On December 10th, Diia.City United held the FutureTech Meetup: Fundraising and Investments – A Practical Guide for Startups. The event aimed to support the development of the Ukrainian startup ecosystem through investment attraction.

Here are some insights from one of the discussion panels – focused on scaling businesses to the next level. The speakers discussed global growth conditions:

  • developing sustainable business models via KPIs
  • understanding growth-stage investor priorities
  • identifying scaling enablers and barriers

 

Hanna Shuvalova, Principal at Horizon Capital:

“Startups can attract capital for various purposes. Some create a new market, some offer a new product, and others seek to grow faster with investments. But in any case, you must have a goal and a strategy to achieve it.”

 

Ketevan Liparteliani, Europe Regional Lead, Disruptive Tech & Funds at IFC:

“In my opinion, the main catalyst for a company’s growth is the ambition of its founder. Do their aspirations extend beyond just the EBITDA metric? What drives them to push forward? The answers to these questions shape the action plan.”

 

Sviatoslav Sviatenko, Managing Director at Endeavour Ukraine and Founder of Mission Possible:

“Sometimes, to figure out what stops you from entering international markets or increasing profitability, you need an outside perspective. At Endeavor, we are exactly that – a support network that helps you tackle development challenges with minimal time and resources.”

 

Anton Avrynskyi, Co-founder & CEO of Liki24:

“Talk to several investors, not just one, to gain a better understanding of your startup’s potential valuation. If you want to secure a higher investment, try to create some competition among them.”

 

Andrii Bezverkhyi, Co-founder & CEO of SOC Prime:

“Don’t chase high checks. In 2018, I spoke with 60 funds and faced a choice between two investors with different valuations. I chose the one who offered a lower check but provided the necessary support.”

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The meetup took place in a hybrid format: over 170 participants attended the offline event at UNIT.City innovation park, and about 500 viewers joined online.

The event was supported by the USAID Competitive Economy Program of Ukraine. 

 

Join Diia.City United to access unique opportunities for growth. Together, we shape clear business rules, make important changes, and support the Diia.City space so that Ukrainian tech companies can grow globally.