The European Union is providing around €1.4 million to fund four Ukrainian start-ups under the Horizon 2020 programme for research and innovation. According to EU4Business, three Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises have been allocated €50,000 to develop their concepts and plan out their business ideas. These three start-ups focus on ecological use of waste, 3D printing of metals and the creation of stand-alone mobile homes developed using 3D printing.
Another company, which develops innovative products for global markets and is active in the microelectronics sector, received funding of €1.22 million to help implement its business plan under the second phase of the SME support instrument of the Horizon 2020 programme. Since the beginning of Ukraine’s participation in the Horizon 2020 programme, a total of 323 contracts have been concluded with Ukrainian institutions, organisations and enterprises to implement 69 projects, with total funding of almost €12 million.
Ukraine signed an agreement on its participation in Horizon 2020 in 2015. Following that, the country obtained associate member status, which enabled Ukrainian research institutions and scientists to take part in competition for EU grants under the programme.
