Thirty $50,000 grants for Ukrainian defence startups: VD Accelerator accepts applications until the end of the week

The organisers of VD Accelerator are recruiting teams for an acceleration programme aimed at Ukrainian defence tech developers and manufacturers. Applications are open until 12 July 2026.

VD Accelerator 2.0 will select 30 teams to take part in a free two-month programme, receive mentorship support and compete for non-dilutive grants of $50,000 to develop or refine their solutions. The total grant fund is $1.5 million.

The training programme will last two months and will be delivered in a hybrid format. The initiative includes an intensive training bootcamp, individual mentoring, consultations with sector experts, preparation for Demo Day, and a final project pitch.

During the programme, participants will focus on production organisation, legal matters, unit economics, team building, manufacturing processes, quality control, safety, component procurement, logistics, production localisation, research and development, fundraising, as well as product admission procedures and codification.

The participation of serving military personnel or veterans as members of a team is not mandatory.