From pilots to MRR growth and first angel investments: how Bridge to Scale turned the cohort’s ambition into real investment readiness

A cohort of 15 Ukrainian-founded startups moved from early traction to investment readiness, reaching signed term sheets, enterprise LOIs, and growing MRR following completion of the Bridge to Scale programme.

For many early-stage startups, expansion into new markets means a familiar pattern: build in the home market first, then adapt for international growth. In practice, this often results in significant time and capital being spent with no guarantee of success.

Bridge to Scale, a 12-week equity-free accelerator by 1991 Accelerator & EBRD, was designed to equip a cohort of 15 Ukrainian-founded early-stage startups with what it actually takes to scale across the EU and raise their first rounds. In practice, that meant over 261 hours of expert support, 175 individual mentoring sessions, and the cohort’s work with 17 global partner VC funds to refine their market entry strategies and investment readiness.

Key results by programme end

• MaiCall, Ethical Voice AI for Loan Management & Collection, signed a term sheet for €25,000 in angel investment.
• One startup has signed enterprise LOIs; others have launched pilots and are onboarding new clients.
• Each startup defined an investment ask and built investor-ready data rooms and pitch decks.

Acceleration culminated on March 12 during Demo Day in Warsaw, featured as a special track of Venture Café’s Thursday Gathering, bringing together founders, investors, and tech ecosystem members across the region.

“People are the biggest thing we took from the programme: a community of founders, mentors, and investors. We have already implemented many expert tips into everyday operations, scaling & growth. We met with investors, got some interest and a lot of insights from the questions they asked. One of the key takeaways from the programme was what we need to reach until we go into fundraising, and now we’re actively scaling and preparing for our fundraising round in Q3 of 2026.”

— Alina Golubieva, CEO & Founder, Karpatia Benefits

“This is the first 1991 Accelerator programme for Ukrainian founders already in the EU, and it proves that the new wave of Ukrainian startups is already built for international markets from day one, rather than adapting later — which makes them investable earlier and fundamentally changes how global VCs can interact with Ukrainian early-stage startups.”

— Viktor Gursky, CEO, 1991 Accelerator

Why European investors are watching Ukrainian founders

The wave of Ukrainian founders building in Europe is no longer a story about displacement — it’s increasingly a story about opportunity. Startups like those in the Bridge to Scale cohort are entering EU markets with a structural advantage: lean teams forged under pressure, technical depth shaped by one of Europe’s strongest engineering cultures, and a founder mindset oriented toward global scale from day one rather than as an afterthought.

For early-stage investors operating in CEE, this translates into a pipeline of companies that are already EU-domiciled, already generating traction, and already thinking in terms of international product-market fit.

The bridge between Ukrainian talent and European capital — once a slow, informal process — is becoming increasingly institutionalised, with programmes like Bridge to Scale compressing the timeline from “promising team” to “investor-ready” in weeks rather than years.

The numbers are starting to reflect this. Across the 1991 Accelerator’s portfolio, alumni have collectively raised over $50 million since 2022. The cohort completing Bridge to Scale this March represents the next generation of that pipeline — and for investors looking to move early in what may become one of Europe’s most consequential founder communities, the window to engage is now.

Meet the cohort

• Actual Armor — A modular AI platform that detects, verifies, and neutralises harmful narratives in real-time.
• Careerswift — AI-powered hiring platform automating interviews, resume screening, and analytics that help businesses cut costs and hire faster with data-driven insights.
• Convinco — AI-powered pitch coach that analyses context, audience, and speech to give instant feedback, helping founders and sales teams pitch with clarity, confidence, and impact.
• FitNow — A mobile app that connects fitness and wellness studios on a single platform, allowing users to book workouts in just a few clicks.
• GreatCatalog — A platform connecting furniture brands, designers, and consumers through 3D and AR, making it easier to create interiors and buy products.
• HYPERSHADOW OÜ — A white-label AI-copilot builder for SaaS.
• Kadrowy — An HRM system for businesses with high staff turnover, designed to simplify hiring, time tracking, workforce management, and compliance.
• Karpatia Benefits — A SaaS + marketplace platform that lets HR teams launch flexible, customised benefit packages in days instead of months, and lets employees make real choices.
• MaiCall — A Voice AI platform for loan management, automating conversations with ML and behavioural scoring to make collections faster, smarter, and ethical.
• Mentflo — An AI wellness platform that helps WHOOP, Garmin, and similar wearable users consolidate fitness, sleep, and nutrition in one place.
• Object Control — AI-powered SaaS helping fintech & insurers accelerate digital transformation and deliver superior customer experiences.
• SuoQ — An AI queue & customer journey platform cutting wait times 20–50% with virtual queuing, booking, feedback, analytics, and optional hardware.
• Wild.Codes — An AI-powered platform for hiring vetted remote developers on a subscription basis, with all overheads and compliance managed.
• CloudBlocks — An AI Agent for designing and deploying scalable, cost-efficient cloud architectures tailored to business needs.
• MeGoElectric UA — Developers of an accessible EV platform for both passenger and cargo use, enabling safe, independent mobility for wheelchair users and cost-efficient fleet solutions for healthcare and logistics operators.

The programme is delivered by 1991 Accelerator, Ukraine’s leading accelerator that helps early-stage startups prepare for global scale and fundraising. Since 2022, 179 alumni startups have raised over $50 million. As operator of the Google for Startups $10M Ukraine Support Fund II, 98 startups raised $21M+ within a year, achieving 2.2x the fund size in follow-on funding. Through the UK-Ukraine Investment Accelerator programme, implemented with the UK Government, a cohort of 20 startups raised $12M within a year after Demo Day.

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