For the fourth year, the Ukrainian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (UVCA) will have a UA tech section at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, from January 7-10, 2020.
Olga Afanasyeva is the Executive Director of the UVCA and responsible for this program. CES is one of the largest annual global technology shows and had more than 200,000 attendees in 2019.
On October 17, six tech startups from Ukraine were chosen from more than 50 applicants by a team of Ukrainian and foreign experts and investors to travel to Las Vegas and exhibit there with the UVCA. CRDF Global and the UVCA encouraged seasoned Ukrainian technology entrepreneurs to apply to the “Science & Entrepreneurship Technology Program” (STEP) training program and competition.
The STEP encourages the development of new technology-based products in local and global markets. It is funded by grants from the U.S. Department of State. CRDF is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes international scientific and technical collaboration with grants, various resources and training and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. DTEK, which is the largest private investor in Ukraine’s energy industry, is the innovation sponsor.
A few of the Ukrainian tech startups which participated in the UVCA program in previous years were: Hideez (cybersecurity); Solar Gaps (home solar energy); AgriEye (agritech); and, Kwambio (3D printing). This year’s selectees are:
- Effa – offers a disposable toothbrush made from recycled paper and environmentally friendly materials.
- UATAG – provides a solution for product verification and counterfeit protection utilizing two-level authentication technology. (You can listen to a podcast interview with CEO Taras Rodtsevych here).
- Mosquito Control Ltd – a product for eliminating mosquitoes in an environmentally friendly way through the use of natural attractants, CO2 and heat.
- CamTouch – allows you to turn any projector or monitor into an interactive board that can be managed with a special stylus.
- EdPro.Amperia – a lab kit for instructor demonstrations and student labs utilizing electricity, electronics, and magnetism.
- Bicovery – provides a machine-based learning solution to track the emotional and physical state of people who live with bipolar disorder. It helps family or health care professionals to mange the condition of the bipolar person.
The startups selected to participate in the program are awarded free boothspace at CES 2020, organization support, mentorship and training and media coverage for their products and services. With the latest group of selectees for its CES Ukraine tech pavilion, the UVCA has helped 29 Ukrainian companies to bring their products and services to a global audience.
