UNICORN startup competition: Unveiling Results and winners
Sigma Software Group announced the results of the UNICORN Startup Competition for startups from Ukraine and the EU. The first place and a cash prize of $3000 went to if.team, a comprehensive service for project cost management.
UNICORN (former IT_EUREKA) startup competition was founded by the Tempus educational program in 2014. The Swedish Sigma Group and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine supported the project. After the end of the Tempus program, Sigma Software became the competition’s main organizer. In 2021, Sigma Software Labs became the main driver of the competition. In 8 years, over 900 projects were represented by more than 2,200 participants.
In 2023, the IT_EUREKA startup competition has been upgraded into UNICORN. This rebranding emphasizes Sigma Software’s commitment to developing a startup ecosystem that transcends geographical boundaries and meets the ambitions of visionary entrepreneurs. To help the startup ecosystem grow and achieve even more significant results in the future, the competition is getting a stronger focus.
- More than 130 teams from around the world joined the competition;
- 30 mentors held more than 50 sessions, teaching startups key aspects of business development;
- The prize pool consisted of $8,500 in cash and over $10,000 in non-cash rewards;
- 2 networking events brought together more than 150 participants, where they shared their experiences and received advice from speakers.
The contest was structured to guide startups through different stages, offering an intensive two-week program to support dynamic interaction. The competition took place in a hybrid format in Kyiv and Warsaw. It included educational webinars, networking events, and multiple pitching opportunities. Participants could communicate with influential investors and establish valuable partnerships at online sessions and offline events in Kyiv and Warsaw.
The winners:
- 1st place: if.team, a project management platform with advanced cost management functions, received a cash prize of $3000.
- 2nd place: SplineCloud, an open web-based platform for sharing and managing knowledge in engineering, received a cash prize of $1500.
- 3rd place: Adminix, which optimizes business operations with a user-friendly automation platform, advanced artificial intelligence, and serverless technologies, received a cash prize of $1000 and an additional prize of $3000 from SID Venture Partners.
The contest was organized by Sigma Software Group, the business incubator Sigma Software Labs, and the educational wing Sigma Software University in co-organization with Home – Ukrainian Startup Fund. The UNICORN Startup competition is the reincarnation of the IT_EUREKA contest, launched in 2014.
In addition to investing, we at Sigma Software Labs have a separate track for the development of Ukraine’s tech community because it is in synergy that such powerful projects are born. The updated UNICORN concept is about the potential of our ecosystem, about bringing together funders, mentors, and investors, sharing experiences, and expanding networking.
says Daria Yaniieva, Investment Director at Sigma Software Labs.
I consider the emergence of new Ukrainian teams that participated in the 2023 season to be a separate achievement – combining entrepreneurial mindset and technological background, our founders continue to create incredible products. We have ambitious goals for the next seasons – to turn UNICORN into the #1 program for Ukrainian tech startups.
