Veterans eligible for up to $20,000 to develop their own tech startups

Ukrainian venture builder SKELAR has announced the launch of the Veteran Venture Programme, through which veterans will be able to access up to $20,000 to develop their own tech businesses. Applications are open until 25 August inclusive.

The eight-week programme will cover the full startup cycle — from idea validation and MVP development to preparing an investor pitch. Participants will receive mentoring from SKELAR experts with experience at companies such as Meta, Google and Microsoft.

Eligible applicants must have confirmed veteran status, experience in IT, marketing, design or sales, or at least two years of entrepreneurial activity; a tech business idea and/or a team of at least two people; as well as a clear understanding of the target market and strong motivation.

The curriculum includes lectures and practical sessions on identifying a market niche, team building, business models and pricing, financial planning, investment attraction and marketing, presentation development, networking and communications.

Participation in the programme is free. To register, applicants must complete an online form on the organisers’ website.

At the final stage, participants will pitch their projects to investors. The most promising teams will continue to work on their startups during the incubation phase, with the opportunity to secure funding of up to $20,000.