Global Startup Awards holds the competition in Ukraine for the first time

Start locally - act globally! This year, Global Startup Awards (GSA) - an independent international startup competition represented in more than 60 countries worldwide - is launching in Ukraine for the first time. Aimed at fostering innovation, GSA has been "building bridges" between all ecosystem players for over 6 years: startups, corporations, venture funds, investors, NGOs, incubators, and accelerators.

The competition structure is divided into 3 stages: national, regional, and global. This year, the national round is launching in Ukraine for the first time as part of the new EuroAsian Startup Awards (EASAwards) region. The national partner and organizer of the competition in Ukraine is Major Key, the strategic partner is 1991 Civic Tech Center, and the media partner is Obozrevatel.

"Ukraine is renowned for its immense potential in innovation and currently ranks 4th globally in the number of certified IT specialists. It is crucial for our promising startups to receive ample media coverage and exposure at industry events, enabling them to develop more effectively and attract essential investments," comments Maryna Marynkevych, director of Major Key and the national partner of EASAwards in Ukraine.

"We are thrilled to include this exceptional region with its immense innovation potential in the competition. It's high time for the global community to recognize its talents and opportunities. We are committed to helping promising startups gain visibility and achieve international success," comments Attila Sandor, founder and CEO of EuroAsian Startup Awards.

Any startup operating in Ukraine for up to 5 years and utilizing technology/software in their products/services can participate in the competition. The submission deadline is July 21, 2019. According to the competition rules, participants are primarily recommended and invited to register by ambassadors. However, anyone, including the nominees themselves, can send an invitation to the competition via the EuroAsian Startup Awards link.

Participants can apply in multiple categories simultaneously from the 19 available on the official EASAwards website. These include personal categories such as "Founder of the Year," "Best Female Role," and "Investor of the Year." In each category, the top 5 finalists are selected, and the winners are determined through a combined method of jury and public voting (equivalent to one jury vote).

The award ceremony will take place in September at one of the competition partner locations. A robust networking event is planned, featuring local and international investors and startup community stakeholders. On the day of the award, an acceleration program will be conducted for the winners, involving leading experts in investment, marketing, management, and legal issues. By the end of 2019, the finalists of the national round will participate in the regional (EASAwards) and global (GSA) rounds.

Detailed information about the competition can be found on the EASAwards and Major Key websites, as well as on the Telegram channel.

Global Startup Awards and EuroAsian Startup Awards

GSA is the world's largest independent startup competition, with a mission to discover, recognize, and connect future digital age developers from around the globe. The competition spans 7 regions: Northern Europe, Central Europe, Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, South Asia, and Southern Europe. EuroAsian Startup Awards is a new GSA region launching in 2019, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Turkey, and Ukraine.

Major Key

Major Key (MK) is the national partner of EuroAsian Startup Awards in Ukraine, an international company specializing in marketing services for global corporations, local brands, and well-known personalities. Over the past 3 years, MK has actively collaborated with startups, helping them attract investments, gain recognition, and win awards such as Horizon 2020, ERC grant, CESAwards, FutureNow, Webaward 2018, New Europe 100, JCI CYI, and Vodafone Idea of the Year.

1991 Civic Tech Center

1991 Civic Tech Center is a hub for developing the civic tech ecosystem in Ukraine and the CEE region, providing quick access to accelerators, communities, and events in the heart of Kyiv.