Ukrainian startups can join the national delegation to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: who can apply in time
Ukrainian tech companies can join the national delegation to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco. Selection is already open, but time is short: applications are accepted only until August 30, 2026.
The program is not meant for idea-stage projects, but for startups that already have a working product, users, and initial demand validation. For some selected teams, organizers will even cover flights to the US.
Who can apply
The Ukrainian Startup Fund has set several key requirements. The company must:
- be registered and operate in Ukraine;
- be at the Seed or Series A stage;
- have annual revenue of at least $100k;
- have a working MVP and real users;
- have clients, investors, or potential clients in the US;
- be ready for investment raising and international scaling.
An additional advantage is experience raising money from known angel investors or venture funds.
Thus, the program is primarily aimed at teams that have already proven their product's viability and now want to test it on the American market or accelerate existing expansion.
12 Ukrainian startups will be selected
According to the published conditions, the delegation plans to include 12 companies. Support will be divided into two groups.
For six startups, the following are provided:
- participation in TechCrunch Disrupt 2026;
- access to additional events;
- meetings with venture investors;
- visits to Bay Area tech companies;
- coverage of round-trip flights to San Francisco.
Another six teams will receive the same access to the conference and business program, but they will have to cover their airfare themselves.
When TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will take place
The conference will be held October 13–15, 2026 in San Francisco.
Organizers expect more than 10,000 founders, investors, and tech industry representatives. The program includes talks, founder-investor meetings, thematic tracks on artificial intelligence, fintech, robotics, climate tech, energy, and other areas.
For Ukrainian startups, the value of such a trip lies not only in attending the conference itself. The delegation program includes additional meetings with venture funds and Silicon Valley companies.
Why mature teams are selected
Diana Rakus, head of the project office for tech sector development under the Ministry of Digital Transformation, explained that the trip makes the most sense for startups that already understand their product and want a concrete business result in the US.
If a team is still searching for product-market fit or has no users, they are advised to first focus on product and initial sales.
However, having a working MVP, users, steady interest, and understanding of the American market allows several days in San Francisco to be used much more effectively — for negotiations with clients, funds, and potential partners.
What Ukrainian startups gained from the previous trip
The Ukrainian delegation is not going to TechCrunch Disrupt for the first time. In 2026, this will be the fourth participation of the Ukrainian startup ecosystem in this format.
During the previous trip, the delegation also included 12 startups. Besides the conference, teams visited Google and Stanford and pitched their projects to Silicon Valley investors.
According to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, one participant immediately signed six SAFE agreements with foreign investors after the trip — agreements that allow the investor to receive a share in the company in a future funding round.
Another two teams raised funds for new investment rounds, and one startup began a collaboration with Getty Images, agreed on cooperation with Sony and Epic Games, and started entering the US market.
How to apply
The application is submitted online through the “Partner Programs” section on the Ukrainian Startup Fund portal.
The deadline is August 30, 2026.
The Ukrainian delegation's participation is organized by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Startup Fund with the support of the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund and YEP Accelerator.
For a mature Ukrainian startup, the value here is not so much the ticket to a major tech conference, but the opportunity to test the American market’s interest, meet investors and potential clients, and understand if the business is ready for the next stage of international scaling.
