The EBRD’s Star Venture programme identifies high potential, innovative start-ups which are ready for lift off.
We support them with world-class business advice and access to finance to strengthen their performance and accelerate their life cycle.
Star Venture assigns these start-ups advisory projects tailored to their specific competencies and needs. Our consulting services cover a wide range of segments, including strategy, business planning, finance, operations, organisation, marketing and sales among others.
What we offer
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Business diagnostics workshops
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Customised consulting projects
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Online/in-person mentoring sessions
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Global networks of business partners
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Access to finance
Are you eligible?
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Your business or your development team are based in one of 30 countries listed here
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You have an annual turnover of up to €1 million
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You have been in business for less than 5 years
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You have the technology that makes your business scalable
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The enterprise’s main areas of activity fall under any business area except: military products or services, gambling, tobacco, alcoholic drinks
Do you fit the profile?
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You demonstrate a high potential to scale
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You have a competitive advantage
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You display a strong market opportunity
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You are committed to continuous engagement throughout the programme
Call for applications from Uzbekistan
We are launching our Star Venture programme in Uzbekistan and are actively seeking applications from high-potential start-ups in Uzbekistan. Please refer to the guidelines and application link below. Deadline to apply is November 27th, 2023.
Application guidelines
Application link
Our portfolio showcases notable start-ups who have climbed the ladder and made headway in their local markets. Some of these include:
Albania
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Communis Cloud - MedTech | Cloud-based Platform | SaaS
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Datalix - Lead Gen | Technology Profiler | Sales & MarTech | SaaS
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Lekotech - Automotive | Logistics | B2B2C | SaaS | App | Mobile
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Rubicon - Digital Payment | FinTech
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Symmetric-OpenPay - Open Banking | Payment Processing | SaaS
Armenia
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Kruzo - a designer platform | HR | SaaS
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Velvioo - Transportation | Micro-Mobility Sharing | SaaS
Azerbaijan
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Recepta - FinTech | Digital receipts management | App | Mobile | Platform
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Adviad - AdTech | Cross-Channel Advertising platform
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Push30 - WellTech | Provider of access to fitness network | App | B2B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Bizbook - Digital Sales and Procurement Platform| B2B
Bulgaria
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Agriniser - Agri-Tech I Agriculture I E-commerce
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Zero Wave - FMCG-Tech I Manufacturing I Waste Management
Egypt
Georgia
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Theneo - AI | Generate Stripe-like API docs | API Management | B2B
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B2CGE - Ecommerce Enabler | No-code e-commerce solution for creation of online store |Platform
Greece
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
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Ambra - SaaS | Productivity | Task Management
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Blitz Media - Online Publishing | Affiliate Marketing | Software
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Codon.app - MedTech | SaaS Platform | Cloud-based
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Labbox - EduTech | Hardware | Software
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OnAir Media – Creative Industry | Online media | Software
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Paysera - FinTech| Multi-option Account | e-Payment
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Symbolt - AdTech | Marketing | SaaS
Lebanon
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FabricAID - Clothing | Recycling | Sustainability
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Fly Foot - Virtual Reality | Sports
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Geek Express - EdTech | STEM education
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Paw Pots - E-commerce | Animal food
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Schedex - Cloud Technology | Employee management
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B.O.T – Data management and analytics I Service provider
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Ecomz – Website builder I E-commerce
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IN2 – Sports management I SaaS
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Nadeera Technologies – Waste management I App I Mobile
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Shelvz – Retail Execution Management I SaaS
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Wakilni – Courier Service I Logistics I App I Mobile
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
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AIOX Labs - Health-tech | Software Development | AI Technologies
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MADRAFLIX PRIVE - Edu-Tech | Video platform
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PCS AGRI | AgriTech | Tracking system | B2B
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Pip Pip Yalah - Transport-Tech | C2C carpooling solution | App
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Weego - Transport-Tech | Transportation| App
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WafR - FMCG | Commerce | App | Mobile
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Yola Fresh | AgriTech | Supply chain management | B2B
North Macedonia
Romania
Serbia
Tunisia
Türkiye
Ukraine
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Fuelfinance - FinTech | Cloud-based financial department | SaaS
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Vanongo - Mobility | Last-mile logistics | AI | B2B
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Awesomic - Design Platform | B2B | SaaS
Start-ups of Belarusian origin
Our Star Venture portfolio showcases high-impact green start-ups who are making a difference and supporting sustainable and resilient economies. (Start-ups with * are beneficiaries of our Green Star Venture programme).
Albania
Armenia
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Velvioo - Transportation | Micro-Mobility Sharing | SaaS
Azerbaijan
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Recepta - FinTech | Digital receipts management | App | Mobile | Platform
Bulgaria
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Agriniser - Agri-Tech I Agriculture I E-commerce
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Zero Wave - FMCG-Tech I Manufacturing I Waste Management
Egypt
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Askova - Renewable Energy | Manufacturing | SaaS | R&D
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Fresh Source - Agri-Tech | E-vendor
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MaxAB - B2B | E-Commerce | Logistics | App | Mobile
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Raseedi - Cost optimization solution | B2B
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Raye7 - Carpooling | App | Mobile
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Tagaddod - CleanTech | Waste Management | B2B
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Teradix - Procurement software | SaaS
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Youspital – Healthcare | App | Mobile
Greece
Jordan
Lebanon
Moldova
Montenegro
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Ooblee - Local Marketplace | RetailTech | B2C
Morocco
Romania
Serbia
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Renwai - Entech|Data Science|SaaS
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Tapni - Digital business card I NFC I E-commerce I SaaS I B2B
Tunisia
Türkiye
Ukraine
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Vanongo - Mobility | Last-mile logistics | AI | B2B
Startup Innovation Challenge in response to the coronavirus
The EBRD has financed and advised high-potential start-ups in its countries of operation through various advisory and investment vehicles including Star Venture Programme, Early-Stage Innovation Facility, and Venture Capital Investment Programme.
Building on its experience and know-how in the start-up space, the EBRD launched its first online competition for high-potential start-ups that have innovated their business models in response to the coronavirus. Innovative early-stage enterprises that have the technology and the potential to scale were eligble for the following offer:
Offer
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A total of USD 500,000 of mixed cash rewards and vouchers for 5 selected startups to cover the costs within the framework of the Star Venture programme including business diagnostics, tailored one-on-one technical advisory, mentoring, access to international investors, etc. To learn more about Star Venture's services, please refer to the videos/articles under Star Venture News here
Results:
Top 5 Winners
• Otsimo (Türkiye) - EdTech
• Fazla Gıda (Türkiye) - Technology | Food
• 1Trolley (Egypt) - E-commerce
• Plant an App (Romania) - IT | Low-Code
• EMBIO Diagnostics (Cyprus) - Biotechnology
Eligible companies for partial support
The Start-up Innovation Challenge was supported with donor funds from the Republic of Korea, and in Egypt by the EBRD’s Small Business Impact Fund (Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, TaiwanBusiness - EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund and the United States).
Following a competitive selection process, we are thrilled to announce Green Cities Start-up Innovation Challenge's winning start-ups:
Winners:
Green Cities Start-up Innovation Challenge
In partnership with the EBRD's pioneering urban sustainability programme, EBRD Green Cities and with support from the TaiwanBusiness - EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, Star Venture is launching an Innovation Challenge for start-ups across the Bank's countries of operations.
Cities, which account for 70 per cent of energy use and 80 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, present an enormous environmental challenge. But they are equally an important source of innovation and the starting point for adressing climate change.
Competition overview
Are you a start-up that is working to accelerate the decarbonisation of cities? Are you deploying clean energy solutions or services that improve energy efficiency in urban areas?
The Green Cities Start-up Innovation Challenge is calling all high-potential start-ups from the EBRD's countries of operations that are contributing to energy resilience and security in urban environments. Winners will receive dedicated support from the Star Venture programme with scaling up their products and services, and growing their business.
Reward
Winning companies will join a cohort of dynamic venture teams in an intensive and tailored 18-month support programme.
Start-ups will benefit from systematic business diagnostics workshops, customised consulting projects, online/in-person mentoring sessions, as well as access to finance and global networks of business partners and high-level executives, potential customers, entrepreneurs and international soft landings.
The type and area of support will depend on the competencies and needs of the individual enterprises.
The total value of the advisory service project is EUR 100,000, out of which EUR 15,000 can support service expenses that fall outside of the scope of the Star Venture offer.
Timeline
After an initial pre-screening, applicants will be shortlisted and the innovators who made the cut will be invited to pitch their products and/or services to a jury of reputable, international professionals specialised in urban sustainability, energy.
An award ceremony will be organized in November to announce the winners and promote the winning innovations amongst EBRD Green Cities and key stakeholders.
Eligibility criteria
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Have operations and physical presence in the EBRD’s countries of operations (30 countries, listed here).
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Have less that EUR 1 million in turnover.
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Have less than 5 years of operations.
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Have an innovative, technology-based solution or business model with a Technological Readiness Level (TRL) between 7 and 9, as used by the European Union programme Horizon 2020.
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Be committed to continuous engagement throughout the entire duration of the 18-month programme.
Selection criteria
We're looking for candidates who are developing and deploying products and services that can accelerate the decarbonisation of cities and foster energy resilience in the urban sphere through for instance:
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Improved energy management – Products and services aiming at improving the management of energy resources at the city level. These solutions are keys to improving the energy efficiency of the grid, reducing losses and, furthermore, integrating renewable energies in the grid, amongst other benefits. Better energy management can also result in improved customer experience and awareness.
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Greater energy inclusion - Products and services aimed at improving everyone's access to clean energy technologies and services. Improving the access to, and the affordability of, clean energy technologies and services.
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Cleaner and secure energy – Technological products or components aimed at accelerating the deployment of clean energy solutions and/or supporting the development or deployment of sustainable and viable alternatives to gas for heating.
Applicant companies will have to demonstrate that their innovation does not solely target decarbonisation but can accelerate decarbonisation in cities and support, thus, achieving greater energy security.
Following a competitive selection process, we are thrilled to announce AgVenture's winning start-ups and runners-up:
Winners:
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Kumulus (Tunisia) - Water-tech | Security
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Biftek (Turkey): Agri Tech | Beef Tech | Green
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Smapp Lab (Hungary): Agri Tech | Insect Monitoring
Runners Up:
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Cuppfee (Bulgaria): Zero-Waste | Sustainable Food Production | Green
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Ondo (Bulgaria): Smart Farming Solution | Automation system
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Seabex (Tunisia): Farming solutions | AI-based platform
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EBRD AgVenture is a competition supporting innovative early-stage agribusiness technology ventures. Eligible agri-tech start-ups are those that operate in the economies where EBRD invests and that address one of three key themes:
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food, production and efficiency;
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greening the agri-sector; and
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improving value chain inclusion.
EBRD AgVenture will assist these start-ups to enhance their competitiveness and growth, which will contribute to the major problems faced by food systems today including but not limited to food security, rising input costs, intensified climate change, and fair inclusion of minorities, and small businesses in global value chains.
What we offer
The competition winners and runners up will receive the follow:
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a tailored advisory service through the dedicated EBRD Star Venture experience in value of EUR 80,000 for winners and EUR 50,000 for runner-ups. This includes:
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A systematic business diagnostics workshop
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Customised consulting support
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Online/in-person mentoring sessions
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Access to finance/market
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a 10,000 EUR grant for additional services
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visibility at global forums
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links to EBRD and other networks
All short-listed start-ups will be offered a business-matching to Taipei China, and visibility opportunities.
Are you eligible?
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Your enterprise’s main areas of activity falls under the agri-tech sector and have an aim to improve:
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Food, primary production and efficiency, including digital solutions that improve primary or food production, and aim to address food security issues.
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Greening of the agri-food sector, including reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, climate resilience, or resource efficiency related to food, water and agri-waste.
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Value chain inclusion in the agri-food sector, including linking companies of all sizes into value chains, and creating economic opportunities for women, rural, youth and other minority groups in the agri-food sector.
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You must have the majority of operations in the EBRD Countries of Operation and should have implemented, or should be implementing or should have reached a formal agreement in order to implement the product/service in the EBRD countries. Alternatively, start-ups should have the majority of its product/service implementation of their product/service in an EBRD Country of Operation, and should have some operations in the EBRD Countries of Operations.
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You have an annual turnover of up to €1 million
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You have been in business for less than 5 years
See Guidelines for further information on eligibility.
How to apply
We are currently receiving applications for this programme. Please refer to the application guidelines and form below.
Interested start-ups are welcome to apply here.
See our Guidelines for more information about the competition.
Timeline (for 2022 intake)
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Launch event: 1 Feb 2023
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Start up Application deadline: 10 March 2023
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Preliminary selection notification: 15 March 2023,
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Shortlist announcement: 22 March 2023
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Pitching sessions: 11th & 12th April 2023 from 12:00 - 15:00
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Announcement of winners: end of April
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Business matching in Taipei China for all shortlisted companies: between May 2023 – September 2023.
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For winners and runner ups, 1:1 Advisory/Star Venture support focusing on scaling: April 2023 – Sep 2024.
The Deadline to submit your application is 10 March 2023 at 23:59 GMT.
