UCL School of Management hosted the closing 'Pitch Day' of the inaugural Next Generation of Entrepreneurs for Ukraine Lecture Series in London's Canary Wharf.
The event saw 10 talented entrepreneurs from the Ukrainian community pitch their start-up ideas to experts and investors in a range of industries. Business proposals ranged from cybersecurity platforms, mental health initiatives and consultancy to innovative medical technology.
The Pitch Day gave the participants the chance to put what they had learned from the lecture series into practice and presented the opportunity to win a £1,000 investment in their business.
The Best Pitch award went to Eldar Agaev, Lyubomyr Boyko, Larysa Chernenko and Max Tukanov, founders of Don't Lie AI, a cybersecurity platform that seeks to verify the truthfulness of news and identify propaganda in just 30 seconds.
Oleksandr Diachenko, Kateryna Diachenko, Anastasiia Oliinyk and Vita Shafinska won the prize for Best Idea for their healthcare start-up Vitalizer.
Finally, the Audience Choice Award was won by mental health support start-up, Harmony Me. The platform supports Ukrainian women dealing with the consequences of war and immigration through online mental health exercises to cope with stress, anxiety, and obsessive thoughts.
TKostiantyn Koshelenko, the Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine who gave the keynote speech live from Kyiv, said: "This lecture series is an important step towards recovery of the prosperity of Ukraine. Your ideas and projects have the potential not only to strengthen the economy, but also to improve the well-being of every Ukrainian. And I want to assure you that the Ukrainian government fully supports your efforts."
The Next Generation of Entrepreneurs for Ukraine Lecture Series was developed following the outbreak of war in Ukraine when UCL School of Management and other UK universities partnered with fellow academic institutions as part of an Academic Sanctuary Scheme to host Visiting Scholars from Ukrainian Universities.
The 7-week lecture series was delivered in Ukrainian and covered different aspects of venture creation, as well as the nuances between the Ukrainian and UK approaches in building a business. Fully funded by UCL School of Management and led by Dr Nataliia Hrytsiuk, the series aimed to empower attendees to develop their business ideas and build the ability to apply their knowledge and skills to their own business ventures.
Pierre-Jean (PJ) Hanard, Entrepreneurship Education Lead at UCL School of Management, said: "Over the last seven weeks, our participants have demonstrated the ability to channel adversity into innovation. Their start-ups have the potential to not only disrupt various industries, but also to contribute significantly to Ukraine's economic growth. These start-ups are more than just businesses; they stand as testaments to resilience. This is why our closing event is also a celebration of the unwavering spirit and determination of our participants in the face of extraordinary challenges. Our School takes great pride in supporting entrepreneurs on their journey and we look forward to seeing their businesses flourish."
