.

The Startup Competition is a key event at IT Arena 2025 — the biggest tech conference of the year, taking place in Lviv on September 26–28. We expect over 6,500 IT professionals, investors, and industry experts from around the globe to attend.

Startups will compete in two categories — Defense Tech and General. The prize pool of $60,000 is provided by the Innovation Development Fund (USF and Brave1). In addition, participants will have the chance to compete for an investment fund that has already reached $3,000,000 and continues to grow.

Applications are open until June 28. Startups that make it to the semifinals will receive confirmation by July 1. The list of semifinalists will remain confidential until the start of IT Arena.

Selected teams will take part in mentoring sessions and have the opportunity to connect with investors online until September 20. Each semifinalist will also get their booth at the Startup Alley.

Who can apply: Startups that meet the following criteria are welcome to apply:

• Launched in 2020 or later (based on publicly available information, not legal registration);
• Raised no more than $5,000,000 in external funding (monetary investments only);
• Have an MVP and initial traction (validated by clients or sales);
• Can attend the IT Arena in Lviv and speak English;
• Have no ties to Russia or Belarus and are not listed on any sanctions lists.

Startup Competition 2025 is not just about early-stage ideas — it’s about discovering the best startup in the country.

In 2024, participants of the Startup Competition raised a record-breaking total of over $1,500,000 in investments.

You can apply via the link.

Co-organizers of the IT Arena Startup Competition 2025 are Brave1 and USF.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.